Encompassing four different “districts”, Canyonlands National Park is a vast wilderness of canyons, cliffs, mesas and amazing rock formations. The park is also known for its breathtaking night skies.
It’s impossible to exaggerate the magnificence and sheer vastness of Canyonlands National Park, Utah.
Situated in the heart of the Colorado Plateau and bisected by both the Colorado and Green Rivers, this rugged park protects literally hundreds of canyons, as well as countless mesas, buttes and arches.
The two rivers that cut through Canyonlands National Park, the Colorado River and the Green River, divide the park into three distinct districts. The rivers themselves are classified as the fourth district. These four different districts are: Island in the Sky, the Needles, the Maze and the Rivers.
This page is dedicated to the Island in the Sky district, the area that’s easiest to visit.
Located a short drive from the town of Moab and near Arches National Park, Island in the Sky can be explored on a scenic drive and on various short hiking trails.
The district gets its name from its geographical location. Surrounded on both sides by the canyons of the Colorado and Green Rivers, this area appears to be a floating plateau, a mesa perched more than 1,000 feet (300 meters) above the innumerable canyons and rock formations below. Needless to say, the views are mind-blowing.
With its sheer vertical cliffs, boulder-covered mesas as far as the eye can see, a seemingly endless stairway of canyons and plateaus, and awe-inspiring night skies, Canyonlands National Park is truly one of the very wildest U.S. national parks.
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Highlights of Canyonlands National Park (Island in the Sky)
This enormous national park can easily keep you occupied for days, if not weeks. Its vastness is almost incomprehensible, its attractions are numerous. The Island in the Sky district, however, is easily explored in a day or two.
Focus on these Island in the Sky attractions when visiting this particular district in Canyonlands National Park.
- Visitor Center
- Scenic Drive
- Mesa Arch
- Upheaval Dome
- Grand View Point
- Green River Overlook
- Shafer Canyon Overlook
- Gooseberry Trail
- White Rim Overlook Trail
Accommodation Near Canyonlands National Park
Although you can cover pretty much all of the above-mentioned Canyonlands National Park attractions in just one day, I encourage you to spend at least one night in the area.
If you do decide to stick around for a few days and nights, there are a number of options. The Island in the Sky has one campground, the Willow Flat Campground, which lies near the Green River Overlook. The sites at this campground are all first-come first-served.
There’s also a campground in the adjacent Dead Horse Point State Park, as well as a couple of primitive campgrounds along UT 313, the road into the Island in the Sky. Many more primitive campgrounds are scattered around Moab.
For more luxurious accommodation, you should stay in Moab itself, the main tourist hub in this spectacular region in southeastern Utah.
This friendly town is the gateway to both Canyonlands and Arches National Park, two of the five national parks in Utah. There are to numerous hotels, campgrounds, restaurants, bars and shops.
Booking.com
Useful Info
Location: Southeastern Utah, United States
Nearest Town: Moab
Area: 527.5 square miles (337,598 acres)
Annual Visitors (2022): 779,147
Features: Sprawling landscapes of canyons, mesas, buttes, rivers and cliffs, Native American sites
Top Attractions (Island in the Sky): Mesa Arch, Grand View Point, Upheaval Dome, Green River Overlook, Shafer Canyon, Colorado and Green Rivers
Popular Activities: Hiking, mountain biking, 4-wheel driving, whitewater rafting, camping, stargazing
Suggested Stay: 2 days
Campground(s):
- Willow Flat Campground, Island in the Sky (12 sites)
- The Needles Campground, The Needles (29 sites)
More Information: National Park Service
Nearby National Parks:
- Arches National Park, Utah
- Capitol Reef National Park, Utah
- Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah
- Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado
- Petrified Forest National Park, Arizona
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