Sorrel River Ranch Resort and Spa

The Sorrel River Ranch Resort lives up to its motto “where luxury meets adventure,” attracting couples and families willing pay a bit more for a picturesque and quiet southwestern vacation directly on the Colorado River. The ranch’s beginnings date back to 1903 when Fred and Ida Stearns lived in a two-room farmhouse, a building that’s preserved by the herb garden. In 1999, current owner Elizabeth Rad took over. Today the two-floor resort features a small, wooden front desk and a TV lounge with leather furniture. The gargantuan ranch resort has beautiful views of the area's red-rock mesas (often featured in classic cowboy movies) and nearly every outdoor activity that travelers seek out in Moab. Guided hiking trails, horseback and pony rides, a petting zoo, river rafting, volleyball and basketball are all offered on-site. Riverfront patio furniture and parked wooden wagons on the grounds add to the Southwestern atmosphere. However, some interior furnishings are more homey than luxurious.

The resort is remote, in a Colorado River location that's removed from the national parks, and a car is necessary. There aren’t any stores or restaurants in walking distance. Arches National Park is a half-hour drive away and Canyonlands National Park takes just short of an hour. Dead Horse Point State Park and Hurrah Pass are a little over an hour by car. Indian Creek is a three-hour drive. Downtown Moab -- with plenty of restaurants, shops, cafes, and adventure tours -- is a 25-minute drive. It’s a 42-minute drive to the Canyonlands Airport. 

The resort offers a Ranch House for rent along with four categories of cabin suites: Mountain-View, River-View, Spa, and Family. Both the Ranch House and the cabins have knotty-pine ceilings and furnishings and subtle Wild West decor touches. All come with flat-screen TVs, bathrobes, irons/ironing boards, and kitchenettes with mini-fridges and microwaves. Bathrooms have shower/tub combos or separate walk-in showers and clawfoot tubs. Family units offer two bathrooms and riverside decks. The three-bedroom adobe Ranch House features leather furniture, a main kitchen, a kitchenette, a patio, and balcony, along with a fireplace, a laundry room, and three bathrooms. ADA accessible and pet-friendly rooms are also available.

There are three restaurants, including the classically decorated River Grill, with wooden ceilings and large windows overlooking property. The River Deck and Riverside Bar offer rocking chairs and patio furniture directly on the Colorado River. The Professor Valley Dining Room is cozy, with a fireplace, a potbelly stove, a spiral staircase, comfy leather sofas, and an enclosed patio with river views.

There’s also a cozy spa with a sauna, steam room, locker room, a fireplace treatment room, and a standard gym with cardio equipment. The outdoor pool -- open from April through October -- and the hot tub are situated on a deck with lounge chairs and beautiful views.

The property also has six meeting rooms that can fit between 20 to 600 people. The events lawn, pavilion, restaurants, and the river deck can also be rented out. There’s also a business corner with two Mac desktops and a printer; Wi-Fi is free.