A Guide to Canyonlands National Park: Start Here!
Canyonlands National Park is Utah’s largest park, but it’s also Utah’s least visited park. This makes Canyonlands the perfect location for skipping some of the crowds trying to “conquer” the Mighty 5.
But if it’s the biggest park, where do you start!?
You’re going to start right here with this great starter guide. We’ll discuss the fees, the 3 sections of the park, and everything you need to know for a great first visit!
Important Links
- Canyonlands National Park website
- Island in the Sky Map
- Needles District Map
- The Maze District Map
- Backcountry Information Page
- Top Things to do in Moab Utah
- Hiking Journal – Never Forget the Details of Your Favorite Hikes Again!
Location
Canyonlands National Park is located in eastern Utah, just 35 minutes from downtown Moab, UT. And with the entrance to Canyonlands only a 30 minutes drive from the entrance of Arches National Park, these two parks are often visited on a weekend trip.
If you’re looking to drive to Canyonlands, the entrance is 2 hours from Grand Junction, CO, 4 hours from Salt Lake City, UT and about 5 hours from St. George, UT. Once you get here, you’ll want to be aware of the hours and fees to enter the park.
Hours
All 3 districts of Canyonlands National Park are open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. The visitor centers have varying hours, which can be found here.
Fees
Like all national parks, Canyonlands National Park has fees to be aware of. Whether you enter the park by foot, on a motorcycle, or in a car, there is a fee. Here are the fees.
- Standard Vehicle: $30 (Valid for 7 days)
- Motorcycle: $25 (Valid for 7 days)
- Per Person (Walking): $15 (Valid for 7 days)
The typical person/couple/family will pay the standard fee of $30 per vehicle. This will give them access to the park for 7 days without any additional entrance fees.
But what if you want to enter the park multiple times throughout the year? Or what if you want to visit other federal recreation sites throughout the year? You’ll be looking at the annual pass options!
Annual Pass Options
There are primarily 2 annual pass options. The Canyonlands Annual Pass and the America the Beautiful Pass.
The Canyonlands Annual Pass is $55 and is good for 12 months from the time of purchase. You can then enter the Canyonlands National Park, with a car-full of guests, on any day and gain free entry. This pass is also good for Arches National Park, Hovenweep National Monument, and Natural Bridges National Monument.
But what if you are looking to go to other national places, such as Zion National Park, Cedar Breaks National Monument or other federal places? You will benefit from the America the Beautiful Pass the most!
The America the Beautiful Pass is $80 and is good for 12 months from the time of purchase. You and a car-full of guests can enter any federal recreation location free of charge with this pass. Essentially, as long as you visit 3+ of these locations, you’ve made money on this pass.
Military and Senior Citizen Passes
For Senior Citizens (62+) there are 2 annual pass options. The first is the Senior Annual Pass and the second is the Senior Lifetime Pass. These passes are either good for 12 months or their lifetime respectively. You and a car-full of guests can enter any federal location for free with either pass.
And for our amazing military members, there are also 2 options. You have the Military Annual Pass or the Military Lifetime Pass. Both of these passes are free, and just require an accompanying military ID. And again, these passes are either good for a year or a lifetime and allow you and a car-full of guests into any federal recreation area.
Ok so now that you know the location, fees and the hours, let’s dive into the 3 sections of the park.
3 Sections of the Park
In Canyonlands National Park there are 3 main sections, each with varying levels of accessibility. From easiest to most difficult area of the park is the Island in the Sky District, the Needles District, and then the unmaintained Maze District.
We’ll be diving into each section so you know what to expect and where you might want to start your visit here at Canyonlands National Park.
Island in the Sky District
First up is the most visited section of the park, the Island in the Sky District. This section of the park has the famous Mesa Arch, a 17 mile scenic drive, hiking/biking trails and several high clearance vehicle roads. Check out the map below for a quick overview.
Island in the Sky District Map
Visitor Center
Let’s start with the Island in the Sky Visitor Center. This visitor center is open from 9am to either 4pm or 5pm depending on the season. There are vault toilets available here, as well as displays to understand the area and a gift shop.
Mesa Arch
Then let’s move onto Mesa Arch, which is arguably the highlight of this district.
