Canyonlands National Park

2 years ago

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Children-Sport Culture-Landmark Culture-Prehistoric Monument Exercise-Other Exhibition-History Nature-Rock formation

Canyonlands is huge! You won’t be able to cover it all in one day, so it’s better that you choose only 1 of the 4 different areas of the park. They all have different entrances and access points but if you’re coming from Dead Horse, you’ll go to the Island in the Sky. For a few hours well spent, hang out at the Island in the Sky area. There are many great view points and a few short hikes to choose between. If you want to go deeper into the park, you’ll need to explore one of the other areas: The Needles, The Maze, or Horseshoe Canyon. The Needles is fantastic for hiking, The Maze is the best for 4x4 driving, and Horseshoe Canyon is known for its significant petroglyphs. Another option is to explore the park via rafting the Colorado River, but I’ll talk more about rafting in the alternative itineraries below. If you’re more interested in The Needles, you’ll need to skip Dead Horse and go straight to The Needles from Moab since it’s easier to access from there. It’s about a 1 hour and 20 minute drive from Moab and a 2 hour drive from Island in the Sky. For Horseshoe Canyon, it’ll take over 2.5 hours to get to from Dead Horse, so while you would have time, it’ll mean spending more time in the car and less time outside. The petroglyphs at Horseshoe Canyon are some of the most significant found in North America so it’s an archaeologists dream! If you’d prefer to drive through The Maze, be sure to rent an off road vehicle because you’ll definitely need to take on these roads. It’s also only recommended for people with great driving skills and off road experience. It’s the most remote area of the park so it takes even more time to get to. I’m talking around 6 hours from either Moab or Dead Horse. So while fantastic, it’s something you really need to prioritize to make happen. It’s also an easier option if you have the ability to camp in your car, if needed. Picture by Sam Loveland on pexels.com.