Canyonlands National Park in southeastern Utah is known for its dramatic desert landscape carved by the Colorado River. Island in the Sky is a huge, flat-topped mesa with panoramic overlooks. Other notable areas include the towering rock pinnacles known as the Needles, the remote canyons of the Maze and the Native American rock paintings in Horseshoe Canyon. Whitewater rapids flow through Cataract Canyon.
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TL/DR: Mesa Arch at sunrise (or 30 minutes after to avoid crowds and get better pics) is priority. If time, do Upheaval Dome and Grand View Point.
Beautiful! We only did the Island in the Sky section, which is just a short drive from Arches National Park. Very different views and landscape from Arches! We visited Canyonlands on Monday, July 4, 2022. It was great because it wasn’t as crowded as Arches was. Our visit to Canyonlands took about 6 hours total.
To bring: WATER!! (we each brought a 1.5 liter bottle, plus two 20 oz. water bottles - always better to have too much than too little), sunscreen, food (we each brought a turkey sandwich and peanut butter and jelly sandwich, as well as a protein bar that we didn’t end up eating, but always good to bring in case!), sunglasses and/or hat.
To wear in the summer: Close-toed trail running or hiking shoes, athletic wear, like leggings or shorts, and a t-shirt. There were so many people wearing sandals or flip flops with no traction. You really limit yourself when you don’t have proper footwear!
Here’s what we did: Mesa Arch - Must do!! The views are incredible and the arch is so cool! 1/2 a mile, about 10 minutes each way. We got to the arch 20 minutes before sunrise and people were blocking the arch with their annoying cameras set to timelapse. So I recommend getting there 30 minutes after sunrise to avoid the crowds and get better pics (or just stay for another 30 minutes if you get there in time for sunrise). Upheaval Dome - When we first got there right after watching sunrise at Mesa Arch, around 7:20 am, there was virtually no one. It was like our own private trail. We went to the first and second overlooks. We did this in about 45-50 minutes. Green River Overlook - Very cool! Grand View Point - You can go to the overlook or hike 1 mile trail one way. This took us an hour. Not too strenuous, but very little shade. Cool views of canyon!
Highly recommend checking out Canyonlands! And go early to beat the heat...
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We went to the Needles District of Canyonlands NP. We were looking to do just a short hike, and then some scenic drives. This place is less visited as it's over 1.5hrs from Moab. But the drive, and the park, share the same beautiful natural landscapes as the other parks and drives we've done in Utah.
First we hit the Visitor's Center, and got a map and advice from a Ranger about where to get good views and scenic drives. Then we did the hike at Cave Spring Trail, less than a mile roundtrip. But it had two ladders, and some rock scrambling. The cool part was walking on top of these rocks and seeing for miles. Next we drove to Elephant Head per the Ranger's advice, and the road was gravel, hilly, and twisty. Fun for the driver, not for the co-pilot. This was our best view of the Needles on top of the range, even though it was far. After, we drove a little down the road for a snack with a view.
We later stopped on the way back at Newspaper Rock to check out petroglyphs. The drawings looked to include moose, snakes, riders on horseback, and aliens, as expected.
The next day, we visited the most popular section of this park, Islands in the Sky. It wasn't too crowded, but it groppled on us again! Gropple, as we learned at a previous NP, it's neither snow, nor sleet, nor rain, but a precipitation that occurs at high elevation. It was only like 50F, but we were up over 6k in elevation. We hiked the White Rim Overlook Trail, named due to the stone in the canyon, which was white and beautiful. We also visited several overlooks, the Shafer Trail driving trail (not for the faint of heart), the Mesa Arch, and Upheaval Dome. The best views were at the end of our hike. This place is another of the beautiful national parks in our country, and well worth at least a...
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Canyonlands National Park, located in southeastern Utah, is a vast and diverse landscape that showcases the intricate interplay of canyons, mesas, and buttes carved by the Colorado River and its tributaries. The park is divided into four distinct districts: Island in the Sky, The Needles, The Maze, and the rivers, each offering unique vistas and recreational opportunities.
Island in the Sky: This area provides dramatic overlooks and easy access to various hiking trails. The views from the rim are breathtaking, with panoramic scenes of the canyons below.
The Needles: Known for its colorful spires of sandstone, this district offers a network of trails that wind through vibrant landscapes and provide opportunities for backcountry camping.
The Maze: A remote and rugged area that is less visited, it requires more planning and preparation but rewards adventurous visitors with stunning scenery and solitude.
The Rivers: The Colorado and Green Rivers flow through the park, offering opportunities for rafting and fishing, as well as scenic views from the canyon rims.
Canyonlands is ideal for hiking, mountain biking, and photography, especially during the golden hours of sunrise and sunset when the light enhances the dramatic colors of the rock formations. The park's remote beauty and diverse ecosystems make it a fantastic destination for outdoor enthusiasts and...
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