Latter-day Saint settlers attempted to establish a trading fort at the river crossing called the Elk Mountain Mission in April 1855 to trade with travellers attempting to cross the river. Both attempts failed.ĭuring the period between 1829 and the early 1850s, the area around what is now Moab served as the Colorado River crossing along the Old Spanish Trail. : 50 Another effort attempted to change the name to 'Uvadalia'. One petition in 1890 had 59 signatures and requested a name change to 'Vina'. Some of the area's early residents attempted to change the city's name, because in the Christian Bible, Moabites are demeaned as incestuous and idolatrous (but note, Ruth was a Moabite).

: 16 However, others believe the name has Paiute origins, referring to the word moapa, meaning 'mosquito'. Some historians believe the city in Utah came to use this name because of William Andrew Pierce, the first postmaster, believing that the biblical Moab and this part of Utah were both 'the far country'. The Biblical name Moab refers to an area of land located on the eastern side of the Jordan River. The town is a popular base for mountain bikers who ride the extensive network of trails including the Slickrock Trail, and for off-roaders who come for the annual Moab Jeep Safari. Moab attracts many tourists annually, mostly visitors to the nearby Arches and Canyonlands National Parks. The population was 5,366 at the 2020 census. æ b/ ( listen)) is the largest city and county seat of Grand County in eastern Utah in the western United States, known for its dramatic scenery.

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