Canyonlands National Park is located in southeastern Utah. The park is known for its dramatic desert landscape carved by the famous Colorado River. It’s a park that should be on everyone’s bucket list!
We only had a day in Canyonlands National Park as part of our 3-week road trip across America. A day was long enough to get a good taster of what the incredible park has to offer.
Here is how we spent out a day in Canyonlands National Park:
Mesa Arch
To hike to Mesa Arch, you will need around 30-minutes spare, to walk the 0.5-mile loop. If you have time to do just one trail in the park, this is the one to do! Not only was the pothole arch absolutely incredible to see, but also the views you get of the National Park were mindblowing too.
To get good photos of Mesa Arch, without the crowds, you need to either go first thing in the morning, the last thing in the day, or visit out of season.
To get to Mesa Arch, drive 6.3-miles south, from the Island in the Sky Visitor Centre. The car parking area is signposted.
Grand View Point Overlook
Grand View Point Overlook, or as some call it, Island in the sky is the southernmost point in Canyonland’s High Mesa. It is a great spot to see some fantastic views across the National Park.
The trail starts 12-miles south from the Island in the Sky Visitor Centre. It is well signposted. From the parking lot to the viewpoint, it’s a 1-mile hike.
Green River Overlook
Green River Overlook is a fantastic overlook, located at the end of pave road, just past Willows Campground.
The trail is just 0.2-miles long and can get very congested with tourist at peak times.
Upheaval Dome Overlook
Upheaval Dome Overlook is one interesting overlook. Upheaval Dome is a three-mile wide, 1,000-foot deep crater, formed by an unknown cause. They think it may have been caused by a meteorite many, many years ago.
The trail is an easy 1.7-mile round hike. It trail starts and finishes at the parking lot at the bottom of Upheaval Dome Road, not too far south from Island in the Sky Visitor Centre. It is all well signposted.
To find out more information about the park and other trails, please visit their website: https://www.nps.gov/cany/index.htm
To read more on other National Parks in Utah, check out some of my other blogs:
Capitol Reef National Park In Bad Weather
