Canyonlands National Park
- WD - Home
- Oct 13
- 3 min read
Canyonlands National Park Travel Guide
Canyonlands National Park is where Utah's desert goes cinematic: towering mesas, rivers carving labyrinthine canyons, and red cliffs stretching to the horizon. The park is divided into four distinct districts: Island in the Sky, The Needles, The Maze, and the rivers themselves, each one a world of its own. With sweeping overlooks, remote trails, and the Colorado and Green Rivers slicing through its heart, Canyonlands is a place where the scale of nature will stop you in your tracks.
Canyonlands is where the desert drops away into infinity, a maze of rivers and red rock that makes you feel both small and limitless.
How to Get There
Moab is once again the basecamp, though Canyonlands feels more remote than its sibling Arches. The Island in the Sky district, the most accessible, sits about 40 minutes from town, with a well-marked entrance off Highway 313. The Needles district, a wilder land of spires and long trails, lies about 1.5 hours south of Moab. The Maze? That's a true backcountry challenge, requiring a high-clearance 4x4 or bush plane.
Flyers often land at Canyonlands Field Airport (CNY), but most use Grand Junction (GJT, 2 hrs) or Salt Lake City (SLC, 4 hrs) for more flights. There are no shuttles in Canyonlands, so a rental car is the best option for transportation. Many visitors link Canyonlands with Arches or Dead Horse Point State Park for a multi-park adventure.
Nearest Airports: CNY (40 min), GJT (2 hrs), SLC (4 hrs)
By Car: Hwy 313 to Island in the Sky, Hwy 211 to The Needles
Other Options: Charter flights to The Maze
Pairings: Arches NP, Dead Horse Point SP
Know Before You Go
Canyonlands covers a staggering 337,000 acres, and it takes real effort to see more than one district in a day. Stick to one region per trip to avoid spending more time in your car than on trails. Services are minimal. Pack water, food, and maps before heading out. Cell service? Don't count on it.
Entry Fee: $30 per vehicle (7 days)
Permits: Needed for White Rim Road, overnight backcountry
Hazards: Heat, flash floods, remote roads with no gas stations
Gear: Extra water, maps, snacks, full tank of gas
Best Time to Visit
Spring (April–May) and fall (September–October) are ideal, with highs in the 70s and clear skies. Summer heat can make hiking dangerous after 10 a.m., so stick to early mornings. Winter is cold and snowy at times, but solitude is unmatched; you might have entire overlooks to yourself.
Spring/Fall: Best weather for hiking and camping
Summer: Extremely hot; hike early or not at all
Winter: Cold but peaceful, snow dusting mesas
Best Things to Do
The park's beauty is just as much about the overlooks as it is about the hikes. Island in the Sky offers drive-up views that rival the Grand Canyon, while The Needles rewards backpackers with spire-filled landscapes. For thrill-seekers, the White Rim Road, a 100-mile 4x4 loop, is one of the Southwest's premier off-road adventures.
Mesa Arch: Sunrise photo hotspot
Grand View Point Overlook: Endless canyon vistas
Green River Overlook: Where rivers carve the desert
White Rim Road: Permit-only 4x4 loop
The Needles District: Spire formations, backpacking trails
Best Hikes
Mesa Arch (0.6 miles, easy): Short, iconic sunrise spot
Grand View Point Trail (2 miles, easy): Rim walk with big views
Chesler Park Loop (11 miles, strenuous): Needles' best spire hike
Aztec Butte (2 miles, moderate): Ancient Puebloan granaries
Places to Stay
There are two small campgrounds inside the park: Willow Flat at Island in the Sky and Squaw Flat in The Needles. Both are rustic and fill quickly. Most visitors stay in Moab, which has a wide range of hotels, Airbnbs, and adventure lodges. For something special, Under Canvas Moab offers safari tents with stargazing decks.
In Park: Willow Flat, Squaw Flat campgrounds
Moab Hotels: Hoodoo Moab, Field Station Moab
Glamping: Under Canvas Moab
Places to Eat
No food services exist inside the park. Pack picnics and plenty of water. Moab is the go-to for meals, with local favorites like Moab Brewery for hearty pub fare, Moab Food Truck Park for variety, and Love Muffin Café for a pre-hike breakfast.
Breakfast: Love Muffin Café (Moab)
Lunch/Dinner: Moab Brewery, Moab Food Truck Park
Coffee: Moab Garage Co.
