Top Things to do in Canyonlands National Park
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10 Things to do Good for Kids in Canyonlands National Park That You Shouldn't Miss
A great location with trails for mountain biking and sightseeing.
1. Island in the Sky
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 668 reviews
This area of Canyonlands has a few hiking trails and views of beautiful canyons.
Reviewed By 866TaylorB - Chicago, United States
Island in the Sky, also known as Between the Rivers, is the most visited and easily reached and perhaps the most scenic attraction in Canyonlands National Park. Located close to Moab, Utah and Arches National Park, it is the highest section of Canyonlands, with an average elevation of 6,100 feet, and the access road passes many spectacular and breath-taking viewpoints of the deep twisting canyon on either side. The road runs along a narrowing ravine or Seven-Mile Canyon, climbs the steep cliffs on the south side, then ascends more gently over uneven, partly wooded ground to the flat grasslands in the center of the plateau. The flat land at the top of the Island in the Sky mesa becomes narrower towards the south as the river confluence approaches. After the visitors center, the first viewpoint is Shafer Canyon to the east, then the mining settlement of Potash and a meadow known as Grays Pasture. At a fork in the road, follow the West road past the main campground and an overlook of the Green River at Willow Flat, then descend gradually to the end of the mesa at Upheaval Dome. Near the road junction are two short trails, one to Mesa Arch and one to the White Rim and the Green River. The remaining five miles of the main road cross a rather narrow plateau, past several overlooks, including Buck Canyon, Candlestick Tower, Murray Point, Gooseberry Canyon and the Orange Cliffs. The park road ends at Grand View Point, which offers magnificent vistas across the Colorado canyons and the spires of Monument Basin to the distant La Sal Mountains in the east and the Needles area to the south. A further one-mile, 20-minute walk southwards along the Grand View Trail leads to the very end point of the Island in the Sky plateau, where the cliffs drop away in all directions and the canyons of both rivers can be seen. There are places in Canyonlands where you are alone and can't hear a sound. It is an erie experience, one a native of Chicago isn't used to. At times, in certain spots, Island in the Sky feels that way.
2. Mesa Arch
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 731 reviews
Visit this mesa at sunrise for the best scencic views.
Reviewed By TravelingJohnB80 - Martinsburg, United States
Relatively easy hike to see one of the most iconic arches. One downside is with the ease of the hike it also brings crowds so you will have to wait your turn to get a picture.
3. Grand View Point Overlook
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 391 reviews
Reviewed By BruinDan - Fullerton, United States
The Grand View Point Overlook is a popular viewpoint at the edge of Island in the Sky mesa in Canyonlands National Park that offers wide and spectacular canyon panoramas. The trailhead is at the end of Grand View Road, the southernmost point along the Island in the Sky Scenic Drive. The trail to Grand View Point is 2.0 mi/3.2 km out and back. The trail is rated “easy” but novice hikers should NOTE that easy does not necessarily mean flat nor paved. There will be some mild ascents and descents (including stairs) as you walk on both sand and slickrock, so you should definitely wear hiking or sturdy walking shoes. The trail is also very exposed, so bringing water, a hat and sunscreen are strongly recommended. The trail itself runs close to the canyon rim, so you will get great views throughout. Once you reach the slickrock the trail sometimes becomes a little hard to follow, so look for the cairns (stacks of rocks) that will guide your way. When the trail ends you’ve arrived at the overlook. There are numerous spots at the overlook where you can sit down, sip some water, enjoy a snack and take in the magnificent view. We had several friendly chipmunks visit us while we sat there; not coincidentally, they suddenly appeared as soon as I opened the wrapper to a granola bar. If you have the time and are physically able, you should definitely take the hike to Grand View Point -- you will consider it one of the highlights of your visit to Canyonlands National Park.
4. Dead Horse Point State Park
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 292 reviews
Accessible to vehicles, hikers, and the disabled, this spot offers a beautiful overlook of the Colorado River.
