A Complete Guide to Canyonlands National Park
As the largest park in Utah with over 257,000 acres to explore, Canyonlands National Park is a can’t miss destination. On a visit to the park, you can see countless canyons, towering pinnacles, and buttes formed by the Colorado River.
In this guide to Canyonlands National Park, I’ll cover everything you need to know to plan a perfect trip based on my experience visiting the park.
Let’s get started!
Canyonlands National Park Basic Information
Canyonlands is open 24/7 every day of the year.
Park fees are $30 per vehicle which is valid for 7 days. If you’re planning on visiting multiple national parks an annual pass can be purchased for $80 and gives you access to all Federal fee areas for one year.
Canyonlands tends to be less crowded than the nearby Arches National Park, with almost half as many visitors yearly. Each year more than 400,000 people visit the park with a record high of >770,000 visitors in 2016. Since entry to Arches National Park can sometimes close for hours at a time, visitation to Canyonlands has been increasing.
There are two Visitor Centers: Island in the Sky Visitor Center and The Needles Visitor Center.
Island in the Sky Visitor Center is open 8 am - 5 pm daily and is closed on Christmas Day.
The Needles Visitor Center is open 8 am - 5 pm daily and is closed from December 1st - the end of February.
Canyonlands is split into 3 main areas:
Island in the Sky
The Needles
The Maze
These areas are a good distance away from each other, so if planning to visit multiple areas, make sure you allow enough time to get between areas. Island in the Sky is the most popular area in the park.
Top Things to do in Canyonlands National Park
Island in the Sky Area
Mesa Arch
Distance: 0.5 miles roundtrip
Difficulty: Easy
Elevation Change: 88 ft
Trailhead Access: Mesa Arch Trailhead
Duration: 30 minutes
Even though Canyonlands is famous for its canyons, this arch is one that shouldn’t be missed and even rivals arches in the nearby Arches National Park. This short hike is great to do with the family as it’s a fairly easy hike with spectacular views. At the end of the trail, you’ll see the arch which looks out over the vast canyon and towards the La Sal Mountains.
We visited Mesa Arch for sunrise and saw the orange colors from the sunrise reflecting off the arch. It was so beautiful and well worth waking up early to witness! Sunrise is an extremely popular time for visitors all days of the year looking to take part in the fantastic views. Whenever you visit though, do not climb or jump on the arch.
Trekker Tip: If planning to view the arch at sunrise, plan to arrive at least 45 minutes before sunrise to ensure you get a parking spot. Then start the short hike to the arch to get a good spot for the sunrise. The arch isn’t very large, so good photo spots are limited.
Trekker Tip: If you do not want to view the arch at sunrise, plan to arrive in the afternoon when there’s more parking available at the trailhead.
Murphy Point
Distance: 3.6 miles roundtrip
Difficulty: Easy
Elevation Change: 147 ft
Trailhead Access: Murphy Point Trailhead
Duration: 2 hours
This is a relatively flat hike to get out on the mesa top. At the end of the trail, you’ll have amazing views of the canyon on all sides with views of the Candlestick Tower, the Green River, and the White Rim Road. The mesa top extends fairly wide leaving multiple areas to explore.
This trail is fairly popular, but we started this hike early in the morning after viewing the sunrise at Mesa Arch. Because we started early, we did not pass another person on the trail and got all the sites to ourselves.
White Rim Overlook
Distance: 1.8 miles roundtrip
Difficulty: Easy
Elevation Change: 160 ft
Trailhead Access: White Rim Overlook Trailhead
Duration: 1.5 hours
This is a short hike offering great views overlooking the Colorado River, Monument Basin, and out on the La Sal Mountains. Parking is extremely limited a the trailhead and is more popular in the morning. If going on this hike, it’s normally better to try to find parking in the afternoon.
Upheaval Dome
Distance: 1 mile roundtrip to the first overlook
Difficulty: Moderate
Elevation Change: 226 ft
Duration: 30 minutes
This is a short but steep trail to reach the first overlook of Upheaval Dome. Upheaval Dome is different than the other geologic features in the park, making it a worthwhile visit. There are two theories of how the dome formed:
A salt layer was deposited and over time, sediment built up and hardened the salt into sandstone. The heavy rock put pressure on the salt and created a dome to appear.
A meteor crashed into this area 60 million years ago and the crater left behind was unstable. Some areas collapsed while other spaces were filled with rock and salt.
You can learn about the theories behind the creation of Upheaval Dome on the short hike to the viewpoint.
Additional Things to do at Canyonlands National Park
You can easily spend multiple days in this park. If you have more time, some other things you can check out are:
Go Four-Wheeling
There are hundreds of miles of unpaved roads within the park. Most of these roads require a high-clearance vehicle with four-wheel drive. The roads range in difficulty from intermediate to extremely technical so plan ahead before attempting to traverse the roads.
Boating
Take a boating trip on either the Colorado River or Green River which shaped the landscape of Canyonlands. You must have a permit for all river trips or attend a guided tour.
Horseback Riding
Horseback riding is allowed in the park for both day use and overnight use. Day permits are free of charge and can be obtained at the Visitor Center 24 hours in advance. Overnight trips must stay at a designated vehicle campsite. Permits are required and cost $36. Groups are limited to 7 people and 7 horses.
Rock Climbing
The sandstone towards at the Island in the Sky area of the park attracts lots of rock climbing visitors. Permits are not required for technical rock climbing but are required for overnight backcountry travel and day-use trips on the White Rim Road. Any new installation of fixed gear also requires a permit.
Stargaze
Canyonlands National Park is certified as an official International Dark Sky Park. It can take your eyes 20-30 minutes to adjust to the dark, so give yourself some time to take in the sky. There are also opportunities to stargaze with a ranger.
