Hole 'n the Rock

Moab

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An unabashed tourist trap 12 miles south of Moab, Hole ’n the Rock is a 5000-sq-ft home-cum-cave carved into sandstone and decorated in knockout 1950s kitsch.

What weren’t owners Albert and Gladys Christensen into? He was a barber, a painter, an amateur engineer and a taxidermist. She was a cook (the cave once housed a restaurant) and lapidary jeweler who lived in the blasted-out home until 1974. The hodgepodge of metal art, old signs, small petting zoo and stores make it worth the stop, but you have to tour the surprisingly light home to believe it.

Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

  • Dramatic view of sandstone cliffs, mesas, and canyons from the Island in the Sky district of Canyonlands National Park in Utah.

    Island in the Sky

    20.49 MILES

    You'll comprehend space in new ways atop the appropriately named Island in the Sky. This 6000ft-high flat-topped mesa drops precipitously on all sides,…

  • Chesler Park at The Needles District of Canyonlands.

    The Needles

    24.15 MILES

    Named for the spires of orange-and-white sandstone jutting skyward from the desert floor, the Needles District is so different from Island in the Sky that…

  • Morning light illuminates the underside of Mesa Arch in Canyonlands National Park.

    Canyonlands National Park

    22.21 MILES

    Covering 527 sq miles, Canyonlands is Utah's largest and wildest park. Indeed, parts of it are as rugged as almost anywhere on the planet. Arches, bridges…

  • Three Gossips in Arches National Park.

    Arches National Park

    17.9 MILES

    One of the Southwest's most gorgeous parks, Arches boasts the world's greatest concentration of sandstone arches. Just 5 miles north of Moab on Hwy 191,…

  • Dead Horse Point State Park

    Dead Horse Point State Park

    16.92 MILES

    A tiny but stunning state park, Dead Horse Point has been the setting for numerous movies, including the opening scene from Mission Impossible II and the…

  • Canyon Rims Recreation Area

    Canyon Rims Recreation Area

    13.52 MILES

    The BLM Canyon Rims Recreation Area to the east of Canyonlands National Park has two interesting overlooks, undeveloped hiking and backcountry driving…

  • Newspaper Rock State Historic Monument

    Newspaper Rock State Historic Monument

    27.93 MILES

    This tiny recreation area showcases a single large sandstone rock panel packed with more than 300 petroglyphs attributed to Ute and Ancestral Puebloan…

  • Moab Giants

    Moab Giants

    23.12 MILES

    This paleo-amusement park features giant life-size replica dinosaurs, walking trails, 3D videos that might even bring you to a fourth dimension in some…

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Nearby Moab attractions

1. Spanish Valley Winery

7.85 MILES

For some no-frills wine tasting, visit the surprisingly good Spanish Valley Winery, 6 miles south of Moab on Hwy 191.

2. Canyon Rims Recreation Area

13.52 MILES

The BLM Canyon Rims Recreation Area to the east of Canyonlands National Park has two interesting overlooks, undeveloped hiking and backcountry driving…

3. Moab Museum

13.64 MILES

Regional exhibits feature everything from paleontology and archaeology to local crafts and Native American art.

4. Matrimony Springs

16.03 MILES

To fill up on fresh spring water, take Hwy 191 north to Hwy 128 east and continue 100yd to Matrimony Springs, on the right.

5. Dead Horse Point State Park

16.92 MILES

A tiny but stunning state park, Dead Horse Point has been the setting for numerous movies, including the opening scene from Mission Impossible II and the…

6. Arches National Park

17.9 MILES

One of the Southwest's most gorgeous parks, Arches boasts the world's greatest concentration of sandstone arches. Just 5 miles north of Moab on Hwy 191,…

7. Moab Museum of Film & Western Heritage

20.07 MILES

Head out to the Moab Museum of Film & Western Heritage, based at Red Cliffs Lodge, 15 miles north of town, to see Hollywood memorabilia from films shot…

8. Island in the Sky

20.49 MILES

You'll comprehend space in new ways atop the appropriately named Island in the Sky. This 6000ft-high flat-topped mesa drops precipitously on all sides,…

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