Beyond the OverlookBeyond the Utah Parks: Jeep, ATV, Slot Canyons + Sandboarding
Kids do not necessarily want to hike all day every day. These were some of our best ways to change the pace.
Firsthand guide · Last reviewed August 2026 · How we review our guides
Hell’s Revenge Jeep tour
Near Moab, we did a Jeep tour on Hell’s Revenge that included the Beast. The kids loved the steep slickrock terrain and the feeling of doing something completely different from another trail day.
ATV + Peek-a-Boo Slot Canyon
We did an ATV and Peek-a-Boo slot canyon outing with Kanab Adventure Company that also included sandboarding. You can sandboard much more cheaply by renting a board elsewhere, but we strongly recommend making room for a slot canyon somewhere in this region.
Coral Pink Sand Dunes
We stumbled onto this and had a blast. The enormous dunes are great for sledding or sandboarding and make a perfect break between national-park hikes.
Moqui Caverns
A cool, quick stop that fit naturally into the Kanab portion of the trip.
Moab rock shop
Simple, but a hit with the kids. Not every memorable stop needs to be another multi-hour hike.
Our family-trip rule: alternate the marquee hikes with something playful. Jeep rides, ATVs, sand sledding and a slot canyon made the hiking days feel more exciting, not less.
Which non-hiking experience did our kids like best?
For pure thrills, Hell's Revenge was probably the winner. We were passengers while someone else drove us around in a large off-road truck, so we could enjoy the steep slickrock terrain without having to operate the vehicle ourselves. The kids loved how extreme it felt.
Best for scenery: ATV + slot canyon
The ATV and Peek-a-Boo slot canyon day was less about one huge adrenaline moment and more about seeing something completely different. Between the ATV ride, narrow slot canyon and sandboarding, it delivered the most sightseeing variety of the non-park activities we did.
How we would choose between them
If your kids want excitement, choose Hell's Revenge. If you want the activity to double as sightseeing, choose the ATV plus slot-canyon experience. On a longer Utah trip, we liked having both because they broke up consecutive hiking days in very different ways.
Our family road-trip rule
Do not assume every great Utah day needs to be another national-park hike. Mixing in off-road rides, sand dunes, slot canyons and quick roadside curiosities made the hiking days feel fresher and gave the kids something completely different to look forward to.