Best time to visit: Year Around
Recommended Hikes: Elephant Canyon, Mesa Arch, Grand View Point, Druid Arch, the Joint Trail
Ideal For: Hiking, Backpacking, Auto-Touring, Camping, Dirt-Road Driving
Where to stay: Moab
Useful Info:
Dogs - the general rule for dogs in national parks is that they must be leashed and are only allowed on paved areas, which includes parking areas, roads, and front country campgrounds. Dogs are not allowed on park trails, even when leashed.
Canyonlands exists in a very fragile desert ecosystem. It is crucial to stay on hiking paths and not wander off trail as delicate, biological soil crust covers the desert floor. These living structures are not dirt! They can take decades to form and they play an important role in the ecosystem. Please don't step on them!
The "Needles" is better for hiking, the "Island in the Sky" is better for viewpoints/auto-touring. There are exceptions, but this is a good rule of thumb.
It takes a long time to drive from one district to another. DO NOT try to see both the "Island in the Sky" and the "Needles" in the same day, choose one or the other or split them into at least two separate days.
The "Maze" is the most remote district - driving here from Moab will take 5+ hours, one-way. There is no drinking water available and it's mostly only accessible to high-clearance, 4WD vehicles. Read more about the Maze on the park's website here.
A trip to Canyonlands can be combined with a trip to nearby Arches National Park. Moab is a perfect location to stay to be able to see the "Needles", the "Island in the Sky", and Arches.
Drinking water is available at the visitor centers in the "Island in the Sky" and the "Needles", but not at trail-heads. Bring your water bottle to fill up.
There is no shuttle service at Canyonlands.
Canyonlands is a massive, rugged landscape. It is one of the most underrated national parks in the country and you should plan at least two full days to see it. At it's heart is the confluence of the Colorado River and the Green River, which come together in a "Y" shape that divides the park into three districts: the Island in the Sky, the Needles, and the Maze. The "Island in the Sky" and the "Needles" districts are both easily accessible from Moab but require up to an hour of driving to reach. The "Maze" is not easily accessible from Moab - it is remote and requires advanced planning, high-clearance 4WD, and self reliance to visit. Spring and fall offer the most pleasant weather, but Canyonlands can be enjoyed year around. Expect some snow during winter months.
Must See Attractions:
Grand View Point - Located in the "Island in the Sky" District, Grand View Point is a must-see for every visitor. The tip of the plateau offers a 270-degree view of the vast canyons below. It's one of the best views in Utah! Read more about reaching Grand View Point here.
Mesa Arch - A popular photography spot and another must-see in the "Island in the Sky". The view of the arch faces east so this is a popular photography spot during sunrise. Its a half-mile round-trip hike from the parking area. Read more about Mesa Arch here.
Elephant Canyon - The premier attraction of the Needles District. Elephant Canyon is a great place to see the "Needles" up close. Seeing Elephant Canyon requires 5 miles of hiking at a minimum, so bring plenty of food and water. Outstanding day hikes to Druid Arch and the Joint Trail both begin at the Elephant Hill trailhead.
Where to Stay:
Moab. It's a small town but it caters to the tourist crowd looking to explore Canyonlands and Arches. There are hotels, campgrounds, and RV parks here, as well as stores, restaurants/bars, and places to book tours and adventure activities/off-road vehicles. If you want to do a lot of hiking in the "Needles" however, the best option is to camp in the district to avoid the long drive from Moab.
Drive times from Moab to national park entrances are: 40 minutes to the "Island in the Sky", 90 minutes to the "Needles", and 10 minutes to Arches National Park.
There are campgrounds in each district of the park - they are first-come, first-served, but some of the sites in the "Needles" campground can be reserved online in advance here. According to the park website, the campgrounds fill up early every single day during spring and fall.
There is a small private campground just outside the "Needles" entrance which is a good option if the campground in the park is full. Their website is here.
Hiking in Canyonlands:
Needles District
Elephant Canyon - If you have just one day in the "Needles" district, see Elephant Canyon. It requires a hike into the heart of the needles rock formations, and there is a network of trails to choose from once you get there. The trailhead is called "Elephant Hill" and it can be reached via well-maintained dirt road. There is a pit toilet at the Elephant Hill trailhead, but no water.
There are two primary options in Elephant Canyon that are both world-class hikes. One goes to Druid Arch and the other goes to the Joint Trail.
Druid Arch is massive - much larger than any arch you will find in nearby Arches National Park. The arch is surrounded by an amphitheater of sandstone, making this area a fantastic endpoint to the hike. There are a few easy rock scrambles and a short ladder you have to climb to see the arch. Read more about this hike here.
The Joint Trail is a grid of cracks in the rock that begins as a slot canyon and then becomes a cavernous arena of giant boulders. This is one of the coolest endpoints to a hike I have seen to date, and the trail to get here crosses through Chesler Park which is awesome in its own right. Read more about the hike here.
If you are in excellent shape and you carry a lot of water, you might be able to see both Druid Arch and the Joint Trail in a single, 14-mile loop hike. I personally prefer the Joint Trail, but they are both truly incredible. You will not be disappointed either way.
Another popular hike in the Needles District runs out to the confluence of the Colorado and Green Rivers - I haven't done this one so I can't comment on it, but you can read more about here.
Island in the Sky District
Upheaval Dome - Another Island in the Sky hike, but one that can safely be skipped in favor of any of the above. Scientist speculate that the Upheaval Dome was formed by a meteor impact, although this theory is contested. Read more about the hike here.
There are a few options to hike down into the canyon from the "Island in the Sky". From what I have read, the trails are pretty steep and rugged with no shade or water, but still worth doing.
the White Rim Road
The White Rim Road is a 100-mile dirt road in the Island of the Sky area of Canyonlands National Park. The road is rugged with sections of steep terrain. A 4WD vehicle with high clearance is required to drive the full road, especially on the Green River side which is more rugged than the Colorado River side. The road is two-way, but there are many sections that are only wide enough for one vehicle.
