One day in Canyonlands' Island in the Sky

1 day itinerary

Utah has five brilliant national parks - more than most states. Yet there is one park here visited less than the others, and that's Canyonlands. A difficult park to navigate with a very harsh environment, it often puts many people off from planning an adventure there. Hopefully this one day itinerary will guide you to the best bits to make an enjoyable day in Canyonlands possible for any visit to northeastern Utah!

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The majority of visitors stay in the nearby town of Moab, as it has plenty of supply shops, hotels & campsites, and is ideally located close to Canyonlands, Arches and a whole host of off-road trails!

The main entrance to the park is nearby, bringing you to the Island in the Sky district - the most accessible and popular of the three districts that make up the national park. Shafer Canyon Overlook is the first stop just after the visitor centre, overlooking an unpaved road winding down the orange sandstone cliffs. The road is accessible to visitors with high clearance 4WD vehicles, but for day trips here we think its best to carry on after the overlook to Mesa Arch, about 6 miles south.

Mesa Arch is probably the most famous landmark and photo of Canyonlands. When lit up at sunrise it is quite simply mesmerising! It probably isn't surprising to know that it is also one of the busiest sections of the park - but if you arrive in the park early for sunrise with this knowledge, you probably won't be disappointed with your experience! The short trail and arch is also great later in the day too, with views through to the east of the park and peaks of the La Sal Mountains approaching the Utah-Colorado border.

Switch directions after Mesa Arch to reach Green River Overlook, and get a proper look south at the Maze district. The Green River sat deep in its channel lies 1300 ft below you on its way to converging with the larger Colorado River, which will eventually lead to Grand Canyon National Park.

Further along the road lies Upheaval Dome, with a short but steep trail taking you to a couple of viewpoints over the unusual formation.

Many theories surround how the dome came to be, but the main two focus around the formation a "salt bubble" combined with thousands of years of erosion, or the unusual result of a meteorite impact crater.

For the afternoon, take your time along the final leg of the 'Y'-shaped series of scenic road which stretches deeper into the park along the fingerlike plateau. First stop on the road is Candlestick Tower Overlook, which hosts a striking butte in the distance that gives the overlook its name. Then comes Buck Canyon Overlook, again just a small paved walk from a parking area. Take as long as you like at these viewpoints, which may well be decided based on how hot you are - Canyonlands NP regularly surpasses 80F from May through to October, and usually touches 100F in July & August. The exposed nature of the park means these conditions certainly shouldn't be underestimated.

End your day taking in all the best parts of Canyonlands' Island in the Sky district with Grand View Point. The main feature here is the expanse of corrugated canyons, but you can also spot small dusty roads and different rock formations of The Maze.

Initially the trail is paved to the first lookout point, and then runs along the peak of the rocky outcrop that extends into the canyon. It doesn't require you to get too close to any edges whilst on the main trail, so even those with a fear of heights should feel mostly comfortable. The final viewpoint provides a stunning panorama for sunsets, which are usually amazing in Utah with a sea of orange painted across your entire view!

If you can, extend your stay in Moab to incorporate another amazing park in Arches into your trip. Or, visit all 5 of Utah's spectacular parks as part of a road trip around them all!