After I had visited Arches National Park, the next day I decided to visit Canyonlands National Park.  Canyonlands Utah was the 31st US National Park when it was established in September 1964.

Where is Canyonlands National Park

Canyonlands National Park is located in the US state of Utah, around 30 miles from the city of Moab and Arches National Park.  From Moab to Canyonlands is about a 35 minute drive.  It is around 250 miles south of Salt Lake City and around 475 miles from Las Vegas.

Canyonlands National Park Entrance Fee

Canyonlands National Park fee is $30 but there is also the option of an annual national park pass for all parks which is $80, certainly worth the fee if you are visiting a few parks.  Canyonlands entrance fee for motorbikes is $25 and Canyonlands national park cost for a person without a car/motorbike is $15.

Canyonlands National Park Hours

Canyonlands National Park is open all year, 24 hours a day.  Canyonlands Island in the Sky visitor center is open March till December from 8am to 6pm.  Canyonlands Needles visitor center is open from Spring until Fall from 8am to 4.30pm.

Things to do in Canyonlands National Park – Island in the Sky District

There are two parts of the park which are not joined and I decided to see the area near Moab which is the Island in the Sky Canyonlands during my Utah road trip (this part of the park also covers the largest area).  I only had till mid afternoon to explore, as after this I was driving down to Williams where I would be based to see the Grand Canyon.  This was a 400 mile drive which would take around 6 and a half hours!! Luckily Arizona is an hour behind Utah so I had an extra hour to see the park!!  I still managed to fit lots in though to that time.

The second part of the park is The Needles Canyonlands National Park, which is accessed from south of Moab.  This covers a much smaller area with only a few viewpoints and hikes.

Listed below are all the great areas to visit in the park and including the best hikes in Canyonlands National Park.  Hiking in Canyonlands is very popular and if you have only one day in canyonlands national park then read below for Canyonlands best hikes.  There are lots of hiking trails in Canyonlands National Park with some great day hikes in Canyonlands National Park.

Canyonlands national park Visitor Center

The Canyonlands visitor center should be the first place you stop on your way into the park, here you can get a map and speak to the rangers to find out exactly what are canyonlands island in the sky best hikes for the amount of time you have to spend in the park.

Shafer Canyon Overlook

My first stop was Shafer Canyon Overlook, it is the first overlook from the visitors center and only a few minutes drive from it.  Here you can park up and walk out onto the rock and see the view of the Canyon, it is an amazing view from here and one that made me instantly fall in love with this park.

I could have stayed here forever looking at this view, it’s stunning.  From near here you can also access the Shafer Trail Canyonlands National Park, this is a road where you will need a 4×4 and can actually drive into the canyon.  Once down there, there are lots of trails that you can do from 1 day to over a week.  There are also various Canyonlands national park campgrounds along the trail, though you will need to take your own water in with you.

Opposite the car park is the entrance to the Neck Spring hike, this is 5.8 miles and a moderate hike as there is an altitude difference of 91 metres, it goes in a loop and passes two seep springs, historic ranch features and much plant life.

Upheaval Dome canyonlands national park

Next I drove to Upheaval Dome, here it is a 1 mile hike to the first viewpoint, with the option of another mile hike to the second viewpoint.  It’s quite uneven ground but there is a path to follow and not too tough of a hike.

They believe that Upheaval dome is an eroded impact crater caused by the impact of a meteorite somewhere around 60 million years ago.  The white rock in the centre that has been pushed up into a dome certainly stands out against the redness of the rock everywhere else in the surrounding area.

There are quite a few hikes in this area, you can go around the crater, into the crater and down into the canyon to the river.

Whale Rock Canyonlands National Park

From here I got back in the car and drove the short distance to Whale Rock.  It gets its name from the huge white sandstone it is made from and looking at it from a distance it does look like a whale.  You can climb to the top, from the car park it is about 1 mile, though for some people it might be quite tough and some bits you need to use your hands and bum.  The views from the top though are amazing, you can see the surrounding valley and as I was here alone, I decided to take a break and read my kindle and have a snack for a short time.

Holeman Spring Canyon overlook

I then continued driving back towards Green River Canyonlands nationalpark but on the way saw the view of Holeman Spring Canyon and decided to stop at the overlook.  From the car park you can walk right up to the edge and see right into the canyon.  I decided to stop here and sit down and have lunch and just stare at the views.  Just breathtaking and I was lucky that there was a rock at the right height to get a pic!!  Near here there is also a trail that leads down into the canyon.

Green River Overlook Canyonlands National Park

After having my lunch and admiring the view I got in the car to continue on to Canyonlands National Park Green River Overlook.  The view from here down into the canyon is amazing.  It is different to the Grand Canyon but still as amazing.  You could also see cars driving the White Rim Road Canyonlands National Park Utah and they looked like little dots.

