The 9 Best Hikes In Canyonlands National Park

I visited Canyonlands National Park years ago to explore the Needles District. It was one of the most amazing experiences of my life, so I knew I had to come back to explore the other districts. The Islands In The Sky district is filled with outstanding easy hikes and lookouts of canyons, buttes, and boulders. At the same time, The Needles District is filled with long, difficult hikes for adventure seekers. Canyonlands has a perfect hike for everyone, whether they are looking for something more challenging or easier. Below is an awesome list of the best hikes in Canyonlands National Park. This comprehensive guide has easy, difficult, and moderate hikes. Hikes for all levels of hikers. Enjoy!

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How To Get To Canyonlands National Park

I have gotten to Canyonlands by flying into both Salt Lake City and Grand Junction. Grand Junction is a smaller airport, so it might be more expensive. The second time I visited the national park, I went in the off-season and realized that flying into Grand Junction was the same price as flying into Salt Lake City, so I booked a Grand Junction ticket. Here is the driving information from each airport to Moab:

Salt Lake City Airport To Moab: 3 hours and 50 minutes, 239 miles
Grand Junction Airport To Moab: 1 hour and 45 minutes, 114 miles

Canyonlands Trail Map

Below is a Google Map of all the trails, places to eat, hotels, and viewpoints at Canyonlands National Park. You can view the official national park service map of the park here.

You can also buy a map before your trip. Here is an awesome Canyonlands National Park trail guide.

Where To Stay When Exploring Canyonlands Trails

All hotels listed below are located in Moab, Utah. There are no hotels inside the park. It is probably better to stay in Moab anyways so you can also visit Arches National Park.

Red Cliffs Lodge has impressive sunset views of the Colorado River, especially with your private patio. The area includes a winery, a western film museum, a horse corral, and an outdoor pool and gym. Yeah, this place has it all. >Check For Prices
SpringHill Suites by Marriott Moab has more of a modern feel, a hot tub, free wifi, a fitness center, mountain views, and an outdoor pool. >Check For Prices
Expedition Lodge is a budget-friendly hotel with a waterslide swimming pool and a hot tub. There is also an option for private rooms for up to 6 people. A perfect choice for a family vacation. >Check For Prices

Canyonlands National Park Weather

Spring And Fall: These months are the best time to go because the temperatures are pretty mild. But they can be pretty crowded.
Summer: I personally would not come here in the summer. I have had enough hot weather for a lifetime (I lived in Texas for 30 years), but if the only time you can come here is in the summer, then come! Just make sure you always have plenty of water, sunscreen, and sunglasses. Even though I have only been to Utah in the winter, the sun has been pretty intense, so I can’t even imagine in the summer.
Winter: As I said, this is the only time I have visited Utah, and I love it because the crowds are thin, the hikes are chilly, but the sun usually helps throughout the day. Sometimes it does snow, so you might get outstanding pictures of the red rocks with the contrast of the white snow.

Where To Eat When Exploring Canyonlands Hikes

The park does not have any restaurants; however, Moab has plenty of restaurants. I am only going to name the ones I really loved.

Love Muffin: OMG. I loved this cute lunch/coffee spot, and so did my husband. We came here multiple days, and we were sad that they were closed on certain days of the week (might be different in the busy season). The breakfast sandwiches are absolutely scrumptious. And the lunch sandwiches were amazing as well. You can pack these sandwiches up in your backpack for your Arches hikes instead of driving all the way back into town.
El Charro Loco: Good Mexican food! I especially loved the pineapple dish filled with all kinds of meats, salsa, and pico. My husband and I shared it, and it was a ton of food.
The Blu Pig: This place had some pretty good BBQ and drinks.
The Trailhead Public House and Eatery: I really enjoyed their burgers. So delish.

