Top Sights in Canyonlands National Park
When you only have one day to explore Canyonlands National Park, how on Earth do you decide what to see and do? When we visited, we were short on time and wanted to maximize our day to see the best things the park has to offer. Read on to find out how we spent our time in Canyonlands National Park!
Enjoying the sunrise in Canyonlands National Park
Canyonlands is a huge national park in Utah, so big, that it’s split up into three districts. The most popular, and most accessible district is the Island in the Sky district, which is what we visited on this trip. The other districts are worth checking out, but are much less accessible to the average tourist and would add a couple days to your itinerary. They are: the Needles and the Maze, with the rivers that run through the national park creating natural barriers between these sections. The Needles district is very popular with hikers and has some excellent overnight backpacking options. The Maze district is very isolated and great for people that want a very remote, off-the-grid, experience.
Sunrise Views Overlooking the Shafer Trail
Knowing we had only one day to explore the area, we woke up very early to enjoy the sunrise at Canyonlands National Park. We originally intended to visit Mesa Arch for sunrise, but instead ended up hanging around the Shafer Trail. Mesa Arch is a magnet for photographers looking to catch some epic sunrise photos, which is why we were headed there, but we got a little side tracked by admiring the views overlooking the Shafer Trail and before we knew it, sunrise was happening.
The Shafer Trail
Even if you don’t drive down this windy dirt road, be sure to stop and enjoy the views from the top of the canyon, they are sure to impress!
We’re very glad our plans were messed up because we were able to enjoy sunrise alone, without any crowds. That’s one of the benefits of visiting at sunrise, fewer crowds! But if we had gone to Mesa Arch like we planned, the place would have been packed with photographers. No doubt it would have been beautiful at Mesa Arch, but it was really nice to enjoy sunrise in peace and quiet.
If you have the motivation to wake up super early, sunrise in Canyonlands National Park is not to be missed!
The windy road leading deeper into Canyonlands National Park
Mesa Arch
After we had our fill of sunrise views, we headed to Mesa Arch. It was a quick drive to get there and the parking lot was packed! However, because we arrived 30 minutes after sunrise, people who had gotten there earlier were starting to leave and we snagged a parking spot right away!
Mesa Arch just after sunrise
It’s a quick half-mile round-trip hike to Mesa Arch from the parking area, and although you can go out-and-back along the same route, most people do it as a loop. There are two trails leading to Mesa Arch from the parking lot, you can either go left or right - we chose to go to the right. The trail is pretty easy to hike; it’s nice and wide, and the stairs are manageable. When you get closer to Mesa Arch, you’re just walking on slick rock.
We have Mesa Arch all to ourselves!
Again, our timing couldn’t have been any better! Sure, we missed sunrise at Mesa Arch, but by the time we arrived, most people who were there for sunrise had either left or were packing up just as we reached the arch. Five minutes later, we had Mesa Arch all to ourselves! So, we definitely recommend arriving 30 or so minutes after sunrise when the place starts to clear out. You’ll snag a parking spot easier, and there will be plenty of room to enjoy the views without the crowds. Sure, this might not work during high season when the park is always packed, but it worked for us so maybe it’ll work for you too!
The famous view from Mesa Arch
Grand Viewpoint Overlook
We made a quick stop at the Island in the Sky visitor’s center at Canyonlands National Park and the ranger we talked to recommended we make the drive to Grand Viewpoint Overlook. The scenic drive is one of the top activities to do in Canyonlands, especially when you’re short on time. We made our way to the overlook at the very end of the scenic drive. There’s a large parking area and absolutely incredible views! We were in awe of the landscape.
The views truly are grand from Grand Viewpoint Overlook
There are some informational signs about what you’re viewing near the parking area, which is where most of the crowds gather. But there’s plenty of room to spread out. The most popular area has a couple guard rails installed to keep people safe, but if you venture further to the left or the right, there are no longer guard rails, so be careful to not get too close to the edge as it’s a steep drop to the bottom.
Not a bad view to be had at Canyonlands National Park
Grand Viewpoint Overlook is just one of many scenic viewpoints along the scenic drive in the Islands in the Sky portion of Canyonlands National Park. Be sure to stop at as many scenic viewpoints as you can, there are some lesser visited sights that have incredible views and fewer crowds.
View from Candlestick Tower Overlook
Dead Horse Point State Park
If you’ve seen as much as you care to see at Canyonlands National Park, but you still have a little extra time in your day, be sure to stop by Dead Horse Point State Park. It’s a short detour on the way back to Moab from the national park.
On our way into the unfortunately named Dead Horse Point State Park
Dead Horse Point State Park has a very interesting name that alludes to its history. The land here has a uniquely shaped peninsula that juts out, and where the peninsula connects to the main land - the neck of the peninsula - is very narrow. So the story goes that cowboys would round up wild mustangs and bring them here. They would pick the ones they wanted to keep, and then leave the rest on the peninsula. Because the neck of the peninsula is very narrow, the cowboys built a barrier to fence off the horses and keep them on the peninsula. Eventually the horses died, hence the name: Dead Horse Point. It’s a very sad story, but apparently only happened one time. However, once was enough for this name to stick.
Incredible views from Dead Horse Point
Don’t let the name and the sad history deter you from visiting. This state park has an incredible view overlooking the canyon below. You can see the Colorado River from the park too. There’s a state of the art visitor’s center with nice bathrooms if you need to make a stop. The park is really popular with mountain bikers, as there are some great trails in the area.
Even if you’re short on time and can only spend a day, or just a few hours, at Canyonlands National Park, it’s absolutely worth the effort! The park is filled with incredible views and some easy hikes, like Mesa Arch, that make it worth the time, even for a quick visit. Hopefully, we’ve convinced you that you need to make the journey out here to check it out for yourself!
Have you ever been to Canyonlands National Park? What’s your top thing to do there?
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