Red Cliff Lodge in Utah

Red Cliff Lodge is a hotel owned by Marriott that has a “home” in the Zion National Park area and Moab, Utah. In this blog, we will be telling you everything you need to know about staying at the Red Cliff Lodge in Moab for your elopement or even hosting your wedding there!

There are very few wedding venues in the area, alongside Red Earth Venue, this is our very top recommendation for an adventure wedding venue in Moab.

There is SO much to love about this stay, venue, and area! Great views, so much to do and a bit more privacy than a lot of the other areas of Moab.

Red Cliffs Lodge Moab Location

Red Cliff Lodge in Moab is located at Mile Post, 14 UT-128, Moab, UT 84532. The lodge is off of Highway 128, a beautiful drive that heads East from Moab towards Castle Valley. This area is a lot quieter than Moab itself and has stunning views with access to fantastic trails.

From Moab Central, the lodge is a 27-minute drive along the Colorado River.

Red Cliff Lodge to Arches National Park

The drive from Red Cliff Lodge to Arches National Park is 26 minutes (17 miles). This is the entrance of the park. Keep in mind the park is quite large, and it may take an additional 20 minutes to get to the Delicate Arch Trailhead.

To the Canyonlands Island of the Sky interest it is a 52-minute drive.

While a lot of folks come to Moab to visit the National Parks or elope in them, there is so much BLM land around Moab equally as beautiful. If you want to see incredible places without driving too far from Red Cliff Lodge, these are the places we would recommend checking out:

• Fisher Towers
• Professor Canyon
• Sand Flats
• La Sal Loop Road
• Corona Arch
• The Colorado River + beaches
• Activities in the area like: climbing, getting on the river, off-roading, horse back rides + hot air balloon rides

Staying at Red Cliff Lodge

Red Cliff Lodge offers unique, beautiful cabin stays overlooking the Colorado River with surrounding red rock cliffs. The room rate varies depending which room you book and what time of year, on average you can expect to pay around $480 per night. You also have to pay for parking on the property which is $20 per night.

The rooms are perfect no matter if you are staying to get ready for your elopement, wedding or staying for your honeymoon!

We love the big showers with double shower heads, the beautiful, well lit mirror in the bathroom, natural light in the bedroom and kitchen from the big sliding doors that go to private patios. Truly, it is a great place to get ready, be cozy together, or even to share your first look on the property.

You can check into your stay at 4 pm, and you must check out by 11 am.

The property is smoke-free. Pets are allowed, 2 maximum with an additional $150 per night fee.

Having your Wedding at Red Cliff Lodge

You can get married on the property! Typically, Red Cliff Lodge hosts larger weddings at their platform by the river.

However, for eloping couples, there are options too! For “just you two” ceremonies, they allow them on the property Sunday-Thursday by the river. This is a great option for couples wanting to elope in Moab who prefer not to hike and want privacy.

Post ceremony, you two can share an intimate dinner in the Red Cliff Restaurant restaurant Ember, or the Ember patio overlooking the Colorado River.

How much does it cost to get married at Red Cliff Lodge?

According to their public brochure, the site fee starts at $8000 for an event between April and October. On the “off” season, it starts at $7000.

For more specific information about holding your wedding or elopement at Red Cliff Lodge, you want to be in communication with Rebecca at [email protected].

What’s the best season for a Red Cliffs Lodge wedding?

The Red Cliff Lodge property has beautiful trees near the wedding ceremony that would be golden during their Fall prime foliage. For that reason alone, we think the best time to get married here would be between October 26th and November 6th.

Looking for earlier in the year, we would recommend a date when the grasses are green, and the trees have their leaves, but it is not too hot yet. The best date range would be April 18th to May 18th.

For more information about the best time of year to visit Moab, visit this resource.

Sample Red Cliff Lodge Wedding + elopement timelines

If you are having a traditional wedding + reception at Red Cliff Lodge, here is just one example timeline of how your day could look….

• 5:45 – 7:45 am Sunrise hike together to write vows + find grounding together to start the day overlooking Castleton
• 8 am Break – rest, go to the spa, have breakfast, maybe even a nap!
• 1:00 pm Get ready in separate cabins with friends + family
• 3:15 pm First look at the river, go off property together for a few couples portraits
• 4:40 pm Return as guests arrive
• 5 pm Ceremony followed by group portraits as Cocktail hour starts
• 6 – 9 pm Reception with dinner, cake, toasts, s’mores, and dancing!

Here is just one example timeline of how your elopement could look while staying at Red Cliff Lodge….

