The Adventures of Suze

In 2022, Canyonlands National Park was the 29th most visited national park out of the 63, with almost 780,000 recreational visits. Its neighbor, Arches National Park, was ranked 20th with almost double the visits. Canyonlands was the second of Utah’s five parks that we visited and it was a welcomed change from the crowds and tour buses we came across at Arches. If you want to read more about our full experience in Utah, you can check out my blog post here!

The park is broken up into 3 land districts: Island in the Sky (where we went, the easiest to visit), The Needles (to the southeast) and The Maze (the most remote). Driving through Island of the Sky was interesting – at first , we were like, “huh, it doesn’t look that exciting” – but then all of a sudden, we saw the drop on either side of the road with views deep into the canyon and were blown away. 

Visiting in September was really nice. The days were still pretty hot, in the high 80s/low 90s, but the nights cooled down. Plan to hit the trails early and bring plenty of water. Sunscreen, sun shirts and hats are also great to have on hand. Also, the earlier you get to the park, the better your chances are at getting parking spots at popular trailheads! Make sure to check the National Park Service website to see if there are any closures or if timed entry is required.

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𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐕𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐝: September 2021

𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐤 𝐄𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐝: September 12, 1964

𝐋𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: Moab, Utah

𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐤 F𝐞𝐞: $15-$30 or use the America the Beautiful annual pass

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Hike Recommendations:

• Easy Hikes
  • Mesa Arch – This is a quick hike to the iconic arch in the park. The views are spectacular. Expect a lot of other people and waiting your turn for pictures with the arch.
    • Click here for AllTrails
    • 0.6 miles, 62 ft. elevation gain
  • Grand View Point Trail – This was our favorite hike we did in the park. The views looking down into the canyon were so impressive. We even got to watch a car drive along the backcountry road far below, which was neat!
    • Click here for AllTrails
    • 1.8 miles, 164 ft. elevation gain
• Moderate Hikes
  • Aztec Butte – This is an interesting hike. It’s not the most thrilling to start but heading up Aztec Butte is a leg burner. Don’t miss out on the spur trail to see ancestral Puebloan structures. As a reminder, do NOT lean against, touch or alter the structures in any way!
    • Click here for AllTrails
    • 1.6 miles, 256 ft. elevation gain
• Hikes I want to do but haven’t yet
  • Syncline Loop – We didn’t have time to do this longer hike but I’d love to do it on a return trip. While here, I’d also want to do some of the Upheaval Dome overlooks.
  • Druid Arch – I didn’t learn about this arch or hike until recently but it looks so epic!

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Things to see and do in and near the park

• Take a scenic drive – If you want to get off the beaten path, Canyonlands has backcountry roads you can drive. If you attempt the drives, please make sure you read all the information provided by the National Park so you are prepared and safe for the adventure.
• Explore BLM land – We loved the Corona and Bowtie Arch trail (dog friendly, 2.4 miles, pit toilets available, no shade) but there are many other places to check out for hiking and rock climbing.
• Dead Horse Park State Park – Go for sunset! You can also camp here too.
• Arches National Park – Check out the itinerary here!
• Check out Moab’s newest bike path – The Moab Canyon Pathway is a beautiful paved path for bikers, joggers and walkers alike.
• Try a new activity – Moab is an outdoor lovers paradise! There are so many different activities available in the city – horseback riding, rafting, biking, off-roading, fishing – you name it, Moab probably offers it!

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Lodging suggestions: 

• Red Stone Inn – We stayed here when we were in Moab, it was right in downtown and we were able to walk to restaurants and stores.
• There are two established campgrounds within the park, plus some backcountry camping as well. If you’d rather stay somewhere outside the park, there are many hotel, camping and glamping options in Downtown Moab.

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Suggestions on food/drinks/shop:

• Moab Brewing Company – Large brewery downtown with a food menu and huge gift shop with merchandise!
• Back of Beyond Books – I adored this store! It’s not just books, but gifts and local art too.
• Spitfire Smokehouse – Cold beers and barbecue, what more could you ask for after a long day of exploring?

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I’m definitely not done with Canyonlands National Park. Now that we’re more experienced with camping, I’d love to go back to do that there. I was enamored with Moab too and I can’t wait to go back eventually 🙂 I hope this guide helps you start planning your Canyonlands trip!

📍I acknowledge the lands mentioned in this post are the ancestral lands of the Timpanogos and Núu-Agha-Tʉvʉ-Pʉ̱ (Ute) people.