A Day Trip to Canyonlands National Park, Utah: Two Hikes and Three Overlooks

On a Monday in July we drove over 1 1/2 hours west from Fruita, CO to Canyonlands Island in the Sky district. The last time we were here was prior to 2018 so we were overdue for a visit. We know how busy national parks can get so we decided a Monday might be the best day to go to encounter the smallest crowds, and we were correct. Besides having beautiful weather the crowds were smallish.
Unlike the other of The Big Five of Utah's National Parks Canyonlands is the largest and, in places, the most remote of the parks. With 4 districts, each one offering a different experience and ability to access, Canyonlands offers a unique opportunity to "have it all" in one area. If you want to go rafting there's The River district. If you want isolation there's The Maze district. Beautiful overlooks, The Island in the Sky district. The desert, The Needles district. Needles and Island in the Sky are easy to access by car via long roads off the main roads. The Maze requires high clearance, four-wheel drive vehicles, and The River is accessible only by raft, canoe, or kayak.
There are some well marked trails at Island in the Sky. But there are also some rugged trails and a dirt road that leads to the bottom of the canyon. This road, Shafer Trail, is for high clearance, four-wheel drive vehicles that are equipped for the back country and self-sustainable. When you are down in the canyon you are on your own. The main road has numerous overlooks, many right next to the road and handicap accessible.
Island in the Sky, just like Needles, is very remote. Don't expect to find food there and water is limited to the visitor center. Take into the park what you need and carry out all trash. Make sure you have plenty of water, food, gas, and sunscreen. You are at 6,000 feet or above at Island in the Sky so you will get sunburned. Wear a hat and , when on a trail, be well equipped with good shoes/boots, hats, and plenty to drink. A couple of weeks after we were there a father and daughter died when they got lost on a trail and ran out of water. The altitude, heat, and lack of shade can be deadly if you aren't prepared. There are pit toilets at most overlooks and trails and 2 picnic areas. There is camping outside the park and backcountry camping in the park. Plan on spending about 4 hours if you want to take in most of the overlooks and hike the 2 trails Nancy and I hiked.
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Equipment:
iPhone 13
A 15 year old Olympus VG-140 Camera
Akaso EK7000 Camera
GoPro Hero 9 Black
Bcway Phone All-in-One Travel Tripod with Remote
onn. Wireless Selfie Stick
Trekking Poles, Insulated Bottles, and Backpack are Ozark Trail
Hiking hat is a Tilley
Music:
Back to Portland by TrackTribe
Birds in Flight by Dan Libowitz
Yoga Style by Chris Haugen
In the Temple Garden by Aaron Kenny
Your Love by Yung Logos
The Empty Moons of Jupiter by DivKid
Moving On by Wayne Jones
Night Snow by Asher Fulero
We travel in a 2019 Toyota RAV4 XLE front-wheel drive with over 184,000 miles. We are still praying for a small Casita camper to tow behind it.
Recorded on location July 8, 2024 at Canyonland National Park, Island in the Sky, Utah.