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CANYONLANDS NATIONAL PARK is wild, remote, inhospitable, and terribly beautiful. It is home to an immense expanse of deep orange-red canyons and a wonderful array of superlative red rock formations. In addition to being a feast for the eyes, it provides great opportunities for hiking, mountain biking, 4wd adventuring, and white water rafting.
 Canyonlands is effectively split into three distinct "districts" by the Colorado and Green rivers. (See map to right.) Since there are no bridges across the rivers in the park, one must drive great distances to visit more than one area. Canyonlands should therefore be thought of as three distinct parks -- the Island in the Sky, the Needles, and the Maze. Each offers the visitor something a bit different.
The Island
in the Sky District sits
on a peninsula 1,200 feet above the Colorado and Green Rivers with superb
views over the incredible expanse of canyons carved by the two rivers.
The entrance to the district is 32 miles southwest of Moab and it is the
most accessible and popular section of the park.
Though the Needles
District has
views of the vast canyons that are the attraction of the Island in the
Sky District, the Needles is primarily known for the wonderful red sandstone
pinnacles from which it derives its name. It is also home to many other
intriguing red rock formations and remarkable terrain. The entrance to
the Needles District is located 75 miles southwest of Moab and 45 miles
northwest of Monticello
One geologist has called the Maze
District a "30 square
mile puzzle in sandstone." The "puzzle" is an incredible
series of finger like canyons that provide great hiking opportunities
for the adventurous (and proficient). The infrequently visited Maze District
is near nothing and is accessible only on foot or by 4wd vehicle.
For detailed information on each of these
three districts, including information on hiking, mountain biking, and
4wd adventuring within each district, select one of the topics from the
links to the left. When you're done browsing, select Print
Canyonlands Guide to efficiently
download and print a complete guide to Canyonlands. |