The Moab area is one of Utah's main outdoor playgrounds, an ideal spot for hiking, boating, camping, or just plain horsing around (with or without the horse). In addition to the nearby national parks, Arches and Canyonlands, there's plenty of room to roam on land administered by the Bureau of Land Management's Moab office, 82 E. Dogwood Ave., Moab, UT 84532 (tel. 435/259-2100), and the Manti-La Sal National Forest's Moab Ranger District, 62 E. 100 North (P.O. Box 386), Moab, UT 84532 (tel. 435/259-7155). The best source for information is the Moab Information Center.

Because of the extreme desert heat in summer, the best time for most outdoor activities is spring or fall -- even the relatively mild winters are inviting. If you end up vacationing in the middle of summer, we recommend that you do your serious hiking and mountain biking early in the day, enjoy a siesta along the river or beside a swimming pool during the heat of the afternoon, and take a short hike in the evening, just before sundown.

A Desert Oasis--For a delightful escape from the desert heat, take a break at the Scott M. Matheson Wetlands Preserve, 934 W. Kane Creek Rd. (tel. 435/259-4629; or visit the the Nature Conservancy website). Owned by the Nature Conservancy, this lush oasis attracts more than 200 species of birds and other wildlife, such as river otters, beavers, and muskrats.

The preserve has a wheelchair-accessible 1-mile loop trail, boardwalks over the wet areas, and a two-story viewing blind. Guided bird walks are given (call for the current schedule), and bird and wildlife lists and self-guided tour brochures are available. In late spring and summer visitors are advised to take mosquito repellent.

The preserve is open daily year-round from dawn to dusk, and admission is free. From downtown Moab, go south on Main Street to Kane Creek Road (between McDonald's and Burger King), go west about 3/4 mile, passing the Moab Public Works Department, to a Y in the road. Take the left fork, and continue for about another 1/2 mile to the preserve entrance. From the parking area, a footpath and bridge lead over Mill Creek to an information kiosk and into the preserve.