Canyonlands requires a permit to use the White Rim road. The park offers overnight permits for 20 campsites along the road, and also does 50 day-use permits per day. Permits can be obtained online at Recreation.gov here. Campgrounds often are booked well in advance, but they are all great. Don’t be afraid to take any campground you can get.
Some basic ideas to know before we get into the details:
Bikes and motorcycles are allowed on the road, but not UTVs and ATVs. You will likely see big groups of cyclists on the loop
There are pit toilets at each campground, but no other services. You need to pack all your water for your trip
If you run into a vehicle coming the other direction while on a hill, the vehicle that is going uphill is the one that needs to reverse and get back to a spot where you can pull off the road.
You can communicate with other drivers to see how many vehicles may be in their group. Drivers often hold up fingers for how many cars are coming behind them. A closed fist signifies that the last car is passing.
The below is a detailed look at the road, with side excursions and videos of the most intriguing sections.
There is one section of road which does not require a permit - this is called the Shafer Trail. This road descends from the Island in the Sky right after the park entrance, and runs all the way down to Moab. This road section is popular and the upper portion of it is relatively well maintained. Once the road enters Dead Horse Point State Park, it becomes much rougher and does require high-clearance.
The Shafer Trail Road goes through a scenic canyon in Canyonlands before reaching Deadhorse Point State Park. Once in Deadhorse, there are several really scenic overlooks of the Colorado River. Included here is a spot called “Thelma and Louise Point” which is where the famous movie scene was filmed. Further down towards Moab, the road goes passed the Potash Ponds which are colorful pools used for making fertilizer. The road eventually hits pavement and runs back to Moab from there.
The rest of the road discussed below requires a permit.
Beginning on the Green River side, the first descent of the road leads towards a spot called “Mineral Bottom”. This is a common place for boat launches so you see more traffic on this section. There are a few spots on the descent where the road becomes narrow enough for only one vehicle to pass at a time.
Once down this major descent, the road winds along the Green River for several miles. This is one of the most scenic parts of the entire drive. The road is right along the water for numerous stretches. After a while, you reach the first campground which is called “Labyrinth” and it is one of the prettiest campgrounds on the entire road.
Beyond Labyrinth, you can take a detour up to Taylor Canyon which runs towards the Upheaval Dome in the Island in the Sky. You can also skip this and continue on to Hardscrable Hill.
Hardscrabble Hill is the most treacherous stretch of the loop. It is really steep on both sides with many blind turns, sizable rocks in the road, and exposed drop offs. Its also very narrow so you can’t pass a vehicle coming the opposite direction, but there are some turnouts throughout. When approaching Hardscrabble Hill from the North, you have a good view of the road above where you can spot any vehicles coming down in the other direction. Take some time here to look closely and make sure there is nobody coming. It is easier to wait for them to pass than to try and maneuver around them on the hill. If you do run into someone, remember the vehicle going uphill has the onus of reversing to find a safe spot where everyone can pass.
At the peak of Hardscrabble Hill, there is a cool trail which runs out to a Native American ruin site. It’s called Fort Bottom Ruin and its a great little hike if you have time. The trail is easy to follow and there is a small scramble at the end to reach the ruin.
Beyond Hardscrabble Hill, the road has a stretch of flat but bumpy miles from Potato Bottom to Candlestick There are some interesting rock formations in this area, and many spots with scenic overlooks to the lower canyon of the Green River.
One must-see highlight beyond the Candlestick Campground is the Great Black Crack. This is a giant fissure in the rock which is more than 100 yards long, up 3 feet wide, and 65 feet deep. It is truly unique and unlike anything else in Utah. The crack is just off the road at ____ and it’s an easy walk to reach. This is an absolute must-see - do not skip it!
Beyond the Great Black Crack, the road gets closer to the Island in the Sky cliffs and starts to go over more hills. The biggest hill in this area is the second hardest stretch of road on the Loop - Murphy Hogback. Murphy Hogback might be a little steeper than Hardscrabble Hill, but it is does have better lines of sight and fewer blind turns. There is a significant blind turn on the south side of the hill however. Like Hardscrabble, there is only room for one vehicle on this stretch, so there could be a situation where the uphill traveling vehicle needs to reverse.
Beyond Murphy Hogback, you reach the tip of the loop and the road becomes a lot easier with fewer hills. The views of the Island in the Sky are really nice in this area, and you can take a detour out the White Crack campground for unique views of the Needles and Maze. The White Crack Campground is one of the most popular campsite on the loop and is difficult to book.
The Colorado River side of the drive starts beyond the White Crack Campground. There a few long and flat stretches of road on this side which are a nice break from the obstacles of the Green River side, but they aren’t as scenic. There aren’t many notable stopping points here, but there are a few spots where the road gets close the edge of the lower canyon and offers great views of the pinnacle rock formations in the lower Colorado River canyon.
Lathrop Canyon is one final road detour you can take in this area. The road goes down to the Colorado River and is the only access point to the Colorado on the road.
One final spot to stop and take a short hike is Musselman arch. This arch is quite unique - its really long but completely flat and looks like it could collapse at any moment. If you stop here, please note that you are not allowed to walk on the arch.
The final stretch of road beyond Muscleman is the most scenic stretch on the Colorado River side. The road here clings to the cliff side above the Colorado before it runs in the Shafer Trail and finishes the loop. From here, you can go drive down towards Moab through Dead Horse Point State Park, but if you have had enough of the rugged road, a smoother ride is to go up Shafer Trail and back to the Island in the Sky Visitor Center.