Be prepared for sensory overload when driving through Canyonlands National Park. Whether you explore just one district of the Park or all four, you will take in mind blowing landscapes that are baffling to comprehend. You won’t believe the number of times the inside of your car will echo with these phrases, “simply amazing”, “incredible!” and “How is that possible?”
Unless you’re planning to drive through the park for several days, you’ll likely want to pick one district of the park where you can focus your attention. Here’s a quick description of each to help you decide.
This towering mesa section of the Park, is aptly named. Sheer cliffs and steep drop offs make for inspiring panoramic views. Due to its paved roads, close proximity to Arches National Park and the town of Moab, Island in the Sky is the most popular and accessible area of Canyonlands National Park.
The Needles district is home to a garden of colorful sandstone spires shooting up from the desert floor. Needles is famous for it challenging 4x4 trails, endless backpacking trails, hidden arches, and petroglyphs and pictographs which date back to the indigenous people of Moab.
The Maze is the most remote and least accessible district of Canyonlands National Park. The maze district is a siren call to visitors looking for Solitude in an unfathomable redrock wilderness. Travel to the Maze requires a greater commitment of time, typically three to seven days, and a good degree of self sufficiency and competence in a rugged environment.
With so many ways to recreate within Canyonlands National Park, one of the most sought after is rafting. The Colorado River, through Canyonlands National Park, offers pristine and tranquil flat water sections, as well as some of the country’s most taunting and tumultuous whitewater rapids. The incongruencies of Colorado river, powerful enough to cut through canyons,so nurturing Great Blue Herons, Canyon Wrens, river otter and even people frolic in its waters and bask along it’s shores, has enticed humankind for centuries.
Free Insiders Guide to Moab, UTWhat to take, where to eat, where to stay, what to do, and a few little secrets on the side. Our Moab Insiders Guide will provide you with all the essentials for a perfect Moab experience.
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