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Canyonlands National Park

Includes  Why Go? Day Hikes...... 180 Rugged, otherworldly, untamed and at times impenetrable, Driving...... 187 Canyonlands offers up some of the most remote hiking, Sights...... 191 cycling and rafting in all of ’s national parks. This is desert solitude at its best. Sleeping...... 192 Scorched red rocks, resplendent layers of sandstone, buttes and sun-crested canyons shape the landscape’s curves while, below, in the serpentine canyons of the Green and Col- orado Rivers, you’ll find a wonderworld of gleaming water, Best Hikes forgotten box canyons, foaming white water and delicate de- sert fauna that blooms ever so daintily with new spring rains. ¨¨Grand View Point Trail Grand adventures here can last 10 days, while smaller- (p183) scale pursuits can be had from the main entrances at ¨¨ (p182) Needles and the aptly named Island in the Sky. Head to the ¨¨ Overlook edge of this tortuous rift in the Earth’s crust and look hard Trail (p183) enough and you might just see the curve of our firmament as it cascades with nonstop momentum to the West. ¨¨Aztec Butte Trail (p180) ¨¨Slickrock Trail (p183) ¨¨Lathrop Canyon (p181) Driving Distances (miles)

Canyonlands National Park (South Entrance) 100 Best Views Capitol Reef National Park 155 220 ¨¨Grand View at Island in the (Visitor Center) Sky (p183) Moab 30 75 145 Zion National Park ¨¨Horseshoe Canyon’s Great (East Entrance) 325 370 180 315 Gallery (p192) ¨¨Dead Horse Point State Park (p190) ¨¨The Maze (p191) Canyonlands National Park (North Entrance) Canyonlands National Park (South Entrance ) Capitol Reef National Park (Visitor Center) Moab

Note: Distances are approximate Canyonlands National Park k Day Hikes 177 - (www. ational ational atural icies & l ations ssociation l Facts (www.nps.gov/cany) Free or clean-aid rock food Bear-proof No ATVs allowed.No ATVs Backcountry egu ¨ ¨ ¨ ¨ anyonlands N Canyonlands N Canyonlands Total area:Total 527 sq miles Elevation: 5800ft Average high/low climbing is allowed, except at archaeological sites or on most named on marked features Geological Survey US (USGS) maps. Check rangers. with human- and canisters waste removal is some in required areas; backcountry check with the park for details. Other 4WD vehicles, and bikes mountain motorbikes street-legal are permitted on dirt roads. allowed are campfires river along only corridors; use a fire pan, or driftwood only burn and tamarisk, downed debris. unburnt out pack ¨ ¨ ¨ ¨ Park Po R follows Canyonlands national of the most hiking and back park regulations. use country note: to rules few A ¨ ¨ ¨ ¨ ¨ cnha.org) Park History A temperature in July: July: in temperature 118°F/51°F (48°C/10°C) ¨ ¨ ¨ ¨ ¨ Fast Resources

- - - - - ). 184 The Maze is about 130 miles from Moab, accessible along from Moab, is about 130 miles The Maze Island in the Sky is the most developed district. To get mostthe is developed district. Sky the in To Island The District Needles 75 miles (90 minutes) lies about No roads cross the park. Instead, well-marked second well-marked roads cross the park. Instead, No Island in the Sky and the Needles feature visitor centers, feature and the Needles in the Sky Island Canyonlands is a singular experience that will is a singular experience Canyonlands Boating of the sections The upper for a lifetime. you with stay that is perfect flatwater offer Rivers and Colorado Green - their conflu At and paddleboards. canoes kayaks, for the gnarli- one of Canyon, Cataract form the rivers ence, Utah. in water V white to III of Class stretches est Don’t Miss Don’t Arrange tours ahead of time with a Moab operator. No district in the park offers food, gas, firewood or ice. Water is limited, so bring your own. Consider purchasing a Local Passport ($50) for admission Reserve your backcountry permit in advance through the Admission to the Island in the Sky and Needles districts, There is no fee to enter the Maze. Canyonlands is open year-round. open is Canyonlands ¨ ¨ ¨ ¨ ¨ ¨ ¨ ¨ to Arches and Canyonlands National Parks and Natural Natural and Parks National Canyonlands and Arches to Bridges and Hovenweep National Monuments for a year. Office (p Permits Backcountry good for seven days, costs $25 per $15 car, per motorcycle or $10 per person arriving by bicycle or foot. ¨ ¨ ¨ ¨ ¨ ¨ ¨ ¨ When Arrive You there from Moab, drive north drive for about 30 min on Hwy 191 there from Moab, Hwys 191 and 211. via paved from Moab southwest then west Hwy 191 north take to I-70 24; Hwy dirt roads off 24 of Hwy also lies off Canyon south. Horseshoe to Hwy 24 via dirt roads. districts. are paved. utes to Hwy 313; both roads west of the Maze, offer only 4WD-accessible only offer dirt of the Maze, west hik roads, campgrounds. and primitive ing trails access Canyonlands’ ary major highways two spurs from looks, as well as dirtlooks, as well The and hiking trails. roads less-visited unconnected an north unit Canyon, and Horseshoe Maze The Colorado and Green Rivers divide the park into three park into divide the The Green Rivers and Colorado distinct and by the National separate ‘districts’ areas, called the and the Needles in the Sky, Service – Island (NPS) Park Maze. over roads to scenic developed and paved campgrounds Entrances