• 1:00 pm Getting ready together in cabin stay, writing vows, being cozy together
• 2:45 pm Leave property in a Bronco for a private ceremony by a flowing stream in a canyon
• 5-6 pm Sunset portraits with Castleton
• 6:30 pm Arrive back at Red Cliffs for a private dinner by the river
• 8-9 pm Go to Ida Gulch for Milky Way/starry night photos before the evening comes to an end

Colorado River Access

The Colorado River is an icon of the Moab area! There are several places to drop a kayak or pack raft into the river to explore it. However, you can drop in at a dock at Red Cliff Lodge! This is massively convenient if you are staying for your adventure elopement or if you want to exit your wedding ceremony in a unique way!

You will need to bring your own watercraft and wear a personal floatation device.

You will likely want to get in here at the dock, then float until you reach Take Out Beach, then drive back to Red Cliffs Lodge. However, depending on the river level and flow, you can take it just a short way from the dock to a rock shoreline still on the Red Cliff Lodge Property.

Bronco Off Road

Moab is known for its off-road trails! What makes staying at Red Cliff Lodge super convenient is that they rent Broncos right at the lodge.

Off road trails near the lodge we recommend exploring for your elopement are: Onion Creek, Dome Plateau, and a few others rated a bit harder than we typically only recommend to people taking their own off-road toys and have lots of experience 🙂

Having your actual wedding here on the property? Ride away in a Bronco after your walk back down the aisle, married to spend a little time in the cocktail area. There are several locations within a 10-20 minute drive to soak it in and take incredible wedding portraits.

Book your Bronco at Bronco Off-Roadeo Moab

Moab Reception Venue

No matter if you are eloping out on the beautiful public lands of Moab and want a party after with your loved ones or if you are having a formal wedding on the Red Cliff Lodge grounds, their reception space is beautiful!

Your guests will love the view from the grand ballroom overlooking the river and incredible canyons from the many large windows. The space can be decorated as your own and guests can wonder onto the decks

The Colorado Room (pictured here) can hold up to 150 people total.

For larger events, the Grande Lawn can hold up to 400 people.

Don’t forget to sneak out for smore’s before the envening light is gone to soak in the last bit of desert glow!

Red cliffs lodge horseback riding

Red Cliff Lodge does offer horseback trail rides and open desert rides for more advanced riders. This area is so spectacularly stunning for a horseback ride!! I mean, just imagine ending your elopement day riding horses together as the soft alpine glow shines on the La Sal Mountains and desert towers all around you!

The rides typically last 1.5-2 hours. You can do a trail ride or even ride through where old westerns have been filmed. They do have a weight limit of 220 pounds for their riders. No matter if you are an experienced rider or someone who loves horses and wants to do something new at the end of your elopement day, we highly recommend this experience.

Trail rides are handled through Mags – who is amazing by the way!! All of her horses are well-trained and gentle riders. You can learn more about the rides and see the horses on their Instagram page.

FAQ

Do you plan weddings at Red Cliff Lodge?

We plan elopements! We limit our planning services to groups of 40 people or fewer. For elopements, we plan everything from timelines, vendor recommendations, location recommendations, ceremony, and more. You can learn more about our packages here.

Once you have larger groups, more vendors, we recommend working with a planner that will work with the venue + vendors and help with coordination.

This is where we would refer you to Shelby with Weddings by Wolfe! A few words from Shelby herself:

” I don’t just plan weddings here, I live and breathe this place. I know how to pull the best out of it, whether that’s crafting an unforgettable ceremony backdrop, guiding your group into a meaningful adventure, or tapping into trusted local vendors who elevate the entire experience. I’m well-connected in this town, which means I can open doors, solve problems quickly, and create opportunities that most people wouldn’t even know to look for.

I don’t just plan weddings, I advocate for your experience, from the big picture down to the smallest moments. Making sure you actually get to eat, take a breath together, and soak it all in. This work matters deeply to me. I’m showing up to make sure one of the most important days of your life feels exactly the way it should: immersive, effortless, and undeniably Moab.”

Is Red Cliffs Lodge a good place for a multi-day wedding experience?

Absolutely! Moab, in general, is an easy place to spend many days in! One of our couples a few years ago did a full-day adventure elopement just them, then a full-day wedding – this is a great way to get the best of both worlds. However, you could do multiple days, including your guests. Multiple days is really easy to pull off when all of your guests can stay in one place together like Red Cliff Lodge.

Is the venue easy for older guests or guests with limited mobility?

The reception space is easily accessible for limited mobility guests as there is a ramp to enter the room. The wedding ceremony space may be a little harder as it is on a lawn at the bottom of a small hill, however, you can ask to be driven down!

Does Red Cliff Lodge offer on-site catering?

Yes, Red Cliff Lodge offers catering for your wedding or elopement. In general, during your stay, you can also dine at the on-site restaurant. View Ember’s menu here for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.