Whether you know it or not, you have probably seen a photo of Mesa Arch, it’s a pretty famous spot. With just a 0.6 mile hike, the arch famously overlooks unique rock structures and is a gorgeous place to watch the sunrise. And with so much fame, comes a lot of people.
At sunrise, this place is packed with people trying to capture the sunbeam that makes the arch glow. And during the rest of the day, the area is also quite crowded as people want to see this famous location. So pack your patience, but be ready for a beautiful view.
But what other trails can be found here?
Hiking Trails
In the Island in the Sky District of Canyonlands National Park, there are dozens of hiking trails. From easy flat trails, to moderate longer trails and then there are the strenuous trails that lead you down into the canyon.
If you only want to hike 1 or 2 easy trails, make sure you hike to the Mesa Arch and the Grand View Point Trail. Both of these trails are less than 2 miles and will give you a great taste of the park.
As for more challenging trails, the Upheaval Dome Trail is a moderate trail and offers some great views. And if you’re looking to hike down into the canyon, the Gooseberry Trail is a challenging hike that takes you there.
There are dozens more trails that you can explore here in the Island in the Sky District, but people who love hiking will probably prefer the Needles District – but we’ll get there!
Biking
Biking in the Island in the Sky District is limited to the paved roads and White Rim Road. While there are other backcountry roads, they are not all suited for bikes.
High Clearance Vehicles – Off Roading
There are hundreds of miles of backcountry and high clearance roads in Canyonlands National Park. Two of these roads in the Island in the Sky District do not require a permit and are a great way for people to get a little mud on the tires. **Be warned, needing a tow out here will cost you over $2,000, so drive with caution!**
The first road is Shafer Trail Road, which is considered an easy 5 mile unpaved road. AWD or 4×4 vehicles are recommended. If you continue off of Shafer, a high clearance vehicle AND a permit is required, so know where you are.
The second road that doesn’t require a permit, is the Potash Road. Potash Road is approximately 35 – 40 miles and will take about 3-4 hours to complete. This is also cited as an easy unpaved road, but shouldn’t be underestimated.
And then there is the White Rim Road, which does require a permit and quite a bit of planning.
White Rim Road – Permit Required
The White Rim Road is a 100 mile dirt road surrounding the Island in the Sky District. You can see this road below you at many of the overlooks. This dirt road is for bikers and those driving high clearance 4×4 vehicles only.
If you intend on biking or riding this road, it can take 2-3 days for a vehicle to complete it or a 3-4 day for a bike tour to complete it. You DO need permits to ride this road, either a day permit or an overnight permit. You can find all the information here if this is an adventure you are interested in. Remember, you also need to reserve your campsite(s) ahead of time.
Camping
This leads us to the camping section. In the Island of the Sky District there is one campground called the Willow Flat Campground. There are 12 sites here that are first come first serve and are open year round. For just $15 per night, you can camp here, just be aware that in the Spring and the Fall the sites fill up very quickly. There are toilets, picnic tables, and fire rings in the campground, but no water or showers.
As for camping along the White Rim Road, there are designated camping spots that must be reserved ahead of time. You can find everything you need to know about those in this Backcountry Camping section of the NPS website.
This is just about everything you’ll need to know about the Island in the Sky District, so let’s jump over to the Needles District and everything to know about that section.
The Needles District
Welcome to the Needles District of Canyonlands National Park, the second-most visited section of the park. This area has a mix of paved roads and unpaved roads, with access to hiking trails, incredible sites, and camping areas.
This area is perfect for those looking for more adventure than the Island in the Sky District has to offer. With longer hiking trails, 50 miles of 4×4 roads/bike trails, this section is for the adventurer. Check out the map below to get a lay of the land.
Visitor Center
The Visitor Center for the Needles District is typically open from 9am – 4pm, however they are closed from early December through February each year. Here you can talk with a ranger, get backcountry permits, watch an information video or buy souvenirs from the gift shop.
Must See Things
In the Needles District, there are 3 must-see locations. However, you’ll be doing a lot more hiking to see these popular locations. For example, the iconic fins and structures along the Chesler Park Loop will require you to hike about 10 miles round trip. And the unique Druid Arch will require an 11 mile hike. Even seeing the Confluence will have you hiking close to 11 miles.