What To Pack When Exploring Canyonlands Utah

Sunscreen: Super important and it is part of the ten essentials! >Buy Sunscreen
Chapstick: This one has SPF so your lips won’t get burned! >Check Out This Chapstick
Hiking Boots/Shoes: If you use tennis shoes, you can easily hurt your toes by hitting a rock by accident (Trust me, I have done it so many times before). Hiking boots helped tremendously in this park. They grip so well on the red rocks. >Check Out My Hiking Shoes
Hiking socks: Having the correct socks helps prevent getting blisters. Smart Wool is probably my favorite brand out there. >Buy Hiking Socks
Water Reservoir: Water reservoirs help prevent dehydration while hiking. The great thing about this reservoir is that it doesn’t have a plastic taste. >Here Is My Water Reservoir
Water: Stay nice and hydrated.
Sunglasses: It can get sunny in the summer and winter, so make sure to pack some sunglasses. I forgot mine and it was a pain! >Check Out These Sunglasses
Snacks: The best snacks are jerky, nuts, and energy bars. >>>Check Out These Snacks
Camera: The Sony A6000 was one of the first cameras I started traveling with. The Sony A6000 is an excellent camera for people that want to start improving at travel photography. >Buy Sony Camera Here
First Aid Kit: This is one of the first things I bought when I first started going on adventures. It is super portable. >Buy This Awesome First Aid Kit Here
Day Pack to carry all your things: To carry all your gear, water, and food, you need a good backpack.REI has some great beginner backpacks. >Buy This Great Quality Backpack
Headlamp: A headlamp is an absolute must in case you get stranded in the dark! It is a lot more portable and easier to use than a flashlight. >Buy A Headlamp Now
Leggings or Hiking Pants: I always wear leggings while hiking because it is what I feel most comfortable with! >Click For My Favorite Hiking Leggings
Breathable sweat-wicking shirts: Cotton shirts soak up your sweat when hiking, so make sure to wear something breathable. >Check out this awesome breathable shirt here.
Mid Base Layer: If you are hiking in the Winter, Spring Or Fall, this might be a great idea. >Check Out My Sweater Here
Sports Bra: For women. >Check This One Here
Jacket: I always have a jacket in my backpack, even if it is hot. I do it just in case of an emergency. >Buy My Favorite Jacket
Rain Jacket: The worst feeling in the world is being wet and cold while hiking. >Check Out My Rain Jacket Here
Tripod: This is an optional item, but it is excellent for getting the ideal sunset pictures. >Check out this tripod
Knife: I always carry a knife in my backpack just in case. >Check Out My Knife Here
National Park Pass: I highly recommend getting a year-long America The Beautiful Pass so you can get into both parks with ease. >Get It Here
Map And Trail Guide: Start planning your trip with this. >Buy One Here

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My Outfit While Hiking Canyonlands National Park

Many of the pictures below show me in a cute winter hiking outfit, and if you want to know the exact things I’m wearing, see below. However, you don’t need to pack this for a Canyonlands trip in the summer. I went in the winter when it was pretty cold.

Base Layers: Click Here
Hiking Socks: Click Here
Hiking Boots: Click Here
Jacket: Click Here
Backpack: Click Here
Hat: Click Here

Best Hikes In Canyonlands National Park

Mesa Arch Trail

Distance: 0.7 miles, round trip
Elevation Gain: 85 ft.
Route Type: Loop
Difficulty: Easy
Trail Guide: Link

When you mention Canyonlands National Park to someone, the first thing that comes to mind for 99% of people is Mesa Arch. This iconic place is one of the most photographed areas in Utah. People flock here for sunrise to get a shot of the orange glow and the sharp buttes in the background.

I, of course, had to take the iconic picture! Let me warn you before you get here for an early sunrise: it will be crowded. I came on a weekday, on the off-season (winter), and there were still a ton of people. Luckily, everyone was nice, and we all took turns taking photos.

My friend, though, did not have the same luck as me. She came the weekend before me on a Saturday and on a holiday weekend, and they did not let her take one photo. If you come here in the busy season, I can imagine that you will probably have to be a little pushy to get a photo.

Either way, I feel like it is so worth it! It really is magical to witness in person. I was cold, but I brought a nice cup of joe to keep me warm. There were also many kids watching the sunrise with us. This is definitely a family-friendly, easy hike. If you can get your kids to get up early, by all means, do it!

Upheaval Dome

Distance: 1.7 miles, round trip
Elevation Gain: 321 ft.
Route Type: Out and Back
Difficulty: Moderate
Trail Guide: Link

This is an easy short trail with fantastic views! That dome looks pretty sick! There are two viewpoints throughout this hike, and if you want to do another trail, you can also add in the Syncline Loop Trail, which is 8.6 miles and is labeled as hard.

I have heard that the Upheaval Dome Trail has better views of the dome than the Syncline Loop Trail, so we just stuck with the easier trail.

Whale Rock

Distance: 0.8 miles, round trip
Elevation Gain: 131 ft.
Route Type: Out and Back
Difficulty: Easy
Trail Guide: Link

Whale Rock is probably the most disappointing hike on this list, but I still listed it because it is popular. The rock does somewhat look like a whale, but I still wasn’t too impressed by it. Fortunately, it is only 0.8 miles roundtrip, so you don’t need to spend too much time hiking for this viewpoint.

