Essential Hiking, Camping, and Scenic Tours
Although Canyonlands National Park is Utah’s largest national park at more than 500 square miles, it is also the state’s least visited. Even in 2021 when many national parks were breaking attendance records, as did Canyonlands, it saw 911,000 visitors, about half of the number who went to nearby Arches National Park. Its average annual attendance is a much smaller 400,000 people, but that doesn’t mean that you’ll never have to wait to enter the park. Let’s discover what there is to see and do at Canyonlands and how you can make the most out of your visit.
Planning Your Canyonlands National Park Visit
Canyonlands National Park is located in southeastern Utah. It encompasses four districts, plus the Horseshoe Canyon unit, which is part of The Maze but is geographically separate. Island in the Sky is the most visited and accessible district, followed by the Needles District.
The Maze District is for those with high-clearance, four-wheel drive vehicles and both the time and experience to access its remote destinations. The fourth area is the Rivers District, for those who want to enjoy activities on the water.
The two rivers that create the Rivers District, the Colorado and the Green rivers, converge within the park, forming a Y that separates the districts. You cannot drive directly between districts within the park due to the geographic separation caused by the rivers.
The nearest airport to Canyonlands National Park is the Grand Junction Regional Airport, which is about a 2-hour drive from the park. Visitors can also fly into Salt Lake City International Airport, which is about a 4.5-hour drive from the park. Canyonlands is a 7-hour drive from Las Vegas. Moab, the closest town to the Island in the Sky District, is about three hours from Farmington, New Mexico, and two hours from Cortez, Colorado.
Canyonlands National Park Information
About Canyonlands National Park
Canyonlands National Park preserves a colorful landscape eroded by the Colorado River and Green River. Due to the park’s impressive geological formations and views that go on forever, it’s a must-see destination for every lover of natural beauty. Standing on one of the overlooks provides awe-inspiring views of canyons within canyons stretching off into the distance.
Each of the park’s four districts has its own character, despite sharing a primitive desert atmosphere. We’ll describe them each below.
Canyonland National Park Fees and Permits
A day pass to Canyonlands National Park is $30 for a passenger vehicle or $15 for a motorcycle. If you’re visiting this and a few other regional parks multiple times, get an annual pass (This $55 pass is valid for one year through the month of purchase. It admits one private, non-commercial vehicle or its pass holder to Arches and Canyonlands national parks, and Natural Bridges and Hovenweep national monuments).
If you’re visiting many parks throughout the country, get the America the Beautiful Pass, which admits the pass owner and accompanying passengers to all U.S. national parks and federal recreational lands. Seniors aged 62 and above can buy a lifetime America the Beautiful Pass.
Visitors can purchase passes at the park’s visitor centers or online. Permits are required for all overnight trips in the backcountry and are required for certain types of backcountry day trips. Check the park’s website for details.
The Best Time to Visit Canyonlands National Park
Canyonlands is in the high desert, which means summer can be scorching hot and hit temperatures higher than 100 degrees. Summer monsoons can bring torrential rain and lightning.
Winter temperatures bring lows from zero to 20 degrees and it can even be snowy. Although the park doesn’t usually get large accumulations of snow, even small amounts of snow or ice can make trails and roads impassable. Temperatures can fluctuate 40 degrees in a single day.
Spring and fall are popular times to explore the Four Corners region, but be sure to check weather forecasts even in these seasons. It can snow in fall and be hot in spring. Visitors should bring layers and be prepared for changing weather conditions.
The park is open year-round, but some facilities may be closed during the winter months. The visitor center in the Island in the Sky District is open year round with shortened hours in winter.
The Needles District visitor center is open daily spring through fall. The visitor centers are the best place to start your explorations and you can get current information from rangers, purchase mementos of your visit, and get your national park passport book stamped.
Canyonlands National Park Hiking, Biking, Trails, and Routes
Trails are usually marked with cairns (rock piles) and signs are located at trailheads and intersections, but for longer excursions, a topographic map may be helpful and even necessary. Be sure not to disturb cairns or build any new ones, which may confuse other hikers and lead them off the trail.
The park’s map and trail guide lists the trails within the Island in the Sky and Needles districts from easy to strenuous. Strenuous hikes in Canyonlands National Park can include elevation changes from 1,000 to 2,000 feet, and require negotiating steep slopes with loose rock and drop-offs, ladders, deep sand, and narrow spots. Be sure to consider your ability level and check trail conditions when deciding which hikes you plan to tackle. And always take plenty of water!
