Thompson Springs sits in a remarkable pocket of eastern Utah, surrounded by desert cliffs, old mining routes, rock art sites, ghost-town history, and some of the most iconic landscapes in the state. From here, you can head out for a short scenic drive, spend the day exploring canyon country, or use Desert Moon as a basecamp for a much wider stretch of the region.

Explore the Wild Side of Utah

Petroglyphs on a rock face depicting ancient figures and symbols in red paint.
Bright blue sky with scattered clouds over arid desert landscape with a large rocky mountain including smaller hills and dry, sparse vegetation.
A sunset over a landscape with clouds in the sky, mountains on the horizon, and dry vegetation in the foreground.
Ancient rock wall with faded red/pink petroglyphs of four humanoid figures, some with headdresses or horns, in a desert setting.

Sego Canyon & the Book Cliffs

Just a few miles from Desert Moon, Sego Canyon is one of the area’s most memorable places to explore. The canyon is known for its dramatic setting beneath the Book Cliffs, as well as its ancient pictographs and petroglyphs, mining remains, and layered sense of history.

It is the kind of place that stays with you: striking desert walls, traces of the old mining era, and evidence of much older human presence in the landscape.

The Book Cliffs themselves provide a beautiful backdrop to the entire area and help give Thompson Springs its distinctive feeling of openness, history, and remoteness.

Explore the old Sego coal mine ghost town mercantile building, one of the historic sites near Desert Moon. It’s an easy way to add a little wild-west mining history and ghost-town atmosphere to your day.

Visit Petroglyphs
See the Mercantile

Arches Access

Most visitors head to the main entrance. Guests at Desert Moon have access to a lesser known north side entrance to Arches.

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Day Trips Nearby

A desert landscape at sunset with red rock formations and mesas in the distance.

Desert Moon is well positioned for exploring some of southeastern Utah’s best-known destinations.

Nearby highlights include:

  • Arches National Park

  • Canyonlands National Park

  • Moab

  • Green River

  • Swasey’s Beach

  • San Rafael Swell

  • Dead Horse Point State Park

  • Goblin Valley State Park

  • Colorado National Monument

  • Bears Ears region

View of the Grand Canyon with layered rock formations and a clear sky.

Some of these are quick outings, while others make for longer day trips, but all are part of what makes Desert Moon such an interesting place to stay. You can experience the quieter atmosphere of Thompson Springs while still being within reach of some of the most extraordinary landscapes in the Southwest.

Stay Here, Then Go Explore

Whether you are heading into Arches for the day, driving up to Sego Canyon, exploring back roads beneath the Book Cliffs, or using Desert Moon as a base for a wider Utah road trip, there is a lot to discover from here.

Desert Moon offers a more atmospheric place to land, close to the region’s iconic sights while also placing you in a quieter and more historical corner of the desert.

Accommodations at Desert Moon

Historic Hotel

A bedroom with vibrant teal walls featuring southwestern-style geometric mural art. There is a black metal bed with a colorful quilt and matching pillow. A small bedside table with a lamp, books, and a framed mirror is next to the bed. A window with curtains, a cowhide rug, and a sink are also visible.

Stay upstairs in the historic Desert Moon Inn, where each room has its own artistic personality. The inn is more like a boutique boarding house, with private rooms, shared bathrooms, and a shared kitchenette.

BOOK HOTEL
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RV Park

Sign for Desert Moon Hotel RV Park with a smiling moon face, surrounded by trees and parked RVs and trucks under a blue sky.

Settle in under the shade trees with full hookup RV sites offering water, electricity, and sewer.
A desert basecamp with easy access to Moab, Arches, Canyonlands, & the region.

BOOK RV PARK
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Campgrounds

A camping scene in a rural area during sunset, with a tent, a fenced area, a white car, and some trees and bushes in the landscape.

Pitch a tent and enjoy the quiet, open desert atmosphere. Campers have access to restrooms, showers, and water spigots, with plenty of room to take in the landscape.

BOOK CAMPGROUND
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Find Us in Thompson Springs

A desert highway scene with a Shell gas station, a Shell diesel sign, and a green road sign indicating the direction to Thompson Springs, with rocky mountain terrain in the background.

Located just off I-70 at Exit 187, Desert Moon is an easy stop on the way to Moab, Arches, Canyonlands, and the surrounding desert. Close enough for adventure, but far enough out to feel like its own experience.