Canyonlands is lesser known than some of the other Utah parks, but it is one of our favorite parks that we have visited. Although it is just a few miles from Arches National Park, it gives a completely different view of the amazing geology of this area. When you visit Canyonlands, you have the feeling that you are standing on top of the world, looking down at all of the different layers of the earth’s formation.

We visited Canyonlands in early October which was a perfect time of year to visit. We spent our day exploring the Island in the Sky district of the park. There is a scenic drive that will take you to many different viewpoints and trails on the Island in the Sky mesa. The drive is about 34 miles round trip, and we spent about 6 hours in the park.

Mesa Arch was our first stop in the park. The Mesa Arch trail is listed as one of the easy hikes in the park. It is less than 1-mile round trip with minimal elevation gain. The trail starts off fairly smooth and easy but as you get closer to the arch the trail is less developed. There are places where you have to climb over rocks and the footing can be precarious. We were very glad that we had our hiking poles with us for that part of the trail.

The Mesa Arch trail was an easy trail, but it was at the top limit of our capabilities. If you are able to do this short hike it is definitely worth your time. Luckily, it was not too crowded when we were there, and we were able to take our time and enjoy the views.

Our next stop was the Green River overlook. This is a nice viewpoint with a paved trail from the parking lot. From this viewpoint you can really see all of the layers of the geological formation of this area.

At the end of the road, you come to the Grand Viewpoint Overlook. At Grand Viewpoint there is another easy hike that will take you along the canyon edge. Getting down on the trail was a little bit steep but not too difficult. The trail itself is level and wide. It is a little under 2 miles round trip, but we only walked part of the trail. If you have a fear of heights, this trail can be uncomfortable as you are right on the canyon edge. If you don’t feel up to hiking this trail, you can still enjoy wonderful views from the trailhead near the parking lot.

There are several picnic areas in the park where you can stop for lunch. When we visited, the park was not too busy, and we were able to set out our chairs to enjoy lunch at one of the viewpoints. We saw many people doing this alongside the road. As long as you are not obstructing traffic, this is a great way to relax.

Moab, Utah is a great base to explore Canyonlands and Arches National Parks. We stayed at an RV park in Moab. The drive to Canyonlands was about 45 minutes from the campground. There are plenty of services in Moab including restaurants, groceries, shopping, and ATV rentals.

We were pleasantly surprised by how much we enjoyed Canyonlands National Park. It does not get as much attention as some of the other Utah parks, but it is well worth a visit.