Canyonlands is famous for its mountain biking terrain, particularly for the 100-mile White Rim Road at the Island in the Sky. Bikes and e-bikes are allowed on any public roadway in the park. Although there are no single-track trails in the park, there are plenty of places to mountain bike and some overnight opportunities. There is more information on the park’s website.
Horseback riding is allowed on backcountry roads and in Horseshoe Canyon. There are permit and feed requirements to review before heading out on this adventure.
Climbers are attracted to the sandstone towers in the Island of the Sky District, which have the best quality rock for technical climbing.
Island in the Sky: The Most Visited District
Island in the Sky is a mesa that juts more than 1,000 feet above the countless canyons below. Due to it’s proximity to Moab, it is the most visited part of the park.
Another reason for its popularity is the fact that much of this district can be explored from a 34-mile roundtrip paved scenic drive. It’s not a loop, so you choose to drive only the portions that interest you. Several of the overlooks and view points are accessible to wheelchairs and there are picnic areas at three locations.
Island in the Sky offers a wide variety of trails for hikes ranging from short 30-minute walks to overnight expeditions. The hiking guide lists 18 trails, including those on the mesa top and more challenging hikes that take hikers from the mesa top to White Rim.
The hike that has required the most rescues is the Syncline Loop, an 8.1-mile round-trip hike that follows the canyons around Upheaval Dome and includes a 1,300-foot elevation change as well as climbing and scrambling through boulder fields.
One easy hike is on a short trail to see the view from Mesa Arch. The trail is about a half mile round trip over slickrock to a beautiful arch and a view that faces east, making it a popular spot for great photos at sunrise. But don’t worry if you’re not an early bird: there are outstanding views toward the La Sal Mountains any time.
The Green River Overlook is a great place to see the Green River meandering beneath the Island in the Sky. Grand View Point, at the far end of the driving route, offers, well, a very grand view with a short hiking trail!
The Needles District
The Needles District, at the southeast corner of the park, features colorful spires of Cedar Mesa Sandstone. The Needles is accessed via Utah Highway 211, which travels through the beautiful Indian Creek Canyon and goes by petroglyph-covered Newspaper Rock, another must-see destination. Monticello is the closest town to this district of the park.
You can enjoy a scenic drive on the paved road which continues 6.5 miles past the visitor center and ends at Big Spring Canyon Overlook. There are trailheads, overlooks, and a picnic area along the way.
This portion of the park has 12 listed hikes in the map and trail guide, which form more than 60 miles of interconnected trails. There are a few short trails, like the .3-mile round-trip trail to see the Stone Storehouse, left behind by early Indigenous people, up to the strenuous 11-mile round-trip trail to the Confluence Overlook. The more challenging hikes in this district include steep passes with drop-offs, narrow spots, and ladders.
A popular hike in The Needles, the Chesler Park Loop, takes you to the dramatic formations for which this district is named. It is 11 miles one way and a map is suggested to ensure you arrive at the right place due to the many interconnecting trails. It is considered strenuous due to its length, the 1,700 foot gain in elevation, and the scrambling required.
The Remote and Challenging Maze District
If you want to explore off the grid, the Maze District may be for you. All the roads in the remote Maze District are unpaved and four-wheel drive vehicles with high clearance are recommended. You don’t zip in and out to get a quick look at this part of the park. The park service says that a trip to The Maze may take anywhere from three days to a week . . . or even longer. In short: you’ll need to be self-sufficient to visit The Maze.
The Hans Flat Ranger Station, which serves as this district’s visitor center, is open daily year-round from 8 a.m. until 2 p.m. and has a small sales area with books and maps. The ranger station is a three-hour drive west from Moab from Interstate 70. From the ranger station, the canyons of The Maze are another 3 to 6 hours by high-clearance, four-wheel-drive vehicle. Be sure to check road conditions before heading out there.
There is no water available at the ranger station or anywhere in The Maze.
The trails here are primitive and a topographic map is necessary since one canyon often looks much like another. Overnight trips require a permit. To learn more about exploring The Maze, check the park’s website or call the Hans Flat Ranger Station at 435-719-2218.
Horseshoe Canyon is a unit of The Maze District and is where you can find The Great Gallery, with amazing life-sized pictographs. You have to be determined to visit this site, which is outside the boundaries of The Maze, and requires a strenuous seven-mile, all day, round-trip hike.
The Rivers District
For those wanting to explore the area by water, the Green and Colorado rivers wind through Canyonlands and offer flatwater trips. There are no rapids in the park above The Confluence, the place where the two rivers come together. Below The Confluence, there is a world-class stretch of rapids as the rivers flow down Cataract Canyon. Below Spanish Bottom, Cataract Canyon has 14 miles of rapids rated from Class II to V.