Because of these longer trails and more physical requirements, most people don’t ever venture to Needles District. But if you’re willing to put in the effort, you’ll be greeted with some beautiful sites. So pack your hiking gear and let’s discuss the trails.
Hiking Trails
There are over 60 miles of hiking trails in the Needles District of Canyonlands National Park. Most of the trails here are much longer and require more time and experience. But if you have the time, you’ll definitely want to hike to these 3 locations.
Besides the longer hiking trails, there is also the added challenge of having to navigate unpaved roads. The first few roads in the Needles District are paved, but in order to reach the trailhead of the Chesler Park Loop and the Druid Arch Trail, you’ll need to drive down an unpaved road. This generally requires 4×4 or at least AWD and can intimidate people, hence why it’s not visited as much as the Island in the Sky District.
And this leads us to the next possible adventure of biking in the Needles District.
Biking
The Needles District of Canyonlands National Park offers just 50 miles of biking trails. While there are more high-clearance roads in this section, they are often too sandy for bikes to navigate.
The 2 roads that bikes can ride on are the Colorado Overlook Road (Moderate) and the Elephant Hill Road (Technical). Only Elephant Hill requires a day use permit, and if you intend to spend a night under the stars, you’ll need to reserve your campsite in advance (see camping section below).
High Clearance Roads – Off Roading
In the Needles District, there are 6 high-clearance, unpaved roads that you can access. 3 of these roads require a permit in order to access them. You can find all the information on these 4-wheel-drive roads in the Needles District here, but below is a quick overview.
For the non-permit roads you have Elephant Hill Access Road (Easy, 6 miles), the Cave Spring Access Road (Easy, 2 miles), and the Colorado River Overlook (Moderate, 14 miles). These are all on the easier side, but again, a tow out of here will run you about $2,000, so don’t underestimate the roads!
And for those up for a bigger challenge, you have the permitted high-clearance roads. The first 2 permitted roads are Lavender Canyon and Salt Creek (Peekaboo)/Horse Canyon. Both of these are considered moderate, but should not be underestimated. They both are subject to flash flooding, deep sand, and even quicksand. There are 2 backcountry campsites along the Salt Creek (Peekaboo) road that you will need to reserve in advance.
And for the most technical road in the park, there is Elephant Hill. This road presents drivers with loose rock, steep grades, stair-step drops, tight turns, and tricky backing. Some have even called this road the most challenging road in Utah. There are 4 separate camping areas along this route that can be reserved in advance.
Camping
And this leads us to the camping section for the Needles District. In the Needles District, there is one campground called The Needles Campground. There are 26 sites in Loop A and Loop B. Loop A is open year round, while Loop B is closed in the winter. All sites are first come first serve and fill up very quickly in the Fall and the Spring.
For just $20 per night, you can camp here in a tent or a camper (max length of 28 feet). There are flush toilets (weather permitting) or pit toilets, picnic tables, and fire rings in the campground, but no showers.
And for the backcountry camping that can be found along Elephant Hill and Salt Creek, you can reserve those 4 months in advance here. You simply need to know your dates and group size to see availability.
And since we are discussing the backcountry area, we have now reached the Maze District, which is the most remote and unvisited section of the park. Let’s go!
The Maze District
The Maze District of Canyonlands National Park is the least visited and the most rugged area of the park. With no paved roads, this area is largely unmaintained. In fact, they state very plainly that you should be able to “Self-Rescue” should you run into trouble. GPS barely works here, and the same with phone service, so you will need a detailed map to navigate the area.
There are no services, gas, food, electricity for visitor use, trash collection, nor potable water in The Maze. You must come prepared and be able to carry out everything that you carry in. And because of its remoteness, visitors are usually in the Maz District at least 3 days.
All of these reasons are why the Maze District receives only about 2,000 visitors per year. This is less than 1.5% of those who visit Canyonlands National Park each year. So if you want to avoid crowds, and perhaps people altogether, this is the district for you. So let’s jump in!
Ranger Station – No Visitor Center!
The Maze District doesn’t have a visitor center like the other districts, it has a ranger station. The station is closed from Mid-November through December, but is typically open daily from 8am – 4pm. You can speak with rangers, pick up backcountry permits, and use one of their pit toilets here. There is no Potable Water here, so make sure you bring enough water.
