By car
Travel to Canyonlands generally requires a car. Once in the park, each district offers different opportunities for exploration. The Island in the Sky is the most accessible district and the easiest to visit in a short period of time. All other destinations require some boating, hiking or four-wheel driving to see the area's attractions.
By air
Daily air tours to Canyonlands National Park in a Cessna aircraft are provided from the Canyonlands Field Airport. The aircraft seats about 7 people (including the pilot). The flights take you over all of the most scenic parts of Canyonlands including the Maze District, Island in the Sky, Dead Horse Point, the Colorado River and more. Typically flights last about 1-2 hours. Helicopter flights are also available as a tour-by-air option.
Flight Operators:
- Moab Adventure Center, 225 S. Main St.,Moab, UT 84532, Ph: (888) 622-4097
- Arches & Classic Helicopter Services, 2251 S. Hwy 191, Moab, UT 84532 (435) 259-4637
- Canyonlands by Night & Day, 1861 N Hwy 191, Moab, UT 84532 (800) 394-9978
- Red Cliffs Lodge Trails, Highway 128 – Mile 14,Moab, UT 84532,(866) 812-2002
Planning a Trip
No lodging facilities, restaurants, or stores are located inside the national park. Most visitors use Moab as a base camp.
Getting There/Access Points -- To reach the Island in the Sky Visitor Center, 34 miles west of Moab, take U.S. 191 north to Utah 313, which you follow south into the park. To reach the Needles Visitor Center, 75 miles southwest of Moab, take U.S. 191 south to Utah 211, which you follow west into the park. Getting to the Maze District is a bit trickier: From I-70 west of Green River, take Utah 24 south. Watch for signs and follow two- and four-wheel-drive dirt roads east into the park.
Information/Visitor Centers -- Contact Canyonlands National Park, 2282 SW Resource Blvd., Moab, UT 84532 (tel. 435/719-2313; www.nps.gov/cany). Books, maps, and videos can be purchased from the nonprofit Canyonlands Natural History Association, 3031 S. U.S. 191, Moab, UT 84532 (tel. 800/840-8978 or 435/259-6003; www.cnha.org). Some publications are available in foreign languages.
Canyonlands National Park operates two visitor centers -- Island in the Sky Visitor Center, in the northern part of the park, and Needles Visitor Center, in the southern section -- where you can get maps, free brochures on hiking trails, and, most important, advice from rangers. The terrain at Canyonlands can be extremely brutal, and it's important to know not only your own limitations, but also the limitations of your vehicle and other equipment. Visitor center hours are 8am to 4:30pm, with extended summer hours.
Fees, Regulations & Backcountry Permits -- Entry into the park (for up to 7 days) costs $20 per private vehicle or $10 per person on foot, bike, or motorcycle. A $40 annual pass is also available; it's good for Canyonlands and Arches national parks as well as Natural Bridges and Hovenweep national monuments. The camping fee at Squaw Flat Campground in the Needles District is $15; camping at Willow Flat Campground in the Island in the Sky District costs $10.
Backcountry permits, available at either visitor center, are required for all overnight stays in the park, except at the two established campgrounds. Permit reservations can be made in advance (tel. 435/259-4351; www.nps.gov/cany/reserve.htm). Permits for overnight four-wheel-drive and mountain-bike trips are $30, while those for overnight backpacking trips are $15. The permit for white-water boating through Cataract Canyon is $30; flat-water boating costs $20. Permits are for groups, not individuals; see the park website for group size limitations.
There is also a $5 day-use fee for those visitors bringing motor vehicles, horses, or mountain bikes on roads into Salt Creek/Horse Canyon and Lavender Canyon in the Needles District.
Backcountry hikers should practice minimum-impact techniques, packing out all trash. Feeding or disturbing wildlife is prohibited, as is vandalizing or upsetting any natural, cultural, or historic feature of the park. Wood fires are also prohibited.
Dogs, which must be leashed at all times, are prohibited in public buildings, on all trails, and in the backcountry (even in vehicles on four-wheel-drive roads).
Seasons/Avoiding the Crowds -- Summers here are hot, with temperatures occasionally reaching 100°F (38°C). Winters can be cool or cold, dropping well below freezing at night, with light snow possible. The best time to visit, especially for hikers, is in spring or fall, when daytime temperatures are usually from 60° to 80°F (16°-27°C) and nights are cool. Late-summer and early-fall visitors should be prepared for afternoon thunderstorms.
Although Canyonlands does not get nearly as crowded as most other national parks in Utah, summer is still the busiest time, and reservations for backcountry permits are recommended from spring through fall. As with most parks, if you want to escape humanity, pick the longest and most difficult trail you can handle.
