Utah gets a lot of attention for its famous five national parks, but most people can only recall the more mainstream parks like Zion, Bryce Canyon, and Arches. One of the two forgotten areas is Canyonlands.
As the largest national park in the Beehive State, it’s hard to overlook on a map. The park is so large it is actually divided in four districts. Here lies the secret to the best part of Canyonlands, it’s remoteness. Because the park is so large, you have massive tracts of land all to yourself where you’re free to explore without constantly being suffocated by droves of tourists with their stupid selfie sticks. (And don’t even get us started on people who take pictures with their iPads).
Anyways, Canyonlands scenery is easy to disregard when compared to other Utah National Parks but its the closest to real wilderness experience we come to crave from the National Park System.
The Long Drive to the Needles District
In search of solitude, we ventured to the southwest corner of Canyonlands known as the Needles District. Most people head towards the Northern Island in the Sky district. It’s closer to Arches National Park, which is typically what brings the tour buses this direction. But we don’t do easily around here. Take a quick photo at the Canyonlands entrance sign, maybe stop to take a look at the overpriced fake dinosaur museum and prep yourself for the extra 2-hour drive south. (We drove 11 hours from Boise, ID so whats an extra 2 hours right?).
Canyonlands Itinerary
If your ambitious and looking for just the highlights of Canyonlands, you can do most of the Needles District in a day. If your like us and had driven 13 hours and all you wanted was a cold beer and a nap in the hammock, maybe take a day and a half.
Newspaper Rock
On your drive into the Needles district make a stop at Newspaper rock. Its one of the largest collections of petroglyphs you’ll see anywhere in Southwest America. The carvings have incredible detail. Even with thousands of years of human evolution on our side, the natives would still probably beat us in Pictionary.
Roadside Ruin
If you pick up a map from the visitor center, the Roadside ruin is labeled as an easy hike. “Hike” is a strong word to categorize this attraction. At a whopping 0.3 miles roundtrip, the trail is gentle and has zero noticeable elevation gain. The ruin itself is not as big as it looks in pictures, so don’t get your hopes too high. It’s only about the size of whiskey barrel but it is still a fascinating piece of natural history. However, if your pressed for time, this would be okay to skip. (But shame on you for your poor time management skills). For more information of the Roadside Ruin Trail check out our trail guide.
The Wooden Shoe
Canyonlands certainly isn’t known for its Arches. It does have a unique formation shaped like a wooden shoe that is technically an arch though. You can view this formation from the Wooden Shoe Overlook. No walking is required for this one. Save this view for sunset if you have the option, as the scenery surrounding the shoe is just as impressive.
Big Spring Canyon
Obviously you need to see a canyon when you visit Canyonlands, otherwise your just not doing it right. The Big Spring Canyon Overlook provides you that opportunity with ample room for you to find a nice spot, void of people, and enjoy that lukewarm beer you found in the bottom of your backpack.
Pothole Point
Another easy hike is Pothole Point. There’s not really a dramatic view but what this hike does provide is a great opportunity to catch a glimpse of the desert wildlife. The trail is a 0.6-mile loop with minimal elevation gain. Go early in the morning to avoid the crowds and for your best chance to view some animals on their way to breakfast. For more information on the Pothole Point Trail check out our trail guide.
Cave Springs Trail
What would a trip out west be without some cowboy history? Saddle up and take a short hike to an old ranching camp located within Canyonlands. The 0.6-mile loop trail takes you right past an 1800’s cowboy camp that was used during the days where herds of cattle use to roam before the National Park was created. The trail then takes you quickly under some overhanging rock which creates a steady dripping spring that used to supply the herdsman with their drinking water. You’ll then climb a few shaky ladders which add a bit more excitement to the trail before completing your loop and driving off into the sunset in your iron horse (which is your car if you’re a little slow and didn’t catch the metaphor). For more information on the Cave Springs Trail check out our Trail Guide.
Keep Exploring
This 24-hour itinerary primarily focused on the Needles District of Canyonlands National Park but there is a ton more to see in the rest of the park. The hikes and sights we chose were easy enough and short enough that we could quickly see most of the highlights in the least amount of time. If you have more time to dedicate to this park, get a backcountry permit and really do some exploring in the rarely visited Maze district.
Canyonlands National Park can be a great beginning or end destination for your road trip through southern Utah. We chose to start here, so next stop Arches National Park!
Chad can be summed up by his idea of a perfect day: Waking up early to watch the sunrise over the mountains, warm cup of coffee in hand then grabbing his camera and fly rod, hitting the trail to explore some uncharted territory followed by cold beers and campfire steaks. Chad is often joined on his adventures by his wife, Tori, and their dog, Kona.