When friends knew we were embarking on a tour of Utah’s national parks, several told us, “Each park is different!” And we remember thinking that red rocks are red rocks, so surely that’s not true. But one mile into Canyonlands assured us it was. Our first stop, Arches, wowed us with carved-by-the-wind openings and unimaginable vistas. But Canyonlands offered above- and below-ground splendors entirely different.
The Colorado and Green rivers take credit for much of the creation of Canyonlands‘ formations. But wind and natural erosion of layered sandstone have above-ground and below-ground beauty that is remarkably different from any other national park. Because we’re not as hale and hearty as we once were, we mostly see national parks from our car windows and the well-marked designated trails, like those offered in the Islands in the Sky area of Canyonlands, a park that boasts over 20 miles of paved road leading to scenic vistas.
Looking up, we could see buttes from miles away: towering, sometimes lone formations that reach to the sky, forming “monuments” of enormous size and scope.
We found more “up top” beauty by taking a short hike to one of the most photographed spots in Canyonlands: Mesa Arch. And it was there that we found we were not alone! (The word is out, by the way, that this is the spot to see, if you only see one.)
But just as we found to be true at Delicate Arch in Arches National Park, if you wait your turn, you can either pose for the folks back home or you can hold on to the spot so your partner can snag an “unpeopled” shot. It took us about half an hour, but we did both!
You can even move in closely to see what’s on the other side. Worth it!
To continue our tour along the route suggested in the Canyonlands brochure you can pick up at the Visitor Center, we hiked the Shafer Canyon area, along with families, lovers, and thrill seekers, anxious to climb the structures.
And some who braved it more than others, edging outward on any jut-out available. It’s a thrill you can’t find just anywhere, of course.
For a “look down” view of Canyonlands, we drove to the area known as Grand View Point where standing in awe at our own smallness and focusing on distant landscapes meant that we needed to stay a while. It was a view, for us at least, reminiscent of our first glimpse of the Grand Canyon — a stare-down, if you will, into the interior of the earth. And a spot where you naturally think of your own place in the universe, albeit a small one.
It’s here at Grand View Point that sandstone monuments rise from finger-like chasms knows as Monument Basin, and old trails wind their way around the openings. It’s a “look down” we won’t forget!
Canyonlands supports all that our friends told us and more: It really isn’t like any other national park. And just maybe, it has the most to offer with its highs and lows. It’s definitely worth a visit, so take advantage of its can’t-beat hours: open year-round, 24 hours a day.
We’re hoping for a return trip. And if we go back, we’ll be staying ’til dark. After all, we’ve heard the view of the night sky from Canyonlands is the best anywhere in North America. We gotta see that!
Traveling high and low,
Rusha & Bert
For more information:
Canyonlands National Park official website: https://www.nps.gov/cany/index.htm
Visit Moab/Canyonlands website: http://www.discovermoab.com/canyonlandsnationalpark.htm
Tips:
- No lodging is available in Canyonlands. We recommend a stay in Moab, about 32 miles from the entrance to the park.
- For boomer travelers: Islands in the Sky region is easily navigable by car. Hiking to scenic spots is quite “doable,” but some trails may have slippery sand or elevated stairs. A walking still makes a great companion.
- For photographers: Sunrise and sunset are the best times for photographing the red rocks at any of the Utah national parks. And you’ll love a telephoto lens to catch the distant vistas.
For more posts on Utah’s national parks, visit our Travel Series: We Saw Utah!
restlessjo
Great photos! 🙂 🙂 Isn’t it the most incredible landscape?
Oh, the Places We See
You’ve got that right. And to think we had hardly heard about this one. When we got there, we couldn’t believe how different it was and also how beautiful. Would love to go back.
ellarend
Amazing! If you end up in Peru, there’s a beautiful canyon in Arequipa, I visited it recently 🙂
Oh, the Places We See
We would love to visit Peru. We haven’t been to South America at all, so we’re long overdue. Arequipa sounds like a place to see!
ellarend
Oh, you should! Right now it’s winter but when it gets warmer definitely 🙂
Agness of Fit Travelling
I love hiking and going for a hike at this place seems like a dream! Do you have any tips I should consider before going there?
Oh, the Places We See
You would love Canyonlands! We didn’t know there were so many hiking trails until we were on some of the high plateaus looking down. I’d stop at the Visitor Center and talk to a ranger. You probably don’t have any physical limitations, but if you do, they can recommend which trails. We saw many that wind their way down into the canyons — a great way to get up close and personal with the land! Best wishes for a great trip!
photographyartplus
Woww amazing pictures and travel! The place are beautiful! Congratulations! 🙂
Oh, the Places We See
Thanks for taking a look at Canyonlands with us. We thoroughly enjoyed our time there and would love a return trip. Hope you get there someday — it’s God’s handiwork, for sure.
photographyartplus
Your welcome! Greetings Marcela 🙂
CompassAndCamera
Amazing, Rusha! We were at Arches in May — not enough time to see that and Canyonlands both. But now I want to go back and see Canyonlands. Fantiastic photos!
Oh, the Places We See
Hope you find time to see Canyonlands — some of the most interesting topography of all the parks. And easy to navigate.
K. Leigh
Wow! Some beautiful photos! Must have been a great experience with breathtaking views.
Oh, the Places We See
It’s hard to capture in a photograph what we experienced. The vastness of the earth truly becomes apparent at Canyonlands. You just seem small by comparison!
HesterLeyNel
My stomach plunged when I saw the “sealing with a kiss” photo, but the views from up there must be breathtaking.
Oh, the Places We See
Truly breathtaking! I went out on that same ledge, but my waving hands pic that Bert took seemed a bit silly. I usually don’t care, however, but I like the one of the kissing couple better.
Vandy Leake
Really takes your breath away! Plus your descriptions make it come alive and see what I didn’t see at first.
Oh, the Places We See
Vandy, you are so kind. We did have a lot of fun in Canyonlands simply because we hadn’t read much about it, so everything was a surprise. We’d love a return trip to the West, but there are so many national parks we haven’t visited. Appreciate you taking a look!
dawnkinster
I’ve been to Bryce, Arches, Zion…but never Canyonlands. Obviously I need to remedy that.
Oh, the Places We See
Dawn, we do hope you can get to Canyonlands. As you can see, the topography is diverse. And we were surprised at each turnoff. Great park with great signage, helping us navigate easily. Please go if you can.
Jodi
Beautiful! Just returned from AZ where we viewed the beauty of red rocks in Sedona!!
Oh, the Places We See
Sedona is another place we could make a return trip. We stayed at a great little B & B that I would like to revisit as well. There’s something about the West that just draws us in — so many gorgeous places and stops along the way. Thanks for taking a look.
Curt Mekemson
Two favorites of Peggy and mine for sure, Rusha. Glad you have been able to discover how unique each of Utah’s National Parks is. Seeing those roads down in Canyonlands made me think I wanted to be on them. Maybe next time we go, we will take our four wheel dive pickup! 🙂 Thanks for the reminders on the beauty of Utah. –Curt
Oh, the Places We See
Utah is definitely your kind of place. We loved the rock formations, and how they changed in appearance from morning til night. You would have loved hiking those narrow paths that led deeper and deeper into the canyons. And with your backpacking experience, it would be a piece of cake!
Curt Mekemson
Actually, Rusha, I have hiked many of those trails. And did love them. Beautiful! A couple of my blogs on petroglyphs will include Utah. –Curt