Melissa, Evan and Logan are awesome. We bring a group of 8th graders out here every year and expose them to the canyoneering that culminates with a rappel off of Morning Glory Arch. The day starts with gearing up and then an easy mile hike in to the first rappel off of a wall into a chasm. That gets the group ready for the more challenging arch rappel. Desert Highlights is awesome at empowering everyone to experience success. Even those that have some trepidation show their sense of pride after the descent. I can't say enough about these three guides. They are professional and personable. I would recommend this adventure to anyone, young or old. read more

I adore these guys. The service(s) they offer are a cut above anywhere else, and their knowledge and skill level surpass most. I am highly impressed. My sister and I met Matt yesterday, and had a lengthy conversation with him about the area and their canyoneering. That guy probably knows the Utah outback better than just about anyone. We enjoyed our time with him immensely. This morning we arrived at 8 for our expedition up a canyon they somewhat recently discovered. Yes, DISCOVERED (and named). This is what they do...scout out unknown, amazing places just to share with appreciative customers. The hike was incredible, and even during the rappels (dropping off the side of the canyon wall, ledges, etc.) we were in good hands. Our guide, Herb, knows a lot about the area and geologic...everything, and his climbing skills are highly impressive too. I think he must have been a mountain goat in a past life. :) We had lunch in a shady alcove during our descent, and were back at the office before 3. We are plotting and planning our next trip to Moab just to learn a bit more about canyoneering from these guys, and to see some more awesome ladscapes as well (of course). Next summer I am hoping we can meet up with Matt when he comes to Oregon to access some incredible canyons and waterfalls in our own backyard. Thanks again, guys! :) read more

Our tour was awesome! We had Ky and she was super knowledgeable and down to earth - and a great guide through the canyon. We said when we left it felt like getting a tour from a local friend! Entrajo canyon was a great combo of a little of everything! We loved it! read more

I'm going to make a long story long. Because it deserves to be. These guys are so good, I logged out my girlfriend's account and signed into mine so I could write one of my first few reviews. Matt and Ed took us out. We were on a bachelor party/family vacation. We wanted something challenging, which it turned out to be that as well as extremely unique. These guys were able to find us a remote spot that took us through some diverse terrain. And no joke, these guys are well versed in their surroundings. We went out on the day and they immediately jelled with our party's mentality. It was fun and relaxed and it was obvious we were in good hands. These guys are what you want from a nature tour: Real Authentic, Real Fun, and Real People. I could not recommend them higher. NOTE: Please someone out there: Tell them that Jonathan Hicks told you to ask about the "Hummus Special". read more

We did a Granary Canyon hike this past weekend and Herb was our guide. He was awesome and we loved the entire experience! At the last minute, a really interesting couple from Norway joined our group and we had a blast. None of us had ever repelled before. We did six repels in the trip ranging from 25 ft. to 200 ft. While it was scary at first, we were much more at ease with it after doing a couple of them and all of us had 100% confidence in Herb's abilities. He is really well versed in geology too, so we learned a lot. It was well worth the money and we will go back and specifically request Herb in the future! Awesome trip!!! read more

I usually don't take the time to recognize a company's customer service unless it is remarkable. Herb led us a secluded tour where the only sight of man or woman was us because there were animals prints surrounding us. Now, don't let this scare you because he was beyond knowledgeable and he made us feel extra competent in our abilities. For being our first canyon erring experience, he had us begging for more as we went down a 225 foot drop. Since our excursion, we've planned our next canyoneering adventure next month. Herb opened our eyes to Moab's sacred crypto and taught us all about the various pictographs on pictures cape sandstone. I highly recommend the zigzag tour to anyone who wants memorable half day trip. read more

Desert Highlights - Herb assisting Ivie the first big repel - Tours Near Me - Moab, Utah

What a great family-run business. Melissa was a perfect guide for us. She was laser focused on safety. She was also engaging and fun. The two rappels were fantastic. Highly recommended! read more

Desert Highlights - Awesome double rappel off arch. - Tours Near Me - Moab, Utah

Desert highlights is a well run operation and was very easy to work with. My husband and I just did the entrajo Canyon today with Melissa and had a great time. She was extremely understanding about my fear of heights and helpful at every point with encouraging words. Thank you, Melissa! read more

Great half day canyoneering trip with Taylor into entrajo canyon. Got my wife to rappel after she swore that there wasn't a chance she would. Working with Melissa and herb to set the trip could not have been easier even with us changing plans numerous times. They helped us with hikes that we did on our own. They were a fantastic resource for other activities and dinning options while we were in moab. Can't say enough about how great these guys are. read more

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If your looking for a great adventure to share with friends then try repelling into Medieval Chamber. It's definitely one of Moab's best canyons. The lower canyon has a running stream and huge natural arch which is breathtaking. Our guide, Melissa, was very knowledgeable about all things repelling related, and was also a wealth of knowledge about the local wildlife and surroundings; a true conservationist. The second repel was from Morning Glory Arch - the seventh longest arch in the world which is quite intimidating to the first-time novice repeller. Our guides, Cam and Melissa, reassured us and instilled confidence by discussing the safety aspects they had carefully planned out. The canyon floor plummets 100 feet below and it's now time to partner-up since this arch requires you and your partner to repel off opposite sides at the same time and counterbalance one another... totally exhilarating experience. Thanks for the experience of a lifetime. Jim Mc. Fenton, Mi. read more

