Aside from a bevy of devoted mountain bikers who pay homage to the place every year in the 24-Hour Mountain Bike National Championship, Moab, Utah, doesn't usually hover at the top of most people's vacation wish lists. That's a shame, because it's one of the most uniquely beautiful destinations in the country.

Arches National Park and Canyonlands National Park are short drives from the center of Moab. Each one features breathtaking red rock formations that virtually glow in the fading light of sunset. By itself, Arches offers days of exploration via short walks or extensive hikes under and around 2,000 stone arches formed by the imprecise art of natural precipitation. The rugged grandeur of these monuments—each idiosyncratic and constantly changing—is unparalleled.

From Las Vegas we rented a car and drove to Moab, covering nearly 1,200 miles on the entire trip. Zion National Park is an easy stop along the way, with myriad hikes, such as the famous Narrows, beckoning for much more than a side trip. Instead, we lingered at Bryce Canyon National Park, just a few hours outside of Vegas, for a short hike to investigate the stalagmites—conical mineral deposits that create spectacular rock pinnacles called hoodoos.

Taking this detour stretched our drive to Moab to about 12 hours, but it was well worth it. We made a note to return to explore the maze of trails amid the eerie red, rust and white natural amphitheater—when we weren't on our way to another destination.

Several hours later, hungry and growing fatigued from watching for random deer and cows wandering onto the road through the inky blackness, we stumbled across Hell's Backbone Grill (http://www.hellsbackbonegrill. com, 435-335-7464) in Boulder, Utah, a tiny town (population 180!) that feels like it's in the middle of nowhere (maybe because it is?). Expecting mediocre food, we were thrilled to discover a restaurant with mouth-watering dishes accented with herbs and vegetables from the restaurant's organic farm and on-site gardens. They even get their eggs from their own heritage-breed hens. When I explored the log cabin-like interior, I found an article about the eatery from Oprah Winfrey's magazine framed on the wall, along with dining awards and a piece in the New York Times travel section. Not so hidden and unknown, after all.

When we finally arrived in Moab at 2 a.m., we settled into our three-bedroom condominium at Moab Springs Ranch, with a full kitchen, two bathrooms and the wild addition of a fire pole exiting the loft. In all, it could sleep eight people comfortably. Moab is casual and fairly economical; our condo was among the nicest accommodations, which peak with the Hampton Inn.

Dining is simple, too. Preparing oatmeal in the kitchen and packing sandwiches every day before heading out with our mountain bikes and hiking boots suited us perfectly. Though a few expensive restaurants have managed to survive, we weren't impressed. After a long day outdoors, what enticed us most was the Moab Brewery, where a burrito bursting with fresh vegetables and a side of steamy homemade cornbread satiated us for around $10.

Even if you love your own mountain bike, traveling with it is so expensive and cumbersome that renting makes sense. It seems like there's a bike shop every block in Moab—it's a mecca for off-road enthusiasts—but be sure to make reservations in advance, especially during popular months like May and October. For about $60 a day per person at Poison Spider Bicycles, we walked out with top-flight Yeti bikes with 5.75 inches of travel (mountain bike-speak for the range in suspension). Helpful mechanics/cyclists provided helmets and the right pedals (bring your own shoes if you want to clip in), tuned the bikes after each ride and offered suggestions for routes—there are dozens of highly technical to moderate rides—based on our abilities. For the record, every ride tested us one way or another.

The highlight of our adventure was undoubtedly Slickrock, the area's iconic ride. It's full of steep climbs and descents reserved for only the most skilled riders, dramatic drops into canyons, soaring views of the Colorado River, and stunning smooth rock that has an unexpected and comforting grip on mountain bike tires. Every minute of our 3 1/2 hours on the course exhilarated us.

And that was only the beginning. One day we arranged for a private mountain climbing guide to take us on a six-hour excursion through Pritchett Canyon. We called Jackson Hole Mountain Guides, told them we were reasonably fit and asked for something challenging. After a couple of hours of hiking and climbing (no gear; hands only, but with some intermediate moves in steep, narrow places), we arrived at our first rappel—about 60 feet and relatively easy against a flat wall. Still, the first time you step off the edge of any cliff in a harness and lower yourself, it's terrifying. After trust in the gear and myself replaced trepidation, I couldn't help but holler my enthusiasm, which bounced off the cavernous walls all the way down. A perfect descent on the first rappel earns you a thrilling 90-feet free fall on the next.

Several days in the area left us yearning for more. A camping trip under the luminous stars, perhaps. Or mountain biking and hiking on trails we didn't even find. With all that we experienced, we knew there was so much we missed. And that's why Moab remains at the top of our vacation wish list.