38°10′01″N 109°45′35″W
GOLDEN CANYONS AND RAGING RIVERS CAN BE FOUND IN THIS TRIPLE THREAT NATIONAL PARK IN SOUTHERN UTAH. THIS IN-DEPTH ADVENTURE TRAVEL GUIDE COVERS EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW TO EXPLORE IT.
It took us about five different trips to the Moab area before we finally decided to head out to Canyonlands National Park. And man oh man were we so glad we did. It took us all of 10 minutes to question why it took us so long in the first place. Canyonlands, like many other Utah national parks, is full of just jaw-dropping natural beauty. The colorful rocks, rugged landscape and the overall feeling of wildness is stunning. Author Edward Abbey, a frequent visitor to the park once described Canyonlands as "the most weird, wonderful, magical place on earth—there is nothing else like it anywhere." We could not agree more.
In this in-depth adventure travel guide to Canyonlands National Park you will find everything you need to know about the park; including, the best time to visit, the top adventures, and how to camp within the national park.
So with that, let's get adventuring!
HISTORY OF CANYONLANDS NATIONAL PARK
In the early 50s Bates Wilson, then superintendent of Arches National Monument, began exploring the area around Moab, Utah. After doing a bit of exploring to the south, he came upon an area that we now know as the Needles district. Wilson was so struck by the landscape that he was soon advocating for the establishment of a new national park - which would of course include the Needles.
Soon after, he began exploring other areas - including the present-day regions of The Maze, The Confluence (where the Green and Colorado Rivers meet) and Horseshoe Canyon. Wilson would propose those three areas for inclusion into the new national park as well.
In 1961, by happen chance, the present Secretary of the Interior (which oversees the whole National Park System) Stewart Udall was scheduled to address a conference at nearby Grand Canyon National Park. On his flight there he flew right over the Confluence. This view apparently sparked Udall's interest in Wilson's proposal for a new national park in that area. Soon Udall also began promoting the establishment of Canyonlands National Park.
But it was actually Utah Senator Frank Moss who introduced the first formal legislation to Congress to create Canyonlands National Park. His legislation attempted to satisfy both nature conservationists' and developers' interests. Over the next four years, Moss's proposal was debated, revised, and reintroduced to Congress many times.
Finally, in 1964 - after several years of debate - President Johnson signed legislation to create Canyonlands National Park. Wilson, fittingly, would become the first superintendent of the new national park. He is often referred to as the "Father of Canyonlands."
THE ULTIMATE ADVENTURE GUIDE TO CANYONLANDS NATIONAL PARK
\\ Canyonlands National Park | Fast Facts
YEAR ESTABLISHED
1964
STATE
Utah
SIZE
337,598 acres
NUMBER OF VISITORS
493,914 people visited in 2020
COST TO ENTER
$30 per vehicle, $25 per motorcycle and $15 per person (all valid for 7 days)
BEST FOR...
Bikepacking, hiking, and jeeping
\\ A Few Important Things to Know About Canyonlands National Park
THE DIFFERENT DISTRICTS
Canyonlands National Park was established in order to preserve both the natural beauty and the human history that can be found within its four districts (which are divided by the Green and Colorado Rivers). While the districts all share a rugged desert landscape, each retains its own unique character and offers different opportunities for exploration and adventure.
❔ GOOD TO KNOW: though the districts appear close on a map, more often than not, there are no roads that directly link them. This makes traveling between them much tougher and longer. Expect at least two hours (if not six hours) driving by car as there are few places to cross the two rivers.
THE ISLAND IN THE SKY DISTRICT
By far the most accessible, this district has lots of easy to reach overlooks along a paved scenic drive (Grand View Point Road), as well as plenty of hiking trails of all lengths and difficulties. There is also a moderate 4-wheel drive road available for biking and jeeping (the White Rim Road).