With about 527 miles of landscape this park, is not to be overlooked. At the heart of Canyonlands, we have the Green and Colorado River from two large canyons, which coincidentally divides the park into four parts: the Island in the Sky, The Maze, The Needles, and the Rivers. With so much to offer, but never enough time to explore it all, we’ll focus on how to make the most of 1 day in Canyonlands, specifically in the most popular part of the park, the Island in the Sky.
Table of Contents
Canyonlands National Park
When To Visit
Although, the days are longer in the summer and would allow you to see more of the park, I would advise against it: the reason being, warmer-hotter days. Now, by no means am I discouraging you from visiting during this time, but note, I wouldn’t recommend it. I went during the Spring, April to be exact, and it was perfect. Keep in mind, Utah has its own crazy weather! On this day, we woke up to a snow storm, then got caught in a rain storm only for it to all be fine by mid-day, so be prepared! Long story short, I recommend going in the cooler days like Spring and Fall. Plus, if you go then you’ll avoid the large crowds of the summer.
Where is Canyonlands?
Canyonlands is found in southeastern Utah, just outside of Moab. It is about a four hour drive from Salt Lake City and about a seven hour drive from Las Vegas. Canyonlands is right across Arches National Park, which is 30 minutes away, and about two hours away from Capitol Reef.
Check out my Arches National Park post!
Getting Around
Even though Canyonlands is made up of four districts, they’re not close to each other. It’s recommended to dedicate one day to each to fully explore the park. The park itself doesn’t offer a shuttle, so the best way to get around would be by driving, which is great because at every site location there’s parking available.
1 Day in Canyonlands Itinerary
The Island in the Sky sits in between the Green and Colorado river. It makes up for a great observation tower as you can see into both The Maze and The Needles. It’s also a great place for first timers as it has a lot of the highlights one must see when spending 1 day in Canyonlands.
Mesa Arch
One of the park’s more popular trails is rated as relatively easy. It’s about a half mile roundtrip trail, which leads you to an arch near a cliff where you can see gorgeous views of the La Sal Mountains. This spot makes for a great place to see the sunrise!
Aztec Butte
Check out some of the park’s Puebloan structures called granaries as you hike the Aztec Butte trail! It’s about 7 miles south from the visitor center, then you’ll turn right onto Upheavel Dome Road where you will drive for about a mile until you see the Aztec Butte parking lot to your right.
Note, this trail is about 2 miles long and is rated as moderate because there is a slick-rock slope at the end of the trail which you will have to get over in order to be able to see the buttes. There are no hand rails, so be careful. The trail can take anywhere from an hour to two, depending on your pace. Please don’t enter the buttes, admire from afar in order to preserve them.
Whale Rock
Whale Rock trail is a quick short, 1 mile long, out & back, trail. This trail offers great panoramic views, is rated easy and is great for all skill levels. This is a great hike to check out after you’ve hiked the Aztec Butte trail and as you make your way to Upheavel Dome.
Upheavel Dome
This short, but steep, trail is rated as moderate and has two scenic view points where you can see Upheavel Dome, which ironically looks more like a crater to me, but I’m no scientist. It’s about a mile long hike to the first scenic point, which depending on your speed can take anywhere from 30 to 45 minutes. Now to get to the second point it’s about another mile or so from the first scenic site. To get back to the parking lot it takes about an hour, but not too worry, because it’s all down hill, so it should be easier.
Grand View Point
Grand View Point trail can be found towards the bottom of the Island in the Sky, it’s about 2 miles roundtrip, rated as easy and can take anywhere from 1 to 2 hours to complete. This trail provides breathtaking panoramic views of the edge of the canyon looking into The Needles and it’s a perfect way to end your 1 day in Canyonlands.
Overlooks
The wonderful thing about Canyonlands is that it offers various lookout points all through the park all along Grand View Point Road and Upheavel Dome Road:
- Shafer Canyon – This is a beautiful, breathtaking site that can be found shortly after the visitor center off of the Grand View Point Road
- Gooseneck – This overlook can only be seen after driving on the 20 mile Shafer Trail Road. From here you can see the back side of Dead Horse Point
- Holeman Spring Canyon – Off of Upheavel Dome Road
- Green River – This scenic 0.2 mile trail is rated easy with great views and is right off the road
- Candlestick Tower
- Buck Canyon
- Orange Cliffs
1 Day in Canyonlands – Strenuous Hike
I personally, love, love to hike! I especially love taking on a challenging hike. There’s something fulfilling that comes after completing something you thought you didn’t have the ability to do. If you’re up for a challenge and would like to see the park from a different perspective, I recommend you take on one of Canyonland’s strenuous hikes, which can take all day to complete:
- Gooseberry Canyon – The Gooseberry Canyon trail is a 4 mile out & back hike with beautiful scenic views. It’s a canyon trail, which is steep so make sure you have the right shoes! Depending on your pace it can take anywhere from 4-6 hours to complete.
- Syncline Loop – the Syncline Loop is about 9 miles and is recommended for the more experienced hikers. I was conflicted on whether I should include this hike on the list only because the park has reported the most rescues from this trail. It’s definitely challenging, but if you’re up for it, PREPARE accordingly!
- Murphy Loop – This is a great full day hike! It’s about 10 to 11 miles and can take anywhere from 5 to 7 hours to complete.
- Alcove Spring – Out & back 10 mile trail and can take anywhere from 6-7 hours
I want to stress how important it is to be prepared for challenging hikes! Make sure you have plenty of water, snacks, and sunblock. Always let others know where you will be hiking!
Map of Attractions
More Travel Tips
- Download a map before you go!
- Remember with every National Park there is a fee to enter. It’s typically $30 for a 7-day pass for private vehicles. If you’re on your way to explore the Mighty Five I’d recommend buying the America The Beautiful Pass, which is $80 and gets you into all the National Parks for a year
- Fuel up at Moab! There are no gas stations in Canyonlands so plan accordingly
- Don’t forget your water and sunscreen!
- To get the most out of your day, start EARLY!
- And as always, leave no trace behind!
Don’t Forget To Pin It For Later!
