A beautiful Canyonlands’ vista © Chris Willis
Canyonlands’ visitors can spend a week paddling the Colorado River or days exploring the Maze’s canyons, but most drive into Island in the Sky and/or Needles. Provided below is a one-day itinerary for each. If you intend on camping in spring or fall be sure to arrive early, as campgrounds often fill before noon. Nearby dining, grocery stores, lodging, festivals, and attractions are listed in the What’s Nearby section. Visitors to the Maze, Horseshoe Canyon, or the park’s backcountry should plan their trips well in advance with a high-quality topographic map. Restock supplies and top-off your gas tank before entering any district. You won’t find gas stations or convenience stores within park boundaries.
Day 1 (Island in the Sky): Begin your trip at the visitor center located near the entrance. Check out a current schedule of ranger programs and browse the exhibits. Time permitting, join a ranger program. Return to the park road, stopping next at Mesa Arch. Hike the 0.5-mile loop, which is a very popular destination among photographers. If you plan on camping at Canyonlands, consider returning to Mesa Arch in the morning at sunrise. It’s glorious. Back on the main park road you’ll come to a Y-intersection. Head south all the way to Grand View Point Overlook and hike the 2-mile trail located nearby. Return to the Y-intersection, but this time turn left to complete the last leg of the Y. Pull into Willow Flat Campground area and check out Green River Overlook. Once you’ve finished soaking in the views drive to Upheaval Dome, located at the end of the road. Geology buffs will be especially interested in this oddity, but it’s a spectacle everyone should enjoy.
Day 1 (Needles): Before entering Canyonlands make a quick stop at Newspaper Rock to view some well-preserved petroglyphs. Return to your car, enter the park, and stop at the visitor center to browse its exhibits. Roadside Ruins, located near the visitor center, is a short trail to a small Ancestral Puebloan dwelling. If you’re pressed for time, skip the ruins and follow the park road north stopping at Pothole Point and Slickrock Foot Nature Trail. Those looking to venture deeper into the backcountry should drive all the way to Big Spring Canyon Overlook, where you can begin the 11-mile hike to the Confluence of the Green and Colorado Rivers, one of the park’s best hikes.