It’s kind of funny when you are planning a trip, and you think you know beforehand what places you will love more than others.
Canyonlands National Park was that other place for me.
I knew I would love Arches National Park, which I will be visiting on Thursday, because there is something special about an Arch called Delicate Arch. I have also had family that have visited this area in the last couple years that talked about how much they loved Arches National Park.
There are three parts to Canyonlands:
- The Needles is the south eastern section of the park, however the road was closed so I was not able to make the drive to see some of the highlights.
2. Island in the Sky in the northern central part of the park
3. The Maze is the western part of the park and only accessible through 4 wheel drive and a backcountry pass is needed for any overnight stays. All roads are unpaved, and the trip may take you from 3 – 7 days.
Today, the second day of my journey, was spent in the Island in the Sky section, and let me tell you it was spectacular!
There wasn’t a large line to get it, so it only took about 10 minutes to get to the station gate. You also don’t need a timed entry pass like you do for Arches National Park. I showed my America the Beautiful Pass and ID for entry. I totally recommend getting the pass if your trip involves visiting more than two parks. The cost to enter a National Park is currently $30, and the America The Beautiful pass is $80 + $5 for shipping and is good for an entire year. You can order your pass here.
Once through the gate head to the Visitor Center. There are bathrooms (pit toilets) and it is open year round, although in January and February they are closed Wednesday and Thursday. If you have some extra time you can watch a 15 minute educational movie called Wilderness of Rock.
Once you leave the Visitor Center head towards Grand View Point Overlook. You can stop at White Rim Overlook, Buck Canyon Overlook, Candlestick Tower Overlook and Orange Cliff Overlook either on your way there or on the way back. All the overlooks give you a great view of the cliffs, and it’s a great place to have a picnic lunch, as a few of them do have picnic tables.
Here are the hikes I recommend:
Once you get to Grand View Point Overlook take the trail to Grand View Point. It is an easy 1.8 mile hike as you walk along the canyon edge that highlights the incredible panoramic views of the canyon.
A quick short hike is Mesa Arch, which is a .6 mile walk which leads to the arch located on the cliffedge. Mesa Arch is a beautiful place in the morning to watch the sun rise.
Another short hike is Whale Rock, which is a .8 mile walk up the sandstone dome, which ends at the top with spectacular views of Island in the Sky. I recommend good hiking shoes for this hike, as the trail is on sandstone rocks, which can get a bit slick.
There are plenty of longer hikes as well if you are staying for more than a day in the park, which I wasn’t this trip.
A second visit may be in order, and next time I am bringing a travel partner so we can drop into The Maze for a bit of wilderness exploration in the backcountry, as it looks extraordinary!
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