This post is part 3 of my multi-part series sharing how I planned a 2-week road trip to Utah’s National Parks. Check out part 2 for my Arches National Park itinerary. Today, I’m sharing my itinerary and recommendations for how to spend 2 days in Canyonlands National Park.
Check out my itineraries for the other Utah National Parks on this roadtrip:
- 2 Days of Hiking in Arches National Park Itinerary
- 2 Days of Hiking in Capitol Reef National Park Itinerary
- A Half Day In Bryce Canyon National Park Itinerary
- 3 Days Hiking in Zion National Park Itinerary
Planning Your Visit to Canyonlands
Canyonlands National Park is probably my top favorite park out of the mighty 5 national parks in Utah. Mostly because I didn’t know what to expect! I was surprised with deep canyon landscapes, how remote it felt, and the diversity of the park districts.
Canyonlands National Park is located near Moab, Utah. This national park is massive and split into 3 different land districts: Islands in the Sky, The Needles, and The Maze. Typically, visitors see the Islands in the Sky and The Needles districts because they’re easier to access. The Maze is remote and for more experienced adventurers. On a map, the districts look close to each other, but the entrances to Islands in the Sky and The Needles are actually 2 hours away, so it makes sense to dedicate a day to each district.
Additionally, the NPS website has great info on the park. I recommend downloading or saving a copy of the Canyonlands National Park maps in case you visit when the rangers are not at the entrance station or you lose your map. It’s helpful to get familiar with the map to see where the districts and trails are around the park.
The districts for Canyonlands National Park are remote. There are visitor centers at the entrances with small gift shops. Be sure to pack food, snacks, and your own water to be prepared.
Staying in Moab is the best homebase to visit both districts because it’s in between both entrances. Moab is also where the entrance is for Arches National Park and I recommend adding a visit while you’re here. Check out my 2-day itinerary for Arches National Park.
Islands in the Sky Itinerary
The Islands in the Sky district of Canyonlands National Park is located 40 minutes north of Moab, Utah. Most people visit this district when visiting Canyonlands. It’s where you can find the popular scenery of this national park. We spent 1 day here doing shorter hikes to get more views of the park. During our visit in November, it also started snowing! Be prepared with layers, unlike us who were naive Texans.
Grand View Point Trail
2 miles, 50 minutes
Easy
Start at the southernmost point of Islands in the Sky by hitting the Grand View Point trail. This offers several overlooks of the vast canyon landscape. The first 100 yards of this trail is paved and wheelchair accessible. The trail continues unpaved for another mile to another panoramic view.
Mesa Arch
0.5 miles, 30 minutes
Easy
This trail is a must when visiting Islands in the Sky! This short trail leads you to the iconic Mesa Arch. At the Arch, you can look through to get a great view of the park. Unfortunately for us, it started snowing heavily at this point and we were unable to see the view beyond the arch. It was still a great site to see, made even more beautiful with the snow.
Green River Overlook
0.2 miles, 5 minutes
Easy
This is a short paved path to get another overlook of the many canyons below. Take in the views and read some of the available information about the park.
Upheaval Dome
First overlook: 1 mile, 45 minutes roundtrip
Second overlook: 1.8 miles, 1.5 hours roundtrip
Moderate
This trail offers 2 overlooks to a large, unique crater in Canyonlands. This trail is moderate due to some steep climbs, but it’s a great way to access the crater view. We hiked to the second overlook.
Other Trails in Islands in the Sky
After our hike at Upheaval Dome, the snow became heavier than what we were comfortable driving in. We are inexperienced driving in icy or snowy conditions and felt it was safer to head back to Moab. This was also a learning lesson for us to pack extra jackets for unpredictable weather, especially since we have room in our car!
If we had more time at the park, we would have liked to try these trails:
- Aztec Butte (2 miles, 1.5 hours, moderate)
I really wanted to do this trail! This hike splits east and west, with the west path taking you to view two ancestral Puebloan sites. - Murphy Point (3.6 miles, 2 hours, easy)
This trail takes you to see another historical corral site in the park with panoramic views. Seeing historical sites like these is one of my favorite things to do in the parks because it’s so interesting to see how people lived in these areas.
The Needles Itinerary
The Needles district of Canyonlands National Park is located about 1.5 hours south of Moab, Utah. Due to its distance from Moab, it’s less visited than the Islands in the Sky for people pressed for time. You’ll find difficult and longer trails here, but even with our preference for easy to moderate trails, we were able to find enough to do here for our comfort level. I think it’s a great addition to your Canyonlands visit to experience its remoteness and the unique features this district offers. We spent 1 long day here and ended up driving back to Moab at sunset.
Newspaper Rock, a Utah State Historical Monument
Outside of the park
On your way to The Needles, you’ll come across Newspaper Rock. Newspaper Rock is not a part of the national park, but worth the visit on your drive. Pull over and park to see this large collection of 650+ petroglyphs carved into a rock. No hiking needed.
Wooden Shoe Arch Overlook
Overlook
Easy
After passing the visitor center, stop by this overlook to see a unique arch in the distance, in the shape of a wooden shoe!
Slick Rock Foot Trail
2.5 miles, 2 hours
Easy
This hike gives you great 360 degree viewpoints of the park. This trail is mostly unshaded and marked with cairns to guide your path. In the distance, you’re able to see the Islands in the Sky part of the park.
Elephant Hill Trailhead
Completed first 1.5 miles, 3 miles roundtrip, about 2 hours
Moderate to Difficult
This hike is accessed by driving on an unpaved road, suitable for 2-wheel drive vehicles. The trailhead is the start of a large system of long distance trails with hard to strenuous difficulty. We decided to hike the first 1.5 miles of the trail and then turned around for time. Even with this shorter distance, we were able to experience excellent views and terrains. Some climbing was needed, this was probably my favorite trail of this district.
Cave Spring
0.6 miles, 45 minutes
Easy
On our way out of the park, we stopped by to do the short loop at Cave Spring. This trail has you pass by several historical sites, including a cowboy camp and prehistoric drawings.
What if I only have 1 day in Canyonlands National Park?
If you only have 1 day to visit the park, I would recommend visiting the Islands in the Sky district. It’s closer to Moab and you’re able to get great picturesque views that are most often associated with Canyonlands National Park.
Visiting Canyonlands National Park
I went to Canyonlands National Park without any expectations of what’s at the park and I loved being surprised with the scenery. It wasn’t as crowded as Arches National Park during our visit and we were able to find plenty of areas of solitude. I hope this suggested itinerary helps you plan your 2 days in Canyonlands National Park!
