Canyonlands National Park

Rivers, Red Rock & the Endless Horizon of Utah’s Canyon Country

Utah’s Grand Labyrinth of Stone

Est. 1964

At the heart of the Colorado Plateau, where two mighty rivers meet, lies a wilderness sculpted by time beyond measure. Canyonlands National Park is a vast expanse of mesas, buttes, and river canyons, where space and silence stretch unbroken from horizon to horizon. Wind, water, and gravity have been at work here for 300 million years, carving a masterpiece that dwarfs the human scale.

From the Island in the Sky mesa — a sheer 1,000-foot perch above a labyrinth of canyons — the land drops away in every direction, a maze of colors that shift with the light. In the Needles District, sandstone spires rise like cathedral towers from the desert floor. Farther west, The Maze remains one of the most remote places in the lower forty-eight, a network of twisted gorges that test even seasoned explorers. Below it all, the Colorado and Green Rivers wind through cliffs of crimson and gold, shaping the park’s living heart.

Here, every sunrise feels like the first. Hawks ride thermals over empty canyons, ravens call from stone ledges, and by dusk, the air cools and glows lavender. At night, the Milky Way blazes across one of the darkest skies in America. Canyonlands is less a park to “see” than a place to feel — a reminder of how small we are, and how endless the world can be.

Featured Experiences

To understand Canyonlands is to experience it from every level: the rim, the river, and the deep quiet between. Guided tours reveal the hidden stories of this red-rock wilderness — its geology, its ancient cultures, and its delicate balance of life in an arid world.

Suggested Itineraries

Canyonlands rewards patience and perspective. Its beauty isn’t just in its vistas but in the transitions between them — the slow drive between districts, the light that changes color by the minute, the echo that takes seconds to return. These itineraries balance exploration and quiet so the park’s scale can sink in.

1-Day Discovery

Morning: Begin at the Island in the Sky Visitor Center for maps and sunrise tips. Hike the Mesa Arch Trail while the rim glows gold.
Midday: Drive the 34-mile loop to Grand View Point and Green River Overlook, stopping for short rim walks and desert picnics.
Afternoon: Visit Upheaval Dome to puzzle over its mysterious crater, then catch sunset at Shafer Canyon Overlook, where the shadow line climbs the cliffs.

👉 Perfect for photographers and first-time explorers.

3-Day Adventure

Day 1: Tour Island in the Sky as above.
Day 2: Drive south on UT-211 to The Needles District; hike Chesler Park Loop or Slickrock Trail through a maze of red spires.
Day 3: Launch on a Colorado River float or jet-boat trip through the lower canyons, watching walls rise higher with each bend.

👉 Ideal for active travelers craving both perspective and immersion.

5-Day Expedition

For those seeking true isolation, join a backcountry guide into The Maze or a multi-day Cataract Canyon rafting expedition. Nights are spent under stars with only river sounds and canyon wind.

👉 For experienced adventurers drawn to silence and scale.

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Find Experiences, Plan Your Days & Book It All With Us!

The vastness of Canyonlands can be daunting, but that’s where we come in. Our planners help you choose the right district, secure hiking or rafting permits, and link your visit with Arches National Park, Dead Horse Point State Park, and Moab adventures. Whether you want scenic drives and luxury lodging or multi-day camping under the stars, we’ll build an itinerary that fits your spirit of exploration.

What to Expect Each Season

Open Year-Round • Peak Season April – October

Canyonlands changes with the light more than the calendar, but each season shapes how you move through it — spring’s bloom, summer’s heat, autumn’s clarity, winter’s silence.

Spring (Mar – May)
Wildflowers and mild days make hiking ideal. Rivers swell for early rafting season.
Best for: Balanced weather and full trail access.*

Summer (Jun – Aug)
Hot, intense, dramatic. Explore at dawn and dusk; watch afternoon monsoons ignite rainbows over the mesas.
Best for: Sunrise photographers and river travelers.*

Fall (Sep – Oct)
Clear skies, golden cottonwoods, and quiet trails. Temperatures near perfect.
Best for: Long hikes and scenic drives.*

Winter (Nov – Feb)
Snow on red rock turns the park surreal and silent. Visitor numbers drop to almost none.
Best for: Solitude and stark beauty.*

Every season writes a different chapter — pick the one that speaks to you.

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Canyonlands National Park Tours

View All Canyonlands Tours & Activities

Guided experiences reveal the park’s hidden geometry and history — stories written in stone, water, and starlight.

Not sure where to start?

Our team can suggest the best itineraries.

