Canyonlands National Park

Canyonlands National Park is a large Utah park protecting an extensive canyon landscape carved by the Colorado and Green rivers. Established in 1964, it preserves dramatic mesas, buttes and river-carved canyons across more than 300,000 acres.

The park is divided into distinct districts: Island in the Sky provides accessible overlooks and short trails; The Needles offers multiday hikes among sandstone spires; The Maze is a remote labyrinth of canyons for experienced backcountry travellers; and the Rivers district centers on the confluence of the Colorado and Green rivers. Scenic overlooks, technical canyons and river trips are the primary attractions.

Canyonlands’ landscapes are the result of millions of years of uplift and river incision, which exposed diverse rock layers and sculpted the maze-like canyons. The area received national park protection in the mid-20th century to conserve its geologic and cultural resources.

The park lies in southeastern Utah; the main visitor gateways are accessed from the town of Moab, roughly 30 to 50 kilometres (about 20 to 30 miles) from the Island in the Sky and Needles districts depending on the route.

• Four distinct districts: The park covers roughly 337,000 acres and is managed as four primary districts - Island in the Sky, The Needles, The Maze and the Rivers/Confluence - each with very different access and facilities.
• Access and planning: Access is often remote; The Maze in particular requires high-clearance vehicles and backcountry planning, while Island in the Sky offers paved road access and popular overlooks.

What to See #

• Island in the Sky: Island in the Sky - A high mesa offering broad overlooks such as Grand View Point with views down into canyons cut by the Colorado and Green rivers.
• The Needles: The Needles - A district of colorful sandstone spires and carved rock fins that contains multi-day backcountry hikes and numbered trail systems.
• The Maze: The Maze - A remote, rugged sector of complex canyons and slickrock requiring advanced route-finding and long travel distances to reach.
• Rivers and Confluence: Rivers and Confluence - The Green and Colorado rivers carve deep canyons and meet within the park at a geologically significant confluence point.