Nearby Activities
Explore the Nearby Town of Moab
The town of Moab is about 35 minutes away from the entrance to Canyonlands National park, making it the most popular home base for visitors. In addition to just staying in Moab, there are multiple tours originating from Moab if you have extra time when visiting. Some top things to do are:
Take a rafting trip on the Colorado River
There are multiple choices for morning, mid-day, or full-day rafting trips depending on your interests.
Some top-rated tour companies are:
Go on a four-wheeling tour
Four-wheeling is a great way to get off road and explore all the red sandstone cliffs have to offer.
Some top-rated tour companies are:
Check out the Petroglyphs
Take in the ancient Petroglyphs that follow the Barrier Canyon Style and are believed to be between 1500 and 4000 years old.
You can view the Petroglyphs at:
Moab Golf Club
Courthouse Wash
Kane Creek Blvd.
Canyoneering
Take an adventure and rappel down a canyon to be rewarded with incredible views into the canyons.
Some top-rated tour companies are:
Ride the Moab Zip Line
Take a four-wheeler up a mountain to reach the start of the zip line. On this ride up the mountain, I was holding on for dear life as you’re right on the edge of the mountain going over large rocks and I felt like we were seconds away from tipping over. Of course, the drivers are professionals and won’t let that happen, but it was a thrilling ride! The zip line is not very high off the ground from the mountain but offers great views overlooking the town of Moab and of the red sandstone formations. You’ll also have a chance to cross a suspension bridge through the mountain.
Some top-rated tour companies are:
Check out the restaurants and shops in downtown Moab
There are numerous stores to check out downtown. Options include gift shops, art galleries, rock ships, farmer’s markets, restaurants, and more!
Visit Arches National Park
With only a 30 minute drive between Arches National Park and Canyonlands National Park, these are great to combine together to visit in a single trip.
Check out more details of Arches National Park in the dedicated guide to the park.
Visit Dead Horse State Park
Located near the entrance to Canyonlands National Park, Dead Horse Point State Park features a dramatic overlook of the Colorado River featuring an amazing horseshoe bend in the river.
You can hike around the rim of the canyon ranging between a quarter of a mile to multiple miles to stop at the various overlooks. If not interested in hiking, a short walk to an overlook at the visitor center offers fantastic views of the horseshoe bend.
Trekker Tip: This is a good place to catch a sunset to finish off your day and snap a few pics.
Where to Stay
Lodging in Canyonlands National Park:
There is no lodge in Canyonlands National Park, but camping is available.
All individual sites are available on a first-come, first-served basis, but group campsites must be reserved in advance. There are two campgrounds with individual sites:
Island in the Sky campground costs $15 per night
The Needles campground costs $20 per night
There are three group campgrounds costing between $70 - $225 per night depending on location and group size:
The Needles Group Site
Wooden Shoe Group Site
Split Top Group Site
Lodging in Moab:
Moab is the most popular place to stay nearby as it is the largest town near the park, and is only about 35 minutes from the park entrance. Moab offers lots of shops and restaurants, making it a fantastic place to stay. You can find most large hotel chains in Moab, making it easy to collect or use your favorite brand’s loyalty points. There are also quite a few VRBOs and AirBNBs near Moab if you’re looking to have a place to yourself.
Popular hotels to stay at in Moab are:
Best Western Plus Greenwell Inn
SpringHill Suites by Marriott Moab
Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott Moab
Wingate by Wyndham Moab
This is where we stayed when we visited. This hotel is slightly further out of downtown Moab, making it a bit far if you want to walk to the shops or restaurants. But since it’s further from town, it tends to be less expensive. The pool at the hotel was very nice and a great way to cool down in the Utah heat.
We visited the week Arches and Canyonlands National Parks opened up after locking down for Covid-19, so the hotel was extremely empty and there were no more than 10 other guests at the hotel, which isn’t common. But being further from town, this hotel doesn’t fill up quite as fast as hotels right in downtown Moab.
Homewood Suites by Hilton Moab
Hyatt Place Moab
Holiday Inn Express & Suites Moab
La Quinta Inn & Suites Moab
Where to Eat
There are no restaurants located inside Canyonlands National Park, but the nearby town of Moab offers lots of options for dining.
For lunches each day, we packed our own lunches and brought them with us into the park so we could experience all the park has to offer.
In Moab, popular places to eat are:
We ate dinner at the Spoke on Center one night. They had good burgers and fries, but also offer pasta, salad, and sandwiches.
We also ate dinner at the Broken Oar and had really good steaks. They offer a large menu with something for everyone including sandwiches, burgers, pasta, seafood, steak, salad, chicken, and ribs.
Quesadilla Mobilla is a popular food truck in downtown Moab offering a variety of quesadillas.
Sweet Cravings Bakery + Bistro on the north end of Moab offers coffee and pastries to help kick start your day.
Desert Bistro is a Southwestern inspired American restaurant in downtown Moab.
What to Pack
Helpful with the steep inclines if you’re planning to hike to Upheaval Dome.
Good hiking socks to keep your feet comfortable when scrambling over rocks or climbing up inclines.
Bring waterproof hiking boots that are comfortable and you have a chance to break in before you set out on long hikes.
Keep your hands free while having space for your sunscreen, water, extra layers, quick-dry towel, and more.
Is a must as Canyonlands gets very hot and sunny and there are multiple areas that don’t have much shade.
Stay hydrated while you’re hiking in the sun as Utah can get hot, hot, hot!
A roll-up hat you can pack in your day bag to keep cool in the hot Arches sun.
Find out all the top places you need to visit, including hiking to the iconic Delicate Arch.