The park service warns that this section is isolated and should not be attempted by anyone but experienced boaters. Permits are required for all river trips.
Driving Tours of Canyonlands National Park
You don’t have to be a hiker or mountain biker to enjoy Canyonlands. Both the Island in the Sky and Needles districts can be explored by car with stops at scenic overlooks. Be aware that during peak seasons, you may have trouble finding someplace to park at some of the more popular overlooks, so be patient.
The Island in the Sky District has the most paved roads with 34 miles and The Needles has 6.5 miles of paved roads to explore. Check for more information at the visitor center to help you decide which destinations you want to visit along the way. Take water and snacks because none will be available once you start the route.
Unique Nature and Wildlife of Canyonlands National Park
This International Dark Sky Park has some of the darkest night skies in North America, making it a popular destination for stargazers and astrophotographers. If you’re used to seeing the night sky from a city, prepare to be amazed as you see thousands of stars you’ve never seen before along with views of the Milky Way Galaxy.
Wildlife viewing in this high desert area is home to many more animals that you’re likely to see since quite a few are nocturnal. Lizards may be spotted sunning themselves on a rock as you walk by, such as the Northern Whiptail, the Desert Spiny, and the colorful Western Collared Lizard.
Many species of small mammals like rats and mice make their homes here, although they’ll be hiding someplace cool most days. You’ll be pretty lucky to spot large mammals like Mule Deer, Desert Bighorn Sheep, or a Black Bear, although they also all live in the park.
More than 270 species of birds have been observed here, with most found in the riparian areas near the river. You’ll likely see ravens flying about and perhaps Turkey Vultures circling far overhead. You may also hear the melodious call of the Canyon Wren.
The biological soil crust is a delicate ecosystem that is crucial to the desert environment. Visitors are urged to stay on designated roads, routes, and trails to minimize the impact on the soil as the crust takes many years to form and years to repair itself after being walked on.
Visiting Canyonlands National Park Safely
The park offers many accessible facilities, including the Island In the Sky Visitor Center and the Needles Visitor Center. The park’s scenic drives and many of the viewpoints are also accessible to visitors with mobility impairments. Visitors should check the park’s website for more information on accessibility and accommodations.
Dogs are allowed in the park, but must be kept on a leash no longer than 6 feet. However, they are not allowed on trails, in the backcountry (even in your vehicle), or in the visitor centers. Leaving a pet in the car while you’re hiking or exploring can be deadly, even at 65 degrees with the windows cracked open.
Drinking water is available outside the visitor center at Island in the Sky spring through fall and year-round indoors. It is available year-round at the Needles visitor center. Be sure to stock up on water when you’re there as it isn’t available elsewhere in the park.
Sun protection is also essential. Wear a broad-brimmed hat, and use sunscreen and lip protection. Bring and drink plenty of water while in the high desert and especially when hiking.
Don’t count on having a cell phone signal in this isolated park.
Flash flooding during late summer monsoon season is a real danger on trails, especially in the backcountry. Keep an eye on the weather.
Where to Stay Near Canyonlands National Park
The Island in the Sky Campground (Willow Flat) has 12 sites, first-come, first-served, and is open year-round. The campground has toilets, picnic tables, and fire rings, but no hookups for RVs and no water.
The campground in the Needles District has 26 sites, some of which can be reserved. There is running water spring through fall at the campground, but no RV hookups.
Many visitors to the Island in the Sky District choose stay in Moab, which has an array of lodging options, plenty of restaurants, and a cool, desert-town vibe. Here you can explore outdoors outfitters as well as funky rock and fossil shops.
Other Parks to Explore
Arches National Park, which is nearest to the Island in the Sky District, is another must-see destination in this part of Utah. From April 1 through October 31, timed entry tickets are required to enter the park between 7 a.m. and 4 p.m. and can be purchased online.
Along the same entry road to Island in the Sky is Dead Horse Point State Park. It also offers dramatic views, hiking and mountain biking trails, and has a campground with 21 sites, one of which is ADA. All the sites have lighted shade structures, fire rings, tent pads, picnic tables, and RV electrical hookups.
National monuments you may want to visit while in the area include Natural Bridges National Monument and Hovenweep National Monument.
Conclusion
Canyonlands National Park, operated by the National Park Service, is someplace you really must visit to understand its otherwordly beauty. If you’ve come to this part of Utah to visit Arches National Park, be sure to add Canyonlands to your itinerary.
Whether you plan to experience some of its many hiking trails or simply tour the driving routes and take in the views from the overlooks, there is something for the whole family in this beautiful part of of the Four Corners region.
