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Expansive Canyonlands


The canyons and landscapes of Canyonlands National Park are expansive to begin with. In addition, the layout of the park is unusual in that it is geographically divided into four districts by the winding Colorado and Green Rivers. Driving to any of the park's districts will take at least an hour - making it too rushed to try to fit in more than one section in a day. We think it's also a good idea to plan ahead by picking up some information about Canyonlands at the Arches National Park Visitor Center, or at the Information Center in Moab, Utah.

Here is a summary of the Canyonlands National Park districts:

  • The Island in the Sky is the most accessible. Stop at the Visitor Center for the film and schedule of ranger talks. The scenic drive has a number of overlooks. Grandview Point is a must-see overlook, and you can take a very worthwhile 2-mile roundtrip hike along the rim to a lookout-point with fantastic views. Be sure to stop at Mesa Arch and walk the short trail to see the arch and the view. There are a number of other lookout points along the scenic drive - all are worth taking a look. Upheaval Dome is the site of a large crater with undetermined origins. Walk up the short trail to take a peek, but we don't think the longer hike to the further overlook is worth the effort. There are picnic areas at White Rim and Upheaval Dome overlooks.

    For longer hikes, check with the ranger at the Visitors Center. We were told about a 10-mile hike starting at Murphy Point down to the White Rim and back up. We ran out of time to spend in the area, so we will have to do this hike the next time around in Canyonlands.

    If you want a break from your RV, you can take to more primitive camping experiences. The 100-mile White Rim Road, per the Park Service material we received, takes two to three days by four-wheel-drive vehicle, or longer by mountain bike. There are campsites along this road for primitive camping.

  • The Needles section is described as being more of a backcountry experience. It is in the southeast corner of Canyonlands. There are interconnecting trails for long day hikes and overnight trips, and many 4-wheel drive roads. For the more casual visitor, there is a scenic drive with a number of overlooks that afford views of the sandstone spires in this region. We took a hike from the Elephant Hill trailhead to Chesler Park.

    We had planned to just hike a mile in to get a view of the sandstone spires, but we ended up hiking all the way to Chesler Park and back, making it about 6-miles round-trip.

    On the road leading to the Needles, make a quick stop at Newspaper Rock, a small wall with a myriad of petroglyphs from various peoples through the ages.

    On the way back to Moab from the Needles, we made a quick stop at the Hole-in-the-Rock on Route 191, a humorous roadside stop. Here you can take a tour of a unique 5,000 square foot home built into the cliff or just take a look at the Trading Post, petting zoo and assorted relics of art and what-not that are scattered about the property.




  • The Maze is even more remote, with difficult roads and trails. While Island in the Sky and he Needles sections are accessible from the Moab area, the Maze is reached from Utah Highway 24, south of I-70. Near the turnoff to Goblin State Park, there is a 46-mile dirt road to the Hans-Flat Ranger Station. The four-wheel drive and backcountry trails of the Maze spread out from beyond this station. Due to the remote and difficult navigation in this area, most backcountry visitors spend days in the Maze, once they get here. The Horseshoe Canyon Unit was added to Canyonlands in 1971, known for the significant rock art panel, the Great Gallery. We put the Great Gallery on our list of things to see the next time we are through this part of Utah.

  • The Rivers is considered the fourth district of Canyonlands. Within the park, the Colorado and Green Rivers converge at what is known as the Confluence. Flat-water trips can be made above the Confluence, whitewater rapids are below this point. Permits are required and river trips must be self-sufficient as there are no facilities.

    Much of Canyonlands is known for its primitive nature and as a destination for backcountry travel. Activities requiring a permit include backpacking, four-wheel-drive and mountain bike camping, and river-trips. Even if you are not interested in a backcountry experience, a visit to Canyonlands offers expansive vistas and scenery.



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