Moab becomes the Nation's First Green Power Community!

Moab is located in Grand County, Utah (for Marriage License information, please click here). It is nestled between the La Sal Mountains, Arches National Park, and Canyonlands National Park. It is a spectacular setting for hiking, biking, golfing, photography, and more. The climate is very dry and warm, with summer temperatures easily reaching 100 degrees F.

Many folks wonder just how Moab got its name. There are several legends, but the most accepted has biblical roots. In the Bible, the name Moab refers to an area of similar geography near Jerusalem. Another version is that "Moab" comes from a Paiute word meaning "mosquito water." Mosquitoes were abundant near the Colorado River. There have been at least 2 unsuccesful attempts to change the town's name over the last 125 years.

In 1885 the first motel was constructed in Moab. On December 20, 1902, Moab became incorporated as a town.

Mining has historically been the major local economic activity. Vanadium was first identified in 1912 near Cisco. Several uranium mining boom/bust cycles have since passed. Potash and manganese mining have also played a role in the mining industry in Moab, along with oil and natural gas. By the end of World War II, the area was also getting a small amount of attention in the media as a tourist destination and a fair amount of use from the film industry, but the real economic boom was still to come.

After the decline of the mining industry in Moab, tourism became the main focus. Once I-70 was completed between Floy Wash and Crescent Junction, access to this part of the country was much easier. Today, Moab is predominantly a tourist based economy and mountain biking mecca. It is estimated that over a million people visit Moab each year.

Moab's Population is approximately 5,000, and its Elevation is just over 4,000 ft (1300m).