Reviewed By DJDinKC - Leawood, United States
I would recommend visiting Dead Horse State Park as a half day excursion during a visit to Moab. In my opinion, the views at Dead Horse Point are better than those at Grandview Point Overlook in the Island in the Sky region of the Canyonlands. You do have to pay $20 entry fee as the park pass for Arches National Park and Canyonlands does not cover Dead Horse State Park, but I believe the views are well worth this cost. The trails on the East and West Rim are flat and easy, with little to no incline or scrambling. I thought the views on the West Rim were better than the East Rim, but both are beautiful. As you can see from the many pictures posted by travelers, the most dramatic and beautiful view is from the Dead Horse Point, either at sunrise or sunset. The main reason I am posting this review was to warn others against a mistake we made which in hindsight should have been obvious. I think it is worth hiking the entire West and East Rim trails, which with outlooks can be 5 to 7 miles. You can start at the Visitor Center and do the entire loop. But, if you want to watch the sunset at Dead Horse Point, be sure to complete the hike at the Visitor’s Center and then get in your car and drive down to the Dead Horse Point to watch the sunset. The views of the horseshoe bend of the Colorado river are beautiful. The mistake we made was to park our car at the Visitor Center to begin our hike of the West Rim. We timed our arrival to the Dead Horse Point to watch the sunset. The problem is that once the sun went down we still had 2.5 miles to walk back to the Visitor Center on the East Rim. It got dark fast and we had a difficult time getting back to the Visitor Center in the dark. We almost had to abandon the trail and walk back on the main highway. Fortunately, just as we were about to do that we saw the Visitor Center’s inside light ahead of us which acted as a guide and we were able to make it back to our car, staying on the trail for the most part. We also did not have flashlights, and our cell phones were about out of charge. A comedy of errors. It would have been impossible to find the Visitor Center if we had tried to head back from Dead Horse Point taking the West Rim because that trail is not well marked. Even during the daylight, we temporarily lost the trail and had to backtrack a few times. So, I would recommend if you are going to hike the entire trail loop (East and West Rims) and want to see the sunset, start early enough to complete the 5 mile loop and finish at the Visitor Center. Then, you can drive down to the Dead Horse Point and park in the parking lot to enjoy the dramatic views of the sunset and simply drive back to your home base once it gets dark, like most of the other visitors were smart enough to figure out.
5. The Needles
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 316 reviews
This area of Canyonlands has a great variety of rock formations and allows camping.
Reviewed By michaeljones46 - Oklahoma City, United States
Visited the Needles District, enjoyed the beautiful drive up the canyon and Newspaper Rock on the way. At the Park, small visitor center has good restrooms, good gift shop and friendly rangers. Park is awesome. It was rainy when we were there so could not see the Needles very well, but of course rain is rare there. Awesome rock formations, took 100s of pics. Had it not been raining off and on, would have done some hikes as they look to be amazing. DO NOT MISS THIS!
6. Cave Spring
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 38 reviews
About a mile long this trail will lead you pass some petrogliffs.
Reviewed By Harrison-F-Carter - Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Great for families - suitable for adults and kids - and is a circular trail that offers a few exciting experiences, like a cowboy camp, ladder climbs, a cave spring / overhang... really enjoyed it and glad we decided to do it as we weren't planning to.
7. Green River Overlook
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 165 reviews
Reviewed By 220kenq
This park offers many beautiful overlooks and this is one of them. Worth a stop to take in the views.
8. Shafer Canyon Overlook
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 76 reviews
Reviewed By MrNjorl
A unique little plateau perfect for overlooking. Large enough for a few tents. Views on three sides and a scary perch to climb to. I got wobbly legs standing near the edge.
9. Island In The Sky Visitor Center
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 128 reviews
All the information needed for a trip in the area can be found here.
Reviewed By LSUTraveller - Denham Springs, United States
Helpful rangers and good park store. Lots of good information and parking here. Good material offered on hiking options.
10. Whale Rock
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 56 reviews
Reviewed By dm555555 - New Jersey, United States
This was an awesome surprise on our trip to CNP. We were able to do it with a 7, 5, 4 year old (going carefully and safely). Little hard to keep on trail (not clearly marked in the bottom, so follow other people up). Great 360 views at the top, lots of fun, definitely a memorable experience.