Herb took my family, including a 10 and 13 year old, out to Entrajo Canyon. This was one of the most amazing experiences of our 4 lives. We have hiking and tree rope/rappelling with automatic belay experience, but not with this true belay and self rappel style. Herb made all 4 of us so comfortable that we got down the 80 foot rappel no problem. His knowledge of the outdoors made it a true enjoyable learning experience. We literally had the entire canyon to ourselves....during the busiest tourist season at Arches.....we were basically alone away from Arches. (We heard voices of another group but never saw them.)I give this my highest recommendation. I do recommend wearing actual hiking shoes, and longer shorts (not shorter) if it's too hot for pants. We will go back to Moab again. read more

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My son and I did a half day Canyoneering trip with Herb in early October and could not have been happier. He and his assisting guide were very knowledgeable and super friendly. I loved the first repel into the cavern and the tandem repel off the arch, you can't get much more memorable than that! So much FUN!!! read more

I had the best experience with Melissa, co-owner of Desert Highlights. As a solo traveler, it can be expensive to book guided trips for one. Melissa was an angel and talked to an already scheduled group to see if they would mind if I joined in so I could take advantage of the group rate. The four of us made a great crew of women, rappelling not because we were adrenaline junkies, but because we wanted the thrill of conquering our fears. Melissa expertly guided us and gave clear instructions so we had nothing to worry about. She cheered us on and kept giving us tips as we canyoneered Medieval Chamber (a route that the founder of Desert Highlights originated, in fact!). She also had the answer for every question, from the manganese that gave the canyon stone its unique varnish to identifying pepper weed on the trail for an extra kick of heat to add to our outdoor meals. I've adventured as a solo female traveler with various companies around the world and I felt in the best hands with Melissa. I can't recommend her and Desert Highlights highly enough! read more

Various Trips & all Exciting! I have been on a dozen of private group canyoneering/rappelling trips with Desert Highlights and all have been fun, exciting, adventurous, and exhilarating! They determine your skill level and adapt the day to make it the best possible. They concentrate on safety first and then make it loads of fun. Thank you Herb & Melissa for being the best guides!! read more

My family and I had an unforgettable canyoneering trip with Herb. We tackled the zig zag canyon and loved it. Herb was a superior guide. Safety was very important to him, as well as showing us this very special canyon that few people get to see. I highly recommend this company for a safe, personal, informative trip where other companies don't go. This is not a cookie cutter experience! read more

We absolutely LOVE Desert Highlights. Over the years my husband and I have been on many adventures with them. Every trip is unique, fun and safe with this crew. They're true experts and professionals. I couldn't recommend them more for anyone looking for a truly special Moab Canyoneering experience! read more

We did the 1/2 day Medieval Chamber hiking and rappelling and loved it. It included 2 rappels and a few hours of hiking. Logan and Herb were both great guides. The hike itself was pretty and easy (other than some ice - we went in the middle of winter). They were great about making sure they helped me with any particularly icy stretches, which I appreciated. The rappelling was really fun and I appreciated that they accommodated for whether we wanted to go faster or slower on the way down. This was an amazing experience and I highly recommend it! read more

We had an awesome canyoneering experience with our high school age Girl Scouts. We did Entrajo canyon and were not disappointed. Melissa,our guide, provided us with encouragement when needed and gave us excellent instructions. Thank you Melissa and Desert Highlights for making this a wonderful and memory making experience. Also the views are incredible read more

My husband and I could not be happier with our experience today. Our guide Melissa was knowledgeable, personable, extremely supportive and fun. I spent a good deal of time researching which of the many guiding companies in Moab would be best, and am so glad we chose Desert Highlights for our canyoneering trip. When I called to get information, I told business owner Herb that my husband and I have some climbing experience and that we've been canyoneering once before, and are looking for something on the more challenging side of the canyoneering spectrum. He told us that they have a couple of great options, and after hearing about those and asking for Herb's recommendation we signed up right then on the phone. Throughout the entire experience I felt challenged and safe thanks to Melissa's excellent guidance. It was a great mix of light climbing and really fun canyoneering. I would recommend DH to anyone looking for a canyoneering adventure in Moab! These folks are the real deal. read more

Herb was an amazing guide. He knew so much about the local wildlife, flora and fauna, and he was sincerely kind and patient. It made for the best birthday present ever! We repelled down a 220 ft cliff! read more

We had a great time with Danny as our guide. This is the 3rd time I have gone with this company and I've never had a bad experience. I highly recommend them for a fun filled adventure! read more

Herb and Melissa were top notch! Highly recommend going out on a trip with them. Pleiades was incredible.

My wife and I took an all-day canyoneering adventure with Desert Highlights into Granary Canyon. It was fantastic! The excursion was quite challenging physically for us. There were seven repels as well as quite a bit of scrambling and hiking. The canyon was incredibly beautiful and the weather was perfect. Our guide, Melissa, was exceptional in her preparation and in her knowledge of repelling technique and safety. We had the good fortune to be joined by a guide that was new to the company, Morgan. He was learning the particular preferences and approaches that Desert Highlights favors for their trips. He has been guiding for another agency for seven years. One technique is called "ghosting" which leaves no webbing behind in the canyon after the repels. Our two guides gave us a wonderful running commentary on canyon features, geology, and information on flora and fauna indigenous to the region. We were ecstatic with the challenges of this adventure and we felt fortunate to have chosen such a conscientious and professional company to work with. If you decide to choose this particular excursion, be prepared for a significant workout. You will be rewarded with a beautiful day. The last repel is a thrilling 200 foot descent to the Colorado River flood plain. Spectacular! read more