Canyonlands National Park

Canyonlands National Park

While in Moab, we visited both Arches and Canyonlands NPs. 

Arches is close to town and has a good road system for touring various areas.  Canyonlands is a large, sprawling park, but has very limited roadways for standard car usage.  Why?  Look at the name – the lands in this park are a labyrinth of CANYONS. 

In this high desert location, water from the Colorado and Green Rivers have, over the eons, eroded the sedimentary rock and formed the canyons.  It all is a bit overwhelming, and breath-taking.

Canyonlands’ main landmass is divided into 3 sectors – Island in the Sky, The Maze and The Needles. The Maze is the least accessible, but hikers can spend days traveling within that area.  The Needles, on the SW corner of the park, also has many trails, and there is a paved road entering from Hwy 211.

The Island in the Sky sector is the most accessible (more paved roads) and the closest to drive to from Moab.  So, we chose this one for our visit. 

Gary had read about the wonderful sunrise photos possible at Mesa Arch.  To get there by sunrise, we had to leave Moab around 5:30 (AM!), so we did not see much along the way due to darkness.  As we reached the park entrance, passing the Visitor’s Center, we still had 6 miles to the Arch trailhead, and the skies were turning gray (lightening but not sunny).

We moved as fast as possible along the trail in hopes the sunrise would be a good one – not!  Instead we arrived to see many other photographers in a line, looking through the arch into the gray skies.  

Photographers in a line - Mesa Arch

Of course, we lingered with the others, still hoping for the sun.  By the way, photographers are a patient group. 

Gary finally got a good shot through the Mesa Arch

Primrose in the rocks

I started checking out the area for some plant-life and was surprised to find penstemon, evening primrose and lupine blooming among the rocks (very little and shallow soil).

Penstemon

Lupine surviving well

Small but lethal!

There were several clumps of this prickly pear cactus - very small and low growing around the area. 

From the Mesa Arch, we traveled further into the park to the Grand View Point Overlook.  Here there were fantastic views of the canyon system.  The canyon edge trail was a bit much for me (with my fear of heights –and it was colder than expected). But Gary had success with great photos of that area.

Traveling back toward the Visitor’s Center, we stopped at more canyon overlooks.

Literature provided by the park stated that most people visit the Island in the Sky section, and that few can visit (portions) of all three areas in one week.  Since we had spent the majority of our time at Arches NP, we left Canyonlands with an appreciation of what is in this park.  So glad we took that early morning drive and got, at least, a glimpse into the wonders of the canyons. 

Canyonlands - bye bye