Canyonlands National Park, USA

Canyonlands National Park, Utah's second largest national park, is a primitive geological wonderland preserving hundreds of colorful canyons, buttes, fins, arches, spires and hoodoos. The centerpiece of the park are the two great canyons carved through flat layers of sedimentary rock by the Colorado and Green rivers, which meet here in Canyonlands. The park is divided into 4 regions -- Island in the Sky, The Needles, The Maze and Horseshoe Canyon -- only two of which are accessible by highway. This 572 square miles of Great Basin Desert wilderness contains primarily unpaved roads and undeveloped trails.

Canyonlands National Park preserves a colorful landscape of sedimentary sandstones eroded into countless canyons, mesas and buttes by the Colorado River and its tributaries. The Colorado and Green rivers divide the park into four districts: The Island in the Sky, the Needles, the Maze and the rivers themselves. While the districts share a primitive desert atmosphere, each retains its own character and offers different opportunities for exploration and learning.

  

Canyonlands National Park covers a vast area of rock wilderness in southeast Utah, centered around the confluence of the Green and Colorado rivers. Over millions of years, the rivers and their small tributaries have carved the flat sandstone rock layers into many amazing forms with a wide range of colors. The 530 square miles of the park contain countless canyons, arches, spires, buttes, mesas and a myriad of other spectacular rock formations. The Grand Canyon may be deeper and more dramatic at first sight, but Canyonlands National Park has greater variety, both in the types of geological formations and the possibilities to explore them. It is certainly much easier to find solitude and isolation.

The Canyonlands area was only designated a national park in 1964; before this most of the terrain was unvisited, and also largely unvisitable. Much still is, since although there are paved roads, the only satisfactory way to see most of the park is by overnight hikes or by 4WD vehicle and even then the tracks are often very rough, and huge areas have no roads at all. As a result, far fewer tourists come to this national park than to others in Utah, although visitation is steadily increasing.

Island in the Sky

The northernmost district, Island in the Sky, is a high, wide plateau with commanding views across many miles of deep red rock canyons to the west, south and east. There are many overlooks, either beside the road or along short paths, and a good selection of hiking trails; some lead to places on the mesa top, while others descend the cliffs and reach the Green and Colorado rivers.

Grand View Trail

The trail is well maintained and in recent years many stone steps have been put in place to make it even easier. The view to the south is much better than on the other side of this peninsula. At the end of the trail is the island in the sky, a large lonely mesa. Hiking out to the end, stay on you left for the great views. Be careful here, there are no guard rails and it is a 2000 ft. drop.

Mesa Arch

Mesa Arch can be seen by walking a short half mile loop from a parking area on Route 313 in the park. The trail is well maintain with an even path and steps constructed where needed.

White Rim Overlook Trail

This Trail is only 1.5 miles long and has completely flat terrain. The hike travels out on a finger into the heart of Canyonlands to beautiful views of the White Rim Trail.

Shafer Canyon Overlook

Directly across the street from the Island in the Sky visitor center is a nice observation point looking into Shafer Canyon. The lookout is not that established with a specific location.