Canyonlands National Park, utah
Attractions Guide

Canyonlands is a vast national park carved out by the Green River and Colorado River (upstream from the Grand Canyon) that contains many unique natural formations amongst the mesas, buttes, and canyons that make up this gorgeous landscape.

A majority of the park's best and most easily accessible sights are located in the Island in the Sky District of the park. This area is a giant towering plateau which is almost completely surrounded by winding rivers and canyons, essentially creating an island. This area of Canyonlands is just a short drive from the town of Moab.

Before entering the Island in the Sky District, be sure to stop at Dead Horse Point State Park, which offers magnificent views over a behemoth river bend in the Colorado River and countless surrounding canyons from high above. Be sure to also stop for views at the state park's Basin Overlook, from which you can see the famous vibrant blue potash ponds set amongst the desert and canyons.

The first attraction you'll encounter upon entering Canyonlands National park is the striking Shafer Canyon Overlook. This viewpoint is located just after the Island in the Sky Visitor Center.

Further into the park is Canyonlands' most iconic sight, the breathtaking Mesa Arch. This incredible arch sits over the edge of the canyon framing the glorious landscape behind it, and is best seen during sunrise when the sun can be seen rising underneath the arch, or even sunset when the arch frames the glowing red canyon landscape. The arch is accessible via a short 0.5 mile (0.8 km) round-trip trail.

Grand View Point Overlook

If you continue south along the road you'll find two more incredible viewpoints overlooking the Canyonlands, the more popular being the Grand View Point Overlook, which provides sweeping panoramic views, accessed via a 2 mile (3.2 km) round-trip trail.

White Rim & Buck Canyon Overlooks

Nearby Grand View Point you might consider walking the 1.8 mile (2.9 km) round-trip distance to the White Rim Overlook if you have plenty of time, which is also quite impressive. Be sure to also stop at the Buck Canyon Overlook along this road, where you can take in great canyon views practically from the parking lot.

Near the Mesa Arch is the Island in the Sky's western road which leads to several more amazing sights, including the breathtaking Green River Overlook, which requires only a very short walk to view.

Aztec Butte Trail

Nearby the Green River Overlook you might consider the 1.8 mile (2.9 km) round-trip Aztec Butte Trail, which features ancient Native American ruins and views over a smaller canyon.

Near the end of Upheaval Dome Road (which spurs out from Grand View Point Road) you'll find several great hikes, including the 1.5 mile (2.4 km) round-trip Upheaval Dome Trail. This hike offers views over an otherworldly sight that looks like a white mountain rising up out of a massive red crater. It's not actually known exactly what caused this unique geological formation.

The Upheaval Dome Trail also offers the option of adding an extra 1 mile (1.6 km) round-trip if you'd like to hike to the Second Overlook over the crater. Also nearby you might consider the 0.8 mile (1.3 km) round-trip hike atop Whale Rock.

False Kiva

In the Upheaval Dome area you'll also find the legendary False Kiva Trail, which is somewhat of a secret and not officially marked. The False Kiva is an old stone circle of unknown origin that sits within a cave, with the cave's entrance acting like a frame overlooking the Canyonlands, providing breathtaking views.

If you have a high-clearance or 4x4 vehicle you might consider the extremely scenic drive along Highway 142 through Shafer Canyon, which is approximately 25 miles (40 km) one-way from Corona Arch and ends near the Island in the Sky Visitor Center where you enter the park.

Highway 142 travels below Dead Horse Point and allows you to see the Goosenecks Overlook giving a direct close-up view of the massive river bend (just a short 0.5 mile/0.8 km round-trip walk) as well as the bridge-like Musselman Arch, which you can park right next to. The detour to this viewpoint and arch is about 7 miles (11 km) round-trip from Highway 142.

Beyond the Musselman Arch and viewpoint you have the option of further exploring along the bottom of Canyonlands via White Rim Road, which traverses around most of the "island in the sky" along a 4x4 road for many miles.