Back to the Utah State Aggies Newsfeed

Development planned south of Moab could mean thousands more residents, double the population of San Juan County

Spanish Valley • Moab has been growing as an adventure destination for decades and draws more than 3 million visitors annually. But just 5 miles to the south, the unincorporated community of Spanish Valley has remained a relatively quiet mix of residential homes and agricultural lands.

“I don’t feel the explosion like in downtown [Moab in terms of] numbers of people,” said Marlene Huckabay, who has lived near Highway 191 in Spanish Valley for 25 years. The area is still defined by its rural character, she said. "I’m in my own little bubble, isolated.