Canyonlands – Utah

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Mesa Arch | Grand View Point overlook | Monument Basin

 

 Date of Visit: July 6, 2015 & March 29 and 31, 2021.

How we got there: Drove from Capitol Reef to Moab, about 2.5 hours (2015).
Drove from Denver (2021).

Lodging: Inca Inn, Moab (2015), StellaRuby Cottages (2021)

Favorites:

  • Upheaval Dome Trail – 1.8-mile round-trip out and back hike to two overlooks above a giant bullseye-shaped deformation in the rock.
  • Grand View Point Overlook hike – 2-mile round-trip hike along the canyon edge to a viewpoint at the tip of Island In The Sky. Minimal elevation change.
  • Mesa Arch – Short walk to what is probably the most photographed place in the park, the view through Mesa Arch toward Washerwoman Arch.
  • Lathrop Trail –
  • Chesler Park & Druid Arch Trail –

Tips: This is a huge park and much of it is difficult to access, plan on several days to really explore everything. Heat can be intense in summer, limiting hiking options. Be sure to also visit nearby Dead Horse Point State Park.

Next time: Go camping in The Maze section. Off-road jeep and camping trip around the White Rim Road.