The Very Best Hikes in Canyonlands National Park and Island in the Sky Utah
As you may or may not know, Moab, Utah, is a hotspot for outdoor adventurers. Mountains bikers, hikers...you name it, they're in Moab. However, the most popular destination in the area is, by far, Arches National Park. It's so highly-trafficked that sometimes you can't even get in, which happened to us when we showed up at noon on a Friday in the middle of September. However, many people don't realize there's another entirely different National Park only 40 minutes away and on the day where we were turned around at Arches, that's where we ended up. Canyonlands National Park is located just northwest of Moab off of Scenic Byway U-313. Not only will you find a land full of canyons (such an appropriately named park!), you'll also see towering mesas, fins, spires, and even a few of those famous arches that have naturally formed from Utah's red rock. Luckily, some of the best hikes in Canyonlands lead you to these unforgettable formations.
Canyonlands is massive, clocking in at almost 530 square miles. This means that some parts of the park are far more remote than others. The closest section or "district" to the town of Moab is the Canyonlands Island in the Sky district. This is the part we explored extensively during our visit, and it's also the most frequented area of the park. The other three districts have just as hardcore-sounding names: The Needles is a 2 hour drive from Moab, so still totally doable as a long day trip or if you want to tackle some tremendous overnight backpacking trails. The Maze is the most remote and requires 4WD with very high clearance as you'll be off-roading most of the way. Although if you’re lucky enough to own a Jurassic Park Jeep like the one we saw in a parking lot below, I’m sure you’re covered. Lastly is The Rivers which is an entirely separate portion from the main park boundary for those who prefer boating and water activities over trekking long distances on your feet all day. Due to the steep canyons and dropoffs throughout the park, there isn't a main road that connects all of these sections. Each has a separate entrance that is hours away from each other by car. Therefore, as much as I wanted to explore The Needles district specifically, we just didn't have time, so I had to settle for an overlook with a view of the area instead (still totally worth it!)
Drive the Dead Horse Mesa Scenic Byway
I love a good Scenic Byway. Seriously, whenever I head west, I search them out, hoping at least one of our long stretches of driving will hit one. Scenic Byways are the United States' way of saying, "on this road, you're going to see a lot of cool stuff." Basically, all those other roads you drive all day? They don't have anything on scenic byways. Scenic Byway 313 is the stretch of pavement that extends from HWY 191 out of Moab toward the entrance of Canyonlands National Park and continues until it dead-ends in Dead Horse Point State Park. Once you pass the Moab Giants Dinosaur Park off HWY 191, you're on your way. There are multiple pull-offs and viewpoints on the byway where you can capture amazing views of formations like the Monitor and Merrimac Buttes, named after two Civil War steamships due to their shapely resemblance, or the La Sal Mountain Range in the distance. You’ll find plenty of unique sights stretching the entire road as you make your way into Canyonlands.
Grab Your First Amazing Views at the Island in the Sky Visitor Center
I never take the time to write about Visitor Centers, because like most people, this is inherently my first stop at any National Park I visit. Ya gotta get your map to know where you're going! However, the Island in the Sky Visitor Center has more than directions, bathrooms, and gift shop swag; across the road is the perfect first viewpoint to hit in Canyonlands! The steep dropoffs allow for miles of visible landscape stretching off to Gooseneck Overlook and even nearby Dead Horse State Park on a clear day. The number of people that seemed completely content snapping all their photos here was comical. I guess you can drive into the park, take some pictures here and drive out if you're really in a hurry, but I promise the other hikes and stopping points in Canyonlands National Park are worth the effort.
Learn the Importance of Cairns
As you hike along the Canyonlands trails and in other nearby state and National Parks throughout Utah, you'll start to notice rock piles of different sizes that look almost too perfectly placed to be naturally occurring. Don't worry, they aren't some sort of dark magic structure or tied to the Blair Witch Project (which is obviously the first thing my mind assumes). These rock piles, known as cairns, guide you and other hikers along trails where marked paths are impossible to distinguish. Think sandstone or slick rock faces; pretty hard to mark a trail on these surfaces without drilling into the red rock or pulling out a can of spraypaint. Be careful not to knock down the existing cairns (or build your own) because you could mislead other hikers that tackle the trail after you. If you do, one of the many ominous-looking ravens that live in the park may come after you. Just kidding...or am I?
Hike the Upheaval Dome Overlooks
On the far east side of Island of the Sky at the end of the road lies the overlook trails for the Upheaval Dome. The first Overlook is a 0.8 mile, 1-hour hike up a relatively short, but steep trail. The second Overlook branches off from there, for a 1.8 mile, 1.5 hour hike. Both of these overlooks give prime views of Upheaval Dome and Upheaval Canyon, both of which have origins that are a mystery to scientists. In an area that spans 3 miles across, rock layers have been forced upward, possibly by ancient salt bubbling underneath the surface of the Earth (I really wish I knew this could happen before I descended into a Salt Mine in Poland), which created a round dome shape. The area around this Upheaval Dome then "downwarped" causing a canyon-type decline in the ground surrounding it. This decline honestly looks like an asteroid struck the globe in this spot, and it's very surreal looking at it from the Overlooks above.
Scale the Whale Rock
This 1 mile, 1 hour hike will take you up the curved edge of Whale Rock, a very steep sandstone dome that looks like a massive whale lying in the middle of the desert landscape. The image of people standing at the top literally looks like they've scaled a brown orca or humpback whale. This hike is suitable for all ages, but there are steep drops on either side of which to be aware.
Trek to the Iconic Mesa Arch Trailhead
We were desperate to see some arches in Canyonlands since we had tried and failed to visit Arches National Park that morning. Mesa Arch was exactly what we were looking for. A gorgeous, wide arch at the edge of a cliff that overlooks rock formations and the snow-capped La Sal Mountains in the distance. We also couldn't complain as after heading to the Mesa Arch Trailhead, we realized the trek would be a comfortable 0.5 mile, 30-minute hike round trip. Mesa Arch is one of the best locations for sunrises and sunsets in Canyonlands National Park, and with its proximity to the Island in the Sky Visitor Center, it's easy to make it your first or last stop for the day.
See The Needles District at the Grand View Point Overlook
The Grand View Point Overlook is a must for your trip to Canyonlands, allowing you to see the areas of the park that are more difficult to access. It also connects to a 2-mile, 1.5 hour out and back trail. Whether you're trekking on foot or just chilling at the overlook, you'll be standing at the edge of a towering canyon. Below you, you'll find the deep, winding Monument Basin of the White Rim and the colorful mesa spires of The Needles district just past. You'll also notice sections of the epic White Rim Road, a 4WD or ATV-required 100 mile stretch that loops around Island in the Sky roughly 1000 feet below the canyon. The appearance of these vistas that sweep across in all directions is utterly spectacular and makes you realize how much more there is to Earth's history and formation than we know.
I really enjoyed Canyonlands National Park and the area of Island in the Sky Utah and appreciated how different the landscape was from nearby Arches National Park. Although you definitely CAN see a few arches in Canyonlands, the views stretching across the horizon of mesas, buttes, rock spires and, of course, canyons, is like nothing I've ever seen. Although it didn’t make my top list of best hikes in Canyonlands, make sure to check out Aztec Butte as well, a 2-mile trek that will lead you to the Pueblo people's ancestral granaries. Might as well check ancient artifacts off that list also! The next time you're in Moab for a crazy outdoor adventure, make sure you check out Canyonlands National Park!