High Clearance Roads – 4×4 Required!
The Maze District has the most intense roads in all of Canyonlands. The only road that is 2WD approved is from the entrance to the Ranger Station. After that, a high clearance vehicle with 4×4 is required. These roads are unmaintained and infamous for damaging vehicles.
It is recommended that drivers have the following
- At least one full-size spare tire
- Extra gas
- Extra water
- Shovel
- High-lift jack
- Chains for all four tires (especially October through April)
Inexperienced drivers are encouraged NOT to drive on these roads and start elsewhere. Drivers should have experience, a map, all needed supplies, and should be able to self rescue if you run into trouble. This area is not for the weak or new adventurers.
My husband and I did not enter this area on our visit, so if you’re looking for more detailed information from someone who actually did it, this website seems to be a good resource.
Hiking and Backpacking
Hiking in the Maze District is not your typical hiking. First off, you will have to have a high clearance 4×4 vehicle to reach the trailheads. If not, you’ll be adding the road distance to your day of hiking.
For example, the Maze Overlook Trail is the most popular trail and is about 8 miles from the trailhead. However, if you have a 2WD vehicle, you will end up hiking 15 miles for the same hike.
Secondly, many of the trails require basic knowledge of climbing maneuvers. A 25-foot rope is often essential for raising or lowering packs in tricky spots. And hikers will have to navigate steep slickrock sections with little to no markers. It is recommended that you have a detailed topographical map to navigate the trails.
So if you’re an experienced hiker with a high clearance vehicle who is looking for a challenge, hiking in The Maze might be for you. But if you prefer easy access day-hikes, then this might not be the section for you.
Biking
There isn’t a lot of information on biking trips in The Maze District except that it is similar to biking on the White Rim Road (Island in the Sky). The biggest difference is there is no support out there and planning can be tricky.
If you are looking to bike in the Maze with a tour group, there are several tour groups, such as Western Spirit Cycling Adventures who will do a muli-day tour. These tours will support you while you endure biking in the desert.
Camping
There are 20 individual campsites sprinkled all throughout the Maze District. Each site is in a remote location and does require a permit reserved in advance. Each site can all be reserved up to 4 months in advance on this website.
For each site, High-clearance 4×4 vehicles are required. There are technical sections on every road in the Maze District and inexperienced drivers should not attempt!
District Wrap Up
If you’ve made it this far in this post, thank you! The 3 sections of Canyonlands National Park have a lot of information and I wanted to give you a good idea of all the districts.
To sum up, the Island in the Sky District is the most visited, has the most paved roads, has fairly easy hiking trails and a few high-clearance roads.
The Needles District has the most amount of hiking, several high-clearance roads and bike trails, and has the coolest structures.
And finally the Maze District that is not for the average person. With high-clearance 4×4 vehicles required to visit, no facilities, water or supplies, this area is very remote and only for the most intense visitor.
Things To To in the Area
If you are visiting Canyonlands National Park, you’ll probably end up in Moab, Utah. This town offers hundreds of amazing tours and experiences. But here are the Best Things To Do in Moab Utah, according to me.
And if you’re looking to spend some time in Arches National Park, you don’t want to miss Hiking the Delicate Arch Trail. Or if you’re up for a challenge, you will love Hiking the Devils Garden Trail.
And if you want something just as impressive but a little closer to Canyonlands, you’ll want to check out Dead Horse Point State Park.
Conclusion
Canyonlands National Park is Utah’s largest national park with 3 wildly different sections. Whether you are looking for a quick hike or a multi-day adventure, you’ll love paying a visit to Canyonlands National Park!
In conclusion, if you are just looking to visit Canyonlands National Park to check it off your list, you’ll want to check out the Island in the Sky District. If you want some great hiking, biking, and off-roading, you’ll want to head to the Needles District. But if you are experienced and daring, the isolation of the Maze District will be your favorite adventure yet.
As always, feel free to email me at averagewildexperience@gmail.com with any questions.
-Happy Adventuring!
Megan C.
Avid hiker and traveler around the US. I've been hiking consistently since I was 18 and I can't wait to teach you my tips, tricks and hiking hacks! Travel and hike with me and my camera.
