Introduction:
In this
blog post I’m referring to the Island in the Sky section of this large park,
there are other completely separated park sections that will not be describe
here.
Where?
: 15 minute drive north of Moab UT there is the turn into 313 Rd.; Additional
20 min drive up the mountain plateau will take you the park visitor center.
Google Map Link
What? :
This section of the huge park has magnificent view of the Colorado and Green
rivers. You can cover the park viewpoints in ½ day drive. you can also visit
the nearby Dead Horse Point State Park.
Due
note: Summer can be very hot and winter has snow cold days, you can visit all
parks year round.
My thoughts: A must visit park but mainly for stopping at the viewing points and Mesa
arch (sunrise), you do have some hike options but not sure they worth the
effort unless you are spending the night in the park.
The
visit:
There
is only one road that going into the park.
There
are many 4x4 trails in the desert I will not cover them in this blog.
Keep going on Grand View Point Rd. and short time after the visitor station you will reach on your left to Shafer Canyon Overlook and Shafer Trail Viewpoint, from both you can see the steep descends of Shafer road into the deep canyon.
Mesa Arch:
After few more miles on the main road you will reach Mesa Arch Trailhead.
This is
one of the most iconic sunrise pictures you can find. A nice very small arch
separate from nearby cliff-wall and a wonderful view to the lower Colorado river
plateau. This location is famous for its sunrise view of the sun peeking from
the mountain range in the east, lighting the arch in red colors.
You should
expect many people coming to take this photograph at sunrise (overall 50 min
drive from Mab). From the parking lot there is ¼ mile hike trail lead to the
cliff adage and the arch. The sunrise pictures are indeed beautiful, but the overcrowded
location hurt the experience.
Grand View Point:
Keep going on the main road, you can stop at Buck Canyon Overlook
or at White Rim Overlook Trailhead, at the end of the road you will reach Grand
View Point Overlook parking. This is a very nice viewpoint on the Colorado
river with short hikes.
Once
you will turn into Upheaval Dome Rd you will reach the Green River Overlook:
another nice viewpoint onto the green river landscape.
Keep
going on the road yond you will have few more attraction points: Whale Rock, False
Kiva & Syncline Loop viewing the Upheaval Dome or doing the long loop hike.
Dead Horse Point State Park:
I visit this place 25 years ago so do not remember much, this
state park is near canyonland and have nice viewpoints on the Colorado river.
Canyonlands
has two other section, not connected to this park section:
The
Needles:
Road
211 exit hwy 191 and lead into the needles section of the park.
Interesting
historical point is Newspaper Rock State Historical Monument where you can see
collection of old native American rock petroglyphs
(https://goo.gl/maps/Wq5N6Qv2pccL8f2p6)
The
maze:
This is
the most remote and difficult to visit part of the park that is accessible only
by 4x4 cars from Hanksville. You can see rock petroglyphs and remote isolated
and secluded desert landscape.
Web
site:
https://www.nps.gov/cany/index.htm
Map:
https://www.nps.gov/cany/planyourvisit/maps.htm
Pictures:
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