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Visitor Centers At The Park

Every district in Canyonlands has its own gateway. Each visitor center or ranger station tells a different part of the story—erosion and time, human history, and the fragile desert ecosystem that binds them all together. Begin at Island in the Sky to understand the park’s scale, then branch outward to explore its quieter corners.

Island in the Sky Visitor Center

Orientation, exhibits on erosion and time, panoramic overlooks just steps away.

The Needles Visitor Center

Trail maps, backcountry permits, and displays on ancestral cultures and desert wildlife.

Hans Flat Ranger Station (The Maze)

A remote outpost offering advice, water, and reality checks for backcountry explorers.

The Rivers Office (Moab)

Base for boating information, permits, and water-level updates.

Hetch Hetchy Entrance Station

The quieter side of Yosemite. Staff provide permits and advice for trails to Wapama and Rancheria Falls. The Hetch Hetchy Reservoir itself is beautiful and far less crowded than the Valley.

Tip: Bring extra water and start early — trails here can be hot and exposed in summer.

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VIEW PARK MAPS

Visiting On Your Own

Distances are deceptive here; a map inch equals hours of road. Plan for remoteness and reward.

Entrance Fee: $30 per vehicle (7 days)
Permits: Needed for overnight backcountry or 4×4 routes
Access: Island in the Sky via UT-313; Needles via UT-211
Fuel & Food: None inside the park — stock up in Moab or Monticello
Cell Service: Sparse to none — carry offline maps and paper backups

Tip: Expect isolation as part of the experience; it’s what makes Canyonlands unforgettable.

Park Information & Details

Canyonlands is pure wilderness; comfort comes from preparation. Know what to expect before the horizon swallows you.

Food & Drink

No restaurants or fuel inside the park. Stock up in Moab or Monticello, where cafés, groceries, and breweries line Main Street. Carry more water than you think you’ll need—one gallon per person per day is the rule.

What to Bring

Sun protection, hat, sturdy hiking shoes, navigation apps downloaded offline, paper map backup, layered clothing for 40-degree temperature swings.

Safety Tips

Heat exhaustion and flash floods are the park’s two real dangers. Start early, rest at midday, and never hike in a dry wash if rain threatens.

Shuttle / Transport Info

Private vehicle required; 4×4 essential for the White Rim Road or The Maze. Closest airport: Canyonlands Field (CNY) near Moab.

Accessibility For All

Island in the Sky overlooks and the visitor center have paved paths and railings. Rangers can advise on accessible viewpoints for Mesa Arch and Grand View Point.

Stay Safe In Our Utah Parks

Tips For Getting Home After Unscathed

Visiting Canyonlands

Help Plan Your Visit To The Park

Maps Of The Park & Region

A map here isn’t just navigation—it’s perspective. It shows how the four districts connect by river rather than road and how Canyonlands fits into the red-rock crownlands of southern Utah.

Park Gateway Towns

The communities circling Canyonlands each offer a distinct rhythm—Moab’s energy, Monticello’s quiet, and Green River’s easy river life. Together they form the cultural heart of Utah’s canyon country.

Moab, UT

A vibrant desert hub framed by red cliffs, Moab pulses with energy — outfitters, art galleries, and cafés filled with adventurers swapping trail stories. Sunset from the Colorado River bridge sets the whole town aglow.

Tip: Stay here for easy access to both Canyonlands and Arches.

Salt Lake City, UT

Utah’s capital and the main air gateway to Canyonlands. Modern and mountain-framed, it offers major flight access, hotels, and dining before the four-hour desert drive south.

Tip: Spend a night here to rest, resupply, and enjoy city comforts before your canyon journey.

Monticello, UT

Fifty miles south, Monticello offers quiet lodgings, family restaurants, and proximity to the Needles District. Local museums trace pioneer and Indigenous histories that enrich the landscape.

Tip: Great for early starts into the southern trails.

Green River, UT

Once a sleepy farm town, now a rafting launch site and melon-farming community with a riverfront charm all its own.

Tip: Ideal base for multi-day Colorado River trips and off-the-grid camping.

What Visitors Say About The Park

Canyonlands is a living canvas where water and wind continue to paint. Stand on the rim and you can watch shadows move like tides; walk the canyon floor and feel the pulse of an ancient river. Here, the silence speaks louder than words, and the light changes everything it touches.

Mesa Arch at sunrise made me cry — the light felt alive.

Visitor from Texas

Our Cataract Canyon float was pure silence between rapids — we felt like the first humans there.

Visitor from Colorado

Watching stars in The Needles was like falling upward into space.

Visitor from New York

At Grand View Point, the earth looked folded like paper — colors upon colors fading to infinity.

Visitor from California

A Land Carved by Time

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Canyonlands National Park

Utah’s Grand Labyrinth of Stone

Featured Experiences