Lodging

Sandstone formations surround the Sorrel River Ranch Resort.

Springtime in the Utah desert is sublime — especially for folks like me from the Colorado Rockies who are eager for some warm weather come March. When it’s still 50 degrees in the mountains, it can be in the 70s during the day in Moab, Utah.

My family regularly visits Moab in the spring or fall, and when we’re traveling with the kids we’re either camping or staying in budget hotels on Moab’s main drag. But a couple of years ago my husband and I ditched the kids for a romantic weekend stay at the Sorrel River Ranch Resort & Spa.

This working ranch is set on 160 acres next to the Colorado River and about 20 minutes from Moab proper. Every room on the property has a private porch with its own two-person wooden swing — great for snuggling with your sweetie and admiring vistas of terracotta rock formations. Each room also comes with a kitchenettes with refrigerators — a nice amenity for storing late-night snacks or that bottle of white wine.

Reading a book on the front porch.

My husband and I booked a table for two at the on-site River Grill restaurant, where hearty “cowboy cuisine” is featured. But because the resort’s owner is vegetarian, you’ll find savory tomato soup and Eggplant Innvoltini alongside New York strip, rack of lamb and salmon steak.

I also enjoyed a relaxing massage at the resort’s intimate spa. With just four treatment rooms, the spa is small, but does include amenities like steam showers and saunas in the women’s and men’s locker rooms.

The Sorrel River Ranch & Spa does cater to families, with its two-story family suites (separate sleeping area for the kids!), but I think this AAA four-diamond property is ideal for a romantic getaway. It makes a truly luxurious home base from which you can enjoy all of the outdoor adventures — from horseback riding and hiking to river rafting and mountain biking — that the Moab area has to offer.

Photos by Kara Williams.