Aztec butte

The start of the Aztec Butte hike is opposite the Green River Canyon Overlook car park, it is a 2 mile roundtrip and a steep climb up to the ancestral puebloan granaries with a view of the Taylor Canyon.

Murphy Point CANYONLANDS

The hike to Murphy Point is the longest of the easy hikes at 3.6 miles, you pass historic corral and at the end and panoramic views of the white rim and green river.

white rim overlook

To get out to White Rim Overlook is a 2 mile hike, with a view of the White Rim Road.

buck canyon overlook canyonlands national park

This is just a 160 metre walk out to see the amazing views of the canyon with the La Sal mountains in the distance.

Grand View Point Overlook Canyonlands National Park

Next i drove the 6 miles down to the Grand View Point Canyonlands Overlook, here you can do up to a 2 mile hike along the canyon rim.  The views are amazing and I decided to do this, it’s an easy walk but be careful as in a lot of places there is nothing to stop you falling over the edge and down into the valley.  It is certainly worth taking the time to do though.

Mesa Arch canyonlands national park

Finally I visited what probably makes the park most famous, Mesa Arch.  Mesa Arch in Canyonlands National Park Utah is actually only 6 miles from the visitors centre, but I was told that the lighting would be better later in the day so I decided to visit on my way out.  Many people visit at sunrise to get the shot of the sun coming through the arch and it can be quite busy.  When I visited in the afternoon luckily there were only a few people there.  The view looking down into Buck Canyon is amazing.

It’s a short half mile round trip from the car park, though the ground is quite uneven.  It is stunning though and worth the visit and one of the highlights of the park.  This is one of the most popular canyonlands national park hikes.

The Maze Canyonlands

Canyonlands National Park The Maze is very remote, but Canyonlands National Park Horseshoe Canyon in the Maze is very popular for backpacking.  If you plan on hiking in the Maze then it is best to plan for an overnight trip as the hikes in this area are quite long.

To see everything I saw you need around 5 or 6 hours at the park, but you could easily spend a full day there or shorter if you decided against doing some of the hikes.  There are also some more strenuous canyonlands hikes that you can do ranging from 5.4 miles to 21.6 miles.  For more details of these click here.

What to do in Canyonlands National Park – The Needles District Canyonlands National Park

The entrance to The Needles Canyonlands is 75 miles south of Moab and is accessed via the UT 211 road.

You will firstly arrive at the visitors centre where you can get the Canyonlands Needles map before deciding which Needles Canyonlands hikes you want to do on your visit.

Roadside Ruin

This is a 0.3 mile loop hike that takes you to a Puebloan structure and is one of the best preserved in the park.

cave spring canyonlands national park

This 0.6 mile loop hike takes you to a historic cowboy camp and you can also see prehistoric rock paintings in the cave.  As you need to climb 2 ladders this short hike is not for those with mobility issues.

wooden shoe arch overlook

This overlook has a view of Wooden Shoe Arch in the distance.

pothole point

This is a 0.6 mile hike which is on an even path to show you diverse potholes and a view of the needles.

slickrock foot trailhead

This is a 2.4 miles hike and you get 360 degree views of the Needles area with 4 viewpoints.

druid arch canyonlands national park

Druid Arch is a tough 11 mile hike into Elephant canyon canyonlands where you can explore the bottom of the canyon with deep sand and loose rock.  There is a steep climb on this hike with scrambling and a ladder to climb.

elephant hill canyonlands national park

Elephant hill is accessed via a 3 mile unpaved narrow road, in places there are blind curves and slippery areas so it’s not advised to do it in wet weather, but it’s worth the views once you get there.

After this it was back in the car for the 400 mile drive to Williams, where I would stay for the evening before heading to the Grand Canyon the next day.

What to pack for Canyonlands National Park

Want to know what to wear when visiting a National Park, then check out my National Park packing list.

If you are planning a trip to more National Parks in Utah, then check out my articles below:

• 2 day Itinerary for Zion National Park
• 1 day Itinerary for Arches National Park
• What to do in Bryce Canyon National Park

* This article contains affiliate links. This means that if you make a purchase after clicking on the link, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. *

or check out the following Lonely Planet guides:

• Lonely Planet USA – Click here for the book.
• Lonely Planet USA’s National Parks – Click here for the book.
• Lonely Planets Southwest USA – Click here for the book or click here for the kindle version.

From Canyonlands, I then decided to visit The Grand Canyon, Death Valley and Ash Meadows Wildlife Refuge before making my way back to Las Vegas and continuing on my travels.

Where to stay – Hotels near Canyonlands National Park

Moab

As I was travelling on a budget I decided to stay in a dorm room in The Lazy Lizard in Moab.  Click here for more details and up to date prices.

If are looking for something with a bit more luxurious then check out the:

Silver Sage Inn Moab – Click here for more details and up to date prices.

La Quinta by Wyndham Moab – Click here for more details and up to date prices.

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