Canyonlands National Park

There’s a different kind of pulse in Canyonlands National Park that’s hard to describe, something akin to reverence perhaps. It may come from the looming red cliffs and towers, or the remnants left behind by the ancient peoples who once inhabited the land, maybe it has something to do with the majestic Colorado River that cuts through the park. Whatever it is that makes Canyonlands so special, we want to help you make the most of the experience.

Driving into Canyonlands is dramatic and wondrous and definitely recommended. Canyonlands is vast and the roads to discoveries go on for days. We encourage you to take at least one to two days to explore this amazing park. We also recommend that if you stray from the paved roads you know the road conditions and where you’re going.

From the rims, the Colorado River appears as the long lazy vein that meanders through the Canyonlands National Park. However, up close, you understand the River is more than a simple vein; it’s the lifeblood of the Park. The Colorado River as it travels through Canyonlands National Park is formidable, it’s mighty. It’s also welcoming and soothing, a balm for the road and world weary visitor. A long or short trip on the Colorado River through Canyonlands National Park is as authentic as nature and the American West gets. This section of the Colorado River is known as “Cataract Canyon” and is one of the top rafting adventures in America.

Canyonlands National Park is a high desert climate. Temperatures can vary widely, sometimes within a single day. Each district of Canyonlands is unique right down to its weather. One thing you can count on is summers are hot and temperatures usually exceed 100 degrees. Typically, the temperate shoulder seasons are pleasant and short, and winter can be a mixed bag ranging from comfortably cool to freezing with snow. Regardless of the weather, Canyonlands is worth visiting during any season.

Camping in Canyonlands is the real deal. It’s nature at its purest and most magnificent. When night falls, the silence is weighty and the night sky comes alive. Typically, unless you’re in extreme back country, the wildlife experiences are limited to the whooshing of a raven’s wings as it soars overhead, lizards, the distant sounds of coyotes howling at the sunrise, and the occasional mule deer keeping an eye on its home. Camping in Canyonlands is amazing.

Whether you’re hiking your heart out, or just taking a leisurely drive, you’ll learn massive landscapes leave you massively tired. Knowing you have a soft pillow and a warm shower to return to, will be what makes a glorious day a perfect success. Make sure to get familiar with your lodging options near Canyonlands National Park, so you can make the right choice for resting your weary head.

Even if you’re a frequent visitor to Moab, it would be difficult for you to complete all the hikes available in Canyonlands National Park. There are close to forty different trails in Canyonlands ranging from easy to strenuous, and varying in length from 1 to 45 miles!

Canyonlands National Park is like no other place, is something spectacular to behold. Hopefully you will get the chance to behold it in person, and that you’ll get photos to do the landscape a bit of justice. However until you get that chance and those photos, you’re welcome to gaze upon ours.

A Vietnamese proverb teaches that, ‘A day of travelling will bring a basket full of learning’. Here’s some help getting your basket filled early, so you can get the most out of your traveling.

Of all the places you wouldn’t want to be caught without a map, Canyonlands National Park is one of them. Canyonlands is a place where roads (or what brave souls with 4x4s call roads) tangle for days across the wilderness, and time stands still. By time stands still, we mean most of Canyonlands still isn’t on board with cell phones or 4G. To keep you safe, we have maps you can print, fold up, and keep in your pocket.