Canyonlands National Park

National Park · Utah, 🇺🇸 United States

Area 1,343 km²

Time zone America/Denver

Official website nps.gov/cany

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Featured Lists

snowpeak / CC BY 2.0

Canyonlands National Park Unmissables

Canyonlands National Park preserves a vast landscape of canyons, mesas, and arches carved by the Colorado and Green Rivers. This selection highlights the accessible Island in the Sky district, featuring the sunrise photography spot at Mesa Arch and the 1,000-foot deep Upheaval Dome crater. It also includes the Needles district, known for its colorful sandstone spires. Key overlooks provide panoramic views of the White Rim sandstone bench and the deep river incisions that define Utah's high desert.

10 places

Nikater / Public domain

Canyonlands Vistas and Peaks

This collection highlights the primary vantage points within the Island in the Sky and Needles districts of Canyonlands National Park. These locations overlook deep canyons carved by the Green and Colorado Rivers, including the 1,000-foot drops at Buck Canyon and the expansive white sandstone bench of the White Rim. The list includes geological features such as the three-mile-wide Upheaval Dome and technical landmarks like the Shafer Trail switchbacks and the rugged Elephant Hill terrain.

20 places

Canyonlands Camping Adventures

This collection features diverse camping options within Canyonlands National Park’s distinct districts: Island in the Sky, The Needles, and the remote Maze. It includes developed National Park Service campgrounds like Willow Flat and the Needles District Campground, alongside primitive backcountry sites along the White Rim Road and Salt Creek Canyon. Most remote locations require high-clearance 4WD vehicles and overnight permits, offering direct access to the park’s signature sandstone fins, prehistoric rock art, and deep river canyons.

20 places

Canyonlands Archaeological Sites

Canyonlands National Park preserves a vast collection of Ancestral Puebloan and Barrier Canyon style archaeological sites. This selection features significant rock art panels, such as the life-sized figures of the Great Gallery, and well-preserved masonry like the Fort Bottom Ruin. These sites, ranging from high-desert granaries to intricate pictographs in the Maze and Needles districts, provide physical evidence of human habitation dating back thousands of years. Visitors can observe prehistoric handprints, symbolic art, and historic cowboy camps.

12 places

Canyonlands Permitted Gems

Accessing the remote corners of Canyonlands National Park requires careful planning and a backcountry permit. This list features designated campsites along the 100-mile White Rim Road in the Island in the Sky district and the isolated Maze district. These sites provide basecamps for exploring sandstone fins, deep canyons, and the Green and Colorado Rivers. Facilities are minimal, typically consisting of a single vault toilet, requiring visitors to carry all water and pack out all solid human waste.

25 places