Canyonlands National Park is a stunning canyon centric high elevation national park in the US. It’s one of the rare national parks you can drive by and explore in a day. The views from Canyonlands National Park are breathtaking and expansive. You might not imagine the extraterrestrial views the park offers before you go. It looks straight out of a movie and rightly so. Many movies are shot here including the classic Thelma and Louise.
Canyonlands is located in Utah and is one of five national parks in the state. Canyonlands offers breathtaking views of the valley below. The park is best known for a 100 mile mountain biking terrain, a white rim road at Island In The Sky.
Key spots to explore in Canyonlands National Park
The Mesa Arch Trail is something you absolutely cannot miss in Canyonlands National Park. The views are expansive and you can see the entire park view through an arch. The hike is not too long and takes around 30 minutes round trip. The Chelser Park Trail is considerably longer at 10.7 miles however it’s a loop and the views change throughout. It’s a good way to see small sections of the park in bits and pieces. This loop is regarded as the highlight of the needles district.
The upheaval dome trail is relatively shorter and allows you to see mysterious geological formations across the greater MOAB area. Canyonlands is also one of the rare parks where you can enjoy river rafting. If you are into red landscapes and extraterrestrial vibes – Canyonlands is the spot for you.
While you might need expeditions for some national parks like Arches, Canyonlands is a park you can drive across as a self drive. However, if you would like to explore the backcountry of the park, narrow lanes where you’re not comfortable driving – you can opt for an expedition so you can kickback and relax without needing to drive.
Where to stay
VOCO MOAB is a great spot to stay in MOAB city. MOAB is the closest town to explore Canyonlands National Park and the town itself has a lot to offer. Spanning from interesting dining, shopping spots to wildly unique landscapes and other national parks in close proximity. In MOAB, you will also find an interesting dinosaur fossil shop. All the fossils at the shop are real and you can get them back home if you’d like – there’s no customs issue for the same. Imagine getting a dinosaur fossil as a souvenir.
Where to dine
Dining at MOAB is a pleasure treasure. You can find vegan smoothie centric restaurants like Desert and Tropics Health Bar. They also serve fresh sandwiches topped with herbs and vegan cheese. Beyond the vegan food, MOAB food trucks is a unique food truck concept where several restaurants operate as food trucks in a park. The food truck dining options span from Mexican, Italian, gourmet coffees, gelatos, Venezuelan and more.
Dining at MOAB is definitely a treat. Arches Thai offers great vegetarian and vegan options for Asian food lovers. The Thai food is must experience at this specialty spot. If you like non vegetarian food, their duck meat is something you will surely enjoy.
When to visit
You can visit Canyonlands National Park between spring and fall. The Island In The Sky is a stunning trail which offers boating, stunning night views and canyon terrains to walk and explore. For stargazing as well, the best time to explore is between spring and fall when you tend to see clear skies. While US National Parks are open throughout the year, specific regions might be closed during off season.
Other places you can pair with Canyonlands National Park
Some other spots you can pair up with Canyonlands National Park include Arches National Park – a short drive away from MOAB. Besides Arches, you can also explore Dead Horse Point State Park. Dead Horse Point offers stunning views of the valley shaped like a horseshoe. While most people might explore the national park only, the state parks are not to be missed. The natural beauty is untouched and unparalleled. You must surely experience more state parks within America for a fuller experience of the diversity of landscapes the state offers.
How to get there
The closest airport to Canyonlands National Park is Salt Lake City in Utah. You can drive to Canyonlands in around 4-5 hours. It’s a smooth and comfortable drive with stops on the way. Canyonlands is well referenced on Google maps and it is easy to explore the unique places within Canyonlands National Park on a self drive.
