Hikes we Completed at Canyonlands:
- Mesa Arch Trail, Island in the Sky section, .7 miles, 88 feet elevation, easy
- Grand View Point Trail, Island in the Sky section, 1.8 miles, 164 feet elevation, easy
- Upheavel Dome Trail, Island in the Sky section, .7 miles, 108 feet elevation, moderate
Hikes We Missed but Plan to Do:
- Aztec Butte Trail, Island in the Sky section, 1.6 miles, 249 feet elevation, moderate
- Druid Arch Trail, The Needles section, 9.7 miles, 1446 feet elevation, moderate
- Peekaboo Trail, The Needles section, 10.8 miles, 429 feet elevation, strenous
Our Visit to Canyonlands National Park
We really did not expect Canyonlands National Park to impress us as much as it did. The main reason we visited Moab, Utah, was to see Arches National Park. However, Canyonlands is a gorgeous national park with beautiful views, arches, and cool geological features.
As usual, our first stop was at the national park’s Visitor’s Center at the Island in the Sky section of the park. We always stops at visitor centers to speak with a Ranger and find recommendations for points of interest and best hikes. We already planned to hike the Mesa Arch Trail and the Grand View Point Trail, but he also suggested the Upheavel Dome Trail. He also recommended that we stop at various overlooks, including the Green River Overlook.
Canyonlands National Park has three main sections: Island in the Sky, The Needles, and The Maze. We only visited the Island in the Sky section, although we have a couple of future hikes we want to try in The Needles. However, the Maze is the most remote section of Canyonlands. Some of the trails in this area require 4-wheel drive to access. We don’t currently have any plans to hike the Maze area, as it requires more planning and backpacking.
Island in the Sky Area
We are unsure which hike we completed was our favorite. We loved the hikes to Mesa Arch, Upheavel Dome, and the Grand View. None of the three hikes were strenous and we completed them all in one day. Mesa Arch is a cool arch with a scenic view through it. It is a very easy hike and we enjoyed posing in front of the arch. We then walked around, exploring and observing the different perspectives of the overlook and the arch.
However, the Upheavel Dome Trail is amazing. We were unsure what to make of the geologic abnormality. Per the signs we read at the dome, no one is sure how the Upheavel Dome came to be although there are currently two theories. The two theories are the Salt Dome Theory and the Impact Crater Theory. There are two overlooks for the Upheavel Dome. After hiking to the first overlook, you can backtrack a little and hike to the second overlook, which is a little more challenging. The second overlook, however, provides you with a different angle of the dome and we are glad we hiked it.
The busiest trail we hiked in Canyonlands was the Grand View Point Trail. When you arrive at the end, you have the opportunity to rock scramble a little for some higher views. Plan to explore the area around this trail; it has spectactular views that vary depending on which side you stand. The Grand View Point Trail is currently closed on weekdays from August to September 2024.
The one hike in the Island in the Sky Area that we did not do that was on our list is the Aztec Butte Trail. This trail supposedly leads to an ancient granary built into an alcove. However, per hiker feedback, some rock scrambling is required and the trail is not well marked in places. So, maybe it was good that we skipped it!
Canyonlands National Park is a fascinating national park to visit. Although, Arches National Park is more popular, while staying in Moab, Utah, take the time to visit this national park and check out its cool features.
While visiting Arches National Park and Canyonlands National Park, we boondocked in the truck at a designated campground in Mill Canyon. Per the Campendium app, it is Gemini Bridges Road Designated Campsites GPS 38.7114, -109.7271. The designated campsites are past the Mill Canyon Dinosaur Track campground. The pictures in Campendium show fifth wheels and travel trailers. However, we did not drive up towards the rock to check out this camping, but instead drove down further on a very bumpy Cotter Mine Road to a designated site with only the truck. The road is rough and we would not take our travel trailer to the campsites further on this road. We did enjoy waking up the view of hot air balloons in the morning at this boondocking!