Photo: Anusia1984, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
The Green and Colorado rivers have carved this corner of Utah into a maze of mesas, fins and thousand-foot drops, and the rivers split the park into districts that don't connect by road. Island in the Sky is the easy win: a paved mesa top with overlooks that feel like standing at the edge of the world. The Needles, a longer drive south, is where the hiking gets wild, through red-and-white spires and narrow cracks in the rock. Give it two days, one per district, and be on the trail at sunrise before the slickrock heats up.
TRAILS
1 OF 7
Mesa Arch
Difficulty
Easy
Length
0.6 mi loop
Elevation gain
60 ft
Island in the Sky · Mesa Arch trailhead — A short loop leads to a stone arch perched right on the rim, with a canyon dropping away beyond it. At sunrise the underside of the arch glows orange as the light bounces off the cliff below. Photographers line up well before dawn, so come early or come midday when it's quiet. Stay behind the arch; the drop on the far side is sheer.
Photo: Thomas Wolf, www.foto-tw.de, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
2 OF 7
Grand View Point
Difficulty
Easy
Length
1.8 mi
Elevation gain
70 ft
Island in the Sky · Grand View Point Overlook — The road ends at the tip of the mesa, and this flat rim walk keeps going to the very point. Below you, the White Rim forms a pale shelf, and beyond it the rivers cut deeper canyons toward the Maze and the distant La Sal and Abajo mountains. It's the best big-picture view in the park for almost no effort. Late afternoon light brings out the colors, but the rim has no railing for most of the way, so keep kids close.
Photo: Farragutful, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
3 OF 7
Chesler Park Loop and Joint Trail
Difficulty
Strenuous
Length
10.7 mi loop
Elevation gain
1,500 ft
The Needles · Elephant Hill trailhead — The classic Needles day: you wind through banded spires to Chesler Park, a grassy bowl ringed by red-and-white pinnacles, then squeeze through the Joint Trail, a slot of fractures barely shoulder-width wide. Expect constant small climbs, slickrock scrambles and a few sandy stretches. Start at first light and plan five to seven hours. If you want a shorter taste, the Chesler Park Viewpoint out-and-back is 5.8 miles.
⚠︎ No water on the trail. Carry about a liter per person for every hour you plan to hike.
Photo: Fabio Achilli from Milano, Italy, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
4 OF 7
Upheaval Dome
Difficulty
Moderate
Length
1.2 mi
Elevation gain
110 ft
Island in the Sky · Upheaval Dome trailhead — A strange crater of tilted, rainbow-colored rock sits in the middle of the mesa, and geologists still argue over whether a meteor or a rising salt dome made it. The first overlook is just 0.3 miles in; keep going over slickrock and cairns to the second overlook for a deeper look into the bowl. It's a good short hike for curious kids. Follow the cairns closely on the bare rock.
Photo: Julianibarra, CC0, Wikimedia Commons
5 OF 7
Druid Arch
Difficulty
Strenuous
Length
10.8 mi
Elevation gain
1,000 ft
The Needles · Elephant Hill trailhead — A long walk up Elephant Canyon ends at one of the most striking arches in Utah, a tall slab of stone with window-like openings that looks like something out of an ancient temple. The canyon floor has stretches of deep sand, and the last mile and a quarter climbs steeply. Pack a big lunch and enjoy the shade near the arch before the walk back.
⚠︎ Includes one ladder and some scrambling near the arch.
Photo: John Fowler, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
6 OF 7
Whale Rock
Difficulty
Moderate
Length
0.8 mi
Elevation gain
100 ft
Island in the Sky · Whale Rock trailhead — A quick climb up the back of a huge, rounded sandstone dome that really does look like a whale. Handrails help on the steepest pitches, and from the top you look across the mesa toward Upheaval Dome. It's a fun first taste of walking on slickrock. Wear shoes with good grip and skip it when the rock is wet or icy.
Photo: G. Edward Johnson, CC BY 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
7 OF 7
Slickrock Trail
Difficulty
Moderate
Length
2.4 mi loop
Elevation gain
150 ft
The Needles · Slickrock trailhead — A loop across open sandstone with four signed viewpoints over Big Spring and Little Spring canyons and out to the Needles' spires. It's the best short hike in the district for wide views without the long mileage. There is no shade at all, so go early or near sunset. Watch for cairns and stay off the dark, crusty soil, which takes decades to recover.
Photo: G. Edward Johnson, CC BY 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
Plan your Canyonlands trip
The Nova Bound app builds the whole trip around these trails: where to stay, where to charge, and what to see each day. Coming soon to the App Store.
Distances are round trip unless noted, from NPS.gov and rounded. Trails, permits and road openings change; always check nps.gov before you go. Trail write-ups by Nova Bound.