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- Active Things to Do
- Cool Activities
- Fun Things to Do
- Places to Hike
- National Park Attractions
- Unusual Things to Do
- Outdoor Recreation
- Outdoor Activities
- Outdoor Attractions
- Historical Things to Do
- Romantic Things to Do
- Things to Do Around Canyonlands National Park
- Things to Do Near Canyonlands
- Ask a Local
- Ask Canyonlands National Park Locals
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1. Junior Ranger
- Let the kids lead the way as they learn about Canyonlands with an activity booklet and exercises to complete
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- Educational
- In the park
- Nile Expert Tip: Great way to teach kids how to be stewards of the land for their national parks!
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2. Grand View Point Trail
- Easy, flat 2-mile walk to stunning viewpoint. Great for kids
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- Hiking
- Island in the Sky
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3. Whale Rock Trail
- 1-mile r/t, easy, steep, great for kids, climb sandstone
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- Hiking
- Island in the Sky
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4. Cave Spring Trail
- A hike for history buffs. Less than a mile, great for kids!
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- Hiking
- Needles
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5. Pothole Point Trail
- .6 mile, uneven slickrock surface. See nature's water holes
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- Hiking
- Needles
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6. Roadside Ruin Trail
- .3 mile, view ancient Puebloan grain storage called granary
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- Hiking
- Needles
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7. Aztec Butte Trail
- Steep, short, 2-miles round trip. Ancient ruins, mini-arches
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- Hiking
- Island in the Sky
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8. Slickrock Trail
- 2.4 miles. Scenic vistas, might spot bighorn sheep
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- Hiking
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9. Upheaval Dome Overlook Trail
- 1.6 mile r/t, easy hike to fascinating geologic features
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- Hiking
- Island in the Sky
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10. Big Spring to Squaw Canyon Loop
- 7.5 miles, varied terrain, exposed sections, campsites
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- Hiking
- Needles
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The Best of NileGuide
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Some of the best things for kids to do in Canyonlands are just as much fun for the adults in the family. Along with fun and easy hikes in this very kid-friendly landscape, Canyonlands also offers several great ranger-led activities. We've made a tough choice in narrowing down the selections to our top ten favorite things to do with kids in Canyonlands.
The Junior Ranger program is a genuinely interesting, hands-on activity choice. They can follow the activity booklet to learn about how geogical formations such as Mesa Arch were created. Mesa Arch is an easy hike, as is Pothole Point Trail. The potholes are depressions in the rock that catch rain, a vital resource for desert critters. Roadside Ruin Trail and Aztec Butte Trail both lead you to places where you can see remains of the natural structures built by ancient human inhabitants. Grand View Point Trail really is aptly named, which you'll understand once you hike it. Whale Rock Trail is short and fun, because that rock formation really does look like a giant whale beached in the dry desert. The Cave Spring Trail has very safe ladders to climb for those adventurous kids of yours. Slickrock Trail is just a sweet little leg-stretcher that gives you a taste of classic Canyonlands scenery.
Big Spring to Squaw Canyon Loop is a longer hike, at 7.5 miles, so it's for older kids. But it's truly beautiful, and is an excellent introduction to the topography and geologic wonder that is Canyonlands.
- Best Of Canyonlands National Park
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