Canyonlands National Park
Sights To See
Canyonlands, Utah's largest national park, awes visitors with the power and size of its landscape. There is so much to see and do that a person could spend a lifetime here and never know it fully.
Island in the Sky is the highest and northernmost section of the park. Formed of a broad, level mesa, it is bordered on the west by the Green River and on the east by the Colorado. From the Grand View Point Overlook, the views encompass 100 miles or more of canyon after canyon. A thousand feet below is the White Rim, a nearly continuous sandstone bench that follows the contours of the mesa. One thousand feet below that, the Green and Colorado rivers sedately flow toward their confluence. After they meet, they undergo a turbulent change and pass furiously through the stretch of white water known as Cataract Canyon, and then continue on their way through the Grand Canyon and out to the sea at the Gulf of California.
The numerous trails around the Island lead to overlooks, arches and an unusual geologic feature known as Upheaval Dome. This stone curiosity does not resemble a dome at all, but rather a meteor crater. Geologists from around the world have come to study it and debate its origin.
The Maze is the westernmost section of the park, the most rugged and the most difficult to access. It has been called one of the most remote and unreachable regions in the U.S. The Maze itself, a tortuous jumble of canyons, has been described as "a 30-square-mile puzzle in sandstone." There are bizarre towers, walls, buttes and mesas in the Land of Standing Rocks, the Doll House and the Fins.
Prehistoric cultures have left their mark in the Maze. Ghostly, larger-than-life figures are painted on the walls of the Great Gallery in Horseshoe Canyon, a detached part of the park northwest of the Maze. These figures were painted 2,000 years ago by prehistoric people living in or near Canyonlands.
The Needles District is found in the southeastern section of the park. An area of immense diversity, its arches, spires, canyons, pre-historic Indian ruins and fascinating pictographs vie for the viewer's attention. The most striking landforms are the needles themselves, massive sandstone spires of orange, rust and coral- colored rock that stand upright in a tangled formation. Some petroglyphs and picto-graphs are located in the Needles District, as are some small dwellings and granaries. This section of the park is accessible with highway auto, but 4-wheel drive is necessary for deeper exploration. Hiking trails lead from the campground into the deep recesses of the park.
Arches are another fascinating geologic feature of the Needles; Angel Arch, Castle Arch, Fortress Arch and Wooden Shoe Arch are but a few found here. Most arches are well hidden in remote canyons and are reachable only by taking a long hike or a 4-wheel-drive trip.
Canyonlands In Depth
News from the Parks
Snow greets visiting hikers at Mount Rainier
July 25, 2008 - 10:15am
PARADISE, Wash. -- Cool ocean temperatures in the southern Pacific Ocean -- a phenomenon known as La Nina -- chilled sunny expectations this summer for thousands of visitors to Mount Rainier National Park. Those who arrived here in July planning to backpack or hike its famous sub-alpine wildflower meadows found snow instead, six feet in places, though sunny daytime temperatures reach into the 70s. The popular mountain that draws 1.5 million visitors each year received 950 inches of snow last winter, 300 inches more than its 650-inch average. Park officials said a cooler than usual spring also pushed back the thaw.
July 25, 2008 - 10:15am
PARADISE, Wash. -- Cool ocean temperatures in the southern Pacific Ocean -- a phenomenon known as La Nina -- chilled sunny expectations this summer for thousands of visitors to Mount Rainier National Park. Those who arrived here in July planning to backpack or hike its famous sub-alpine wildflower meadows found snow instead, six feet in places, though sunny daytime temperatures reach into the 70s. The popular mountain that draws 1.5 million visitors each year received 950 inches of snow last winter, 300 inches more than its 650-inch average. Park officials said a cooler than usual spring also pushed back the thaw.
CAUSE OF FIRE NEAR STAIRCASE RELEASED
July 25, 2008 - 10:14am
The U.S. Forest Service says the brush fire Monday night off the road to the Staircase area of Olympic National Park was human caused. According to a news release, the fire, dubbed the East Cushman Fire, was contained before it reached one-tenth of an acre in size. An abandoned campfire ring at its origin indicated that the ignition was human caused.
July 25, 2008 - 10:14am
The U.S. Forest Service says the brush fire Monday night off the road to the Staircase area of Olympic National Park was human caused. According to a news release, the fire, dubbed the East Cushman Fire, was contained before it reached one-tenth of an acre in size. An abandoned campfire ring at its origin indicated that the ignition was human caused.
Hikers should expect plenty of snow on higher routes
July 25, 2008 - 10:13am
Hikers should expect lots of snow on mountain trails still, with rangers saying that higher-elevation routes in Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest and North Cascades National Park are two weeks to one month behind in terms of melting out. Higher than normal snowpack coupled with lower than normal temperatures well into spring means that, in general, those going over routes at the 5,000- to 6,000-foot level need to be comfortable traveling on snow and have poles or ice axes and route-finding skills.
July 25, 2008 - 10:13am
Hikers should expect lots of snow on mountain trails still, with rangers saying that higher-elevation routes in Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest and North Cascades National Park are two weeks to one month behind in terms of melting out. Higher than normal snowpack coupled with lower than normal temperatures well into spring means that, in general, those going over routes at the 5,000- to 6,000-foot level need to be comfortable traveling on snow and have poles or ice axes and route-finding skills.
Cabin lottery takes a hike
July 25, 2008 - 10:11am
HALEAKALA NATIONAL PARK - Officials at Haleakala National Park announced Thursday the end of the lottery system used for years to select cabin users in the crater. Starting with September, all reservations for the wilderness cabins will be taken over the phone up to three months ahead of the reservation, on a first-come, first-reserved basis. Calls for reservations will only be accepted between 1 and 3 p.m. HST daily at 572-4400. As of midday Thursday, there were no openings in August for any of the three cabins in Haleakala Crater
July 25, 2008 - 10:11am
HALEAKALA NATIONAL PARK - Officials at Haleakala National Park announced Thursday the end of the lottery system used for years to select cabin users in the crater. Starting with September, all reservations for the wilderness cabins will be taken over the phone up to three months ahead of the reservation, on a first-come, first-reserved basis. Calls for reservations will only be accepted between 1 and 3 p.m. HST daily at 572-4400. As of midday Thursday, there were no openings in August for any of the three cabins in Haleakala Crater
Second bear killed in Yellowstone in recent weeks
July 25, 2008 - 10:10am
YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK, Wyo. (AP) - Rangers in Yellowstone National Park have killed a black bear that became accustomed to eating human food. Park officials say the 130-pound male bear was getting food from hikers' backpacks in northern Yellowstone. Repeated attempts to trap the bear failed. On Wednesday, the bear was caught ripping into the packs of a large group of backcountry hikers. Rangers cleared the area of visitors and shot the bear.
July 25, 2008 - 10:10am
YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK, Wyo. (AP) - Rangers in Yellowstone National Park have killed a black bear that became accustomed to eating human food. Park officials say the 130-pound male bear was getting food from hikers' backpacks in northern Yellowstone. Repeated attempts to trap the bear failed. On Wednesday, the bear was caught ripping into the packs of a large group of backcountry hikers. Rangers cleared the area of visitors and shot the bear.
