This Canyonlands National Park itinerary will take you to the most majestic and wondrous points throughout the park. You'll even have a chance to venture out to Dead Horse State Park. Hike, raft, kayak, or go offroading. Two days and two nights will be enough to entice you back again and again for an entire lifetime.
Canyonlands is for the outdoor adventure enthusiast. Countless canyons have been carved out by the Colorado River and its tributaries. Canyonlands can be seen from above by hiking, driving 4-wheel-drive vehicles or riding mountain bikes to vistas on the different mesas. The canyon can be experienced by rafting or kayaking the Colorado River.
From State Highway 191, approximately 12 miles north of Moab, take State Highway 313 to Canyonlands National Park. Stop at the Visitor Center to pick up a map and information before continuing to the lookout points.
Island in the Sky comprises the northern portion of Canyonlands National Park. From Dead Horse Point, return north on Hwy 313 for 7 miles (11 kilometers) to the junction with the Grand View Point Road, then drive the Grand View Road south into Canyonlands. Stop at the Visitor Center to pick up a map and information before continuing to the lookout points.
Dead Horse Point is a Utah State Park. It is a spectacular vista providing panoramic views of Canyonlands National Park and the Colorado River. From Moab, drive north on Hwy 191 for about 12 miles (19 km) to Hwy 313; take the signed turnoff to Dead Horse Point. Follow Hwy 313 for about 22 miles (35 km) as it winds to the top of the plateau and then south to Dead Horse Point.
As you leave Canyonlands, go about 8 miles (12km) and take a right on Hwy 313 for 7 miles (11 km) to Dead Horse Point. This gives you a birds-eye view of Canyonlands and the Colorado River over 1,000 feet below. It is an absolutely spectacular view of the river. It will be late afternoon/evening so you might catch a beautiful sunset over Canyonlands.
Check into your accommodations
Eat dinner in Moab
Day 2
Jet, boat and 4X4 Ride
Take a half-day jet boat ride down the Colorado River into Canyonlands National Park. See Canyonlands from the river, a view that most people never experience. Glide along the top of the water going around bends in the river surrounded by high cliffs. Climb the 800 foot cliff to Fossil Point.
Then take a 4X4 ride up the Shafer Trail that winds itself through rugged backcountry onto Island In the Sky Mesa in Canyonlands National Park. See petroglyphs and other ancient Indian ruins.
Sleep in, then eat a late breakfast. Homeward bound.
Two days and two nights will be enough to entice you back again and again for an entire lifetime. Canyonlands is for the outdoor adventure enthusiast. Countless canyons have been carved out by the Colorado River and its tributaries.
But Canyonlands is much larger than Arches and has a greater variety of amazing activities. You can hike, bike, jeep, and raft in this park. I recommend spending two full days in Arches and two full days in Canyonlands (one day in the Island in the Sky District and one day in the Needles District).
There's really no way to say which part of Canyonlands National Park is the best, but we'd recommend that first-time visitors start with the Island in the Sky before heading to the Needles. The Island in the Sky has more impressive vistas and easier trails, and it's closer to Moab so you can get there a little faster.
However, if you only have one day in Canyonlands, you have just enough time to visit the highlights. There are several different areas of Canyonlands National Park. If you only have one day in Canyonlands, the Island in the Sky district is the area where I recommend you spend your time.
Day Use: You must have a permit for day use on White Rim Road, Elephant Hill Road, Lavender Canyon Road, and Horse Canyon/Peekaboo Road. Overnight: You must have a permit for all overnight trips in the backcountry.
That said, Canyonlands is Utah's least visited park so you'll still experience fewer crowds than Arches or Zion, especially if you avoid popular Island in the Sky. Temperatures start warming in March, with highs in the mid-60s and lows in the mid-30s.
Reservations. Timed entry reservations are not required to enter the park. You can make reservations for day-use, overnight, and river permits and for group campsites at The Needles.
The 34-mile round-trip scenic drive features awe-inspiring overlooks, from a 1,000 feet above, of the valleys below and the other districts of the park. You could spend as little as an hour in the park, but we bet you're going to need at least double that to take it all in.
The Needles District is the park's hub for well-developed trails, and the most popular place to hike. Island in the Sky offers similarly groomed trails, but now they're nestled high atop a mesa that's wedged between the Colorado and Green rivers.
At a push, Canyonlands' Island in the Sky district can be seen in half a day, but it's worth dedicating far more time to this awesome park. If you have only a day to spare, you could whizz through Arches National Park and Canyonlands National Park from Moab, spending half a day at each.
2 Hours: Visit Grand View Point and Green River Overlook, and hike the 0.5-mile-loop nature trail to Mesa Arch. Half a day: Visit all of the above and enjoy many of the other short, mesa top nature trails to features like Whale Rock or Upheaval Dome.
If you're planning an overnight trip (via 4WD vehicle, bicycle, or on foot) into the backcountry of Canyonlands National Park or the Orange Cliffs Unit of Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, you must have a permit. Mountain bikers and four-wheel drivers must stay on designated roads and camp in designated sites.
The time it takes to drive through the Island in the Sky in Canyonlands will depend on how many stops you take. There's a Scenic Drive that runs from one end of the mesa to the other, about 25 miles, so you can drive to the end and all the way back in a little over two hours.
Introduction: My name is Dan Stracke, I am a homely, gleaming, glamorous, inquisitive, homely, gorgeous, light person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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