Safety -- Due to the extreme variety of terrain, the main safety problem at Canyonlands is that people underestimate the hazards. Rangers warn hikers to carry at least 1 gallon of water per person per day, be especially careful near cliff edges, avoid overexposure to the intense sun, and carry maps when going into the backcountry. During lightning storms, avoid lone trees, high ridges, and cliff edges. Four-wheel-drive vehicle operators should be aware of their vehicle's limitations and carry extra food and emergency equipment. Anyone heading out into the backcountry should let someone know where they're going and when they plan to return. Traveling alone in Canyonlands is not a good idea.
Ranger Programs -- On summer evenings at Squaw Flat and Willow Flat campgrounds, rangers offer campfire programs on various aspects of the park. Short morning talks are also presented in summer at the Island in the Sky Visitor Center and at Grand View Point.
Planning a Trip
No lodging facilities, restaurants, or stores are located inside the national park. Most visitors use Moab as a base camp.
Getting There/Access Points -- To reach the Island in the Sky Visitor Center, 34 miles west of Moab, take U.S. 191 north to Utah 313, which you follow south into the park. To reach the Needles Visitor Center, 75 miles southwest of Moab, take U.S. 191 south to Utah 211, which you follow west into the park. Getting to the Maze District is a bit trickier: From I-70 west of Green River, take Utah 24 south. Watch for signs and follow two- and four-wheel-drive dirt roads east into the park.
Information/Visitor Centers -- Contact Canyonlands National Park, 2282 SW Resource Blvd., Moab, UT 84532 (tel. 435/719-2313; www.nps.gov/cany). Books, maps, and videos can be purchased from the nonprofit Canyonlands Natural History Association, 3031 S. U.S. 191, Moab, UT 84532 (tel. 800/840-8978 or 435/259-6003; www.cnha.org). Some publications are available in foreign languages.
Canyonlands National Park operates two visitor centers -- Island in the Sky Visitor Center, in the northern part of the park, and Needles Visitor Center, in the southern section -- where you can get maps, free brochures on hiking trails, and, most important, advice from rangers. The terrain at Canyonlands can be extremely brutal, and it's important to know not only your own limitations, but also the limitations of your vehicle and other equipment. Visitor center hours are 8am to 4:30pm, with extended summer hours.
Fees, Regulations & Backcountry Permits -- Entry into the park (for up to 7 days) costs $20 per private vehicle or $10 per person on foot, bike, or motorcycle. A $40 annual pass is also available; it's good for Canyonlands and Arches national parks as well as Natural Bridges and Hovenweep national monuments. The camping fee at Squaw Flat Campground in the Needles District is $15; camping at Willow Flat Campground in the Island in the Sky District costs $10.
Backcountry permits, available at either visitor center, are required for all overnight stays in the park, except at the two established campgrounds. Permit reservations can be made in advance (tel. 435/259-4351; www.nps.gov/cany/reserve.htm). Permits for overnight four-wheel-drive and mountain-bike trips are $30, while those for overnight backpacking trips are $15. The permit for white-water boating through Cataract Canyon is $30; flat-water boating costs $20. Permits are for groups, not individuals; see the park website for group size limitations.
There is also a $5 day-use fee for those visitors bringing motor vehicles, horses, or mountain bikes on roads into Salt Creek/Horse Canyon and Lavender Canyon in the Needles District.
Backcountry hikers should practice minimum-impact techniques, packing out all trash. Feeding or disturbing wildlife is prohibited, as is vandalizing or upsetting any natural, cultural, or historic feature of the park. Wood fires are also prohibited.
Dogs, which must be leashed at all times, are prohibited in public buildings, on all trails, and in the backcountry (even in vehicles on four-wheel-drive roads).
Seasons/Avoiding the Crowds -- Summers here are hot, with temperatures occasionally reaching 100°F (38°C). Winters can be cool or cold, dropping well below freezing at night, with light snow possible. The best time to visit, especially for hikers, is in spring or fall, when daytime temperatures are usually from 60° to 80°F (16°-27°C) and nights are cool. Late-summer and early-fall visitors should be prepared for afternoon thunderstorms.
Although Canyonlands does not get nearly as crowded as most other national parks in Utah, summer is still the busiest time, and reservations for backcountry permits are recommended from spring through fall. As with most parks, if you want to escape humanity, pick the longest and most difficult trail you can handle.
Safety -- Due to the extreme variety of terrain, the main safety problem at Canyonlands is that people underestimate the hazards. Rangers warn hikers to carry at least 1 gallon of water per person per day, be especially careful near cliff edges, avoid overexposure to the intense sun, and carry maps when going into the backcountry. During lightning storms, avoid lone trees, high ridges, and cliff edges. Four-wheel-drive vehicle operators should be aware of their vehicle's limitations and carry extra food and emergency equipment. Anyone heading out into the backcountry should let someone know where they're going and when they plan to return. Traveling alone in Canyonlands is not a good idea.
Ranger Programs -- On summer evenings at Squaw Flat and Willow Flat campgrounds, rangers offer campfire programs on various aspects of the park. Short morning talks are also presented in summer at the Island in the Sky Visitor Center and at Grand View Point.