Grand Viewpoint Overlook

Distance: 1.8 miles, round trip
Elevation Gain: 173 ft.
Route Type: Out and Back
Difficulty: Easy
Trail Guide: Link

The Grand Viewpoint Trail is probably the second most popular trail after Mesa Butte. When we arrived, this trail was packed! So if you want to avoid the crowds, get here early in the day. I also feel like the views would have looked better in the early morning.

When we got to the end viewpoint (in the afternoon), the sun was behind the butte, so it was a little hard to see the butte in all its glory. Thanks to a little photo editing, I was able to remove some of the shadows, but it did not look this epic in real life. Come early morning to really get the best view and to avoid crowds.

Aztec Butte

Distance: 1.7 miles, round trip
Elevation Gain: 262 ft.
Route Type: Out and Back
Difficulty: Moderate
Trail Guide: Link

What a fun short hike! I really enjoyed the Aztec Butte trail. We had to scramble up some rocks, so make sure you have good hiking boots. This hike might be iffy for children. Of course, that is all dependant on the child’s abilities to climb steep areas.

One section of the trail takes you up the steep butte, and at the peak, you can see the Taylor Canyon far off in the distance. It is beautiful.

The less steep butte holds the well-preserved granary. It is a little hidden, so you have to climb down to see it. You will know when to climb down because there is an information kiosk area in the location.

White Rim Overlook

Distance: 1.8 miles, round trip
Elevation Gain: 160 ft.
Route Type: Out and Back
Difficulty: Easy
Trail Guide: Link

White Rim Lookout is a stunning trail with so many different viewpoints. I loved this trail. You get 360-degree views of the canyons and mountains, and there are so many rocks you can perch up on to take great photos. Highly recommend this hike. It is pretty easy and is great for the whole family.

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Murphy Point Trail

Distance: 3.4 miles, round trip
Elevation Gain: 147 ft.
Route Type: Out and Back
Difficulty: Easy
Trail Guide: Link

Murphy Point was probably my favorite day hike in the park. It is pretty flat and easy and has fantastic views of the canyons in the distance. We came early in the morning, and it was absolutely perfect. The lighting was great, and there was no one but us on the trail.

Gooseberry Hike

Distance: 4.2 miles, round trip
Elevation Gain: 1,548 ft.
Route Type: Out and Back
Difficulty: Hard
Trail Guide: Link

A steep and difficult hike but worth the outstanding views. Just note that you are going downhill in the first section of the trail, so when you make your way back, it is pretty difficult, and steep. It is similar to The Grand Canyon Trails.

Chesler Park Loop Trail

Distance: 10.2 miles, round trip
Elevation Gain: 1,794 ft.
Route Type: Loop
Difficulty: Moderate
Trail Guide: Link

Want to get away from the crowds and hike a long, challenging trail? Check out Chesler Park Loop Trail! This trail is out of this world. I backpacked Chesler Park years ago, and to this day, it is one of my favorite backpacking expeditions ever!

This trail is located in the Needles District in Canyonlands National Park. What does that mean, you ask? It means that it is nowhere close to the popular Islands In the Sky District. Nowhere near the trails I mentioned above. Which means fewer crowds. Since the Needles’ hikes are more difficult, I recommend this area for moderate to advanced hikers. It also might be difficult for small kids.

Want To Read More On My Needles Backpacking Expedition? : How To Backpack The Needles Canyonlands

Best Viewpoints At Utah Canyonlands

Shafer Canyon Overlook

Shafer Canyon is located at the front of the park and right next to the visitor center. Stop at the visitor center to get a map and to check out this stunning viewpoint. This is a great representation of Canyonlands National Park.

Grand View Point

One of the most popular viewpoints that we forgot to take a picture of :-P. It is probably because we did the actual trail mentioned above. Like all other viewpoints, it is absolutely breathtaking. You really can’t go wrong with any of these lookouts.

Buck Canyon Viewpoint

We got to Buck Canyon in the late afternoon, and it was pretty cool to see the canyon in the distance. I wondered if there was a way I can eventually come back to explore this stunning canyon. I also loved seeing the snow-covered mountains in the distance.

Green River Overlook

The Green River Overlook was probably my favorite viewpoint in the park. Maybe because there was a blanket of snow in the park, but the contrast it provided here was astounding. We did this bright and early in the morning, just after sunrise, and it was fantastic!

Orange Cliffs Overlook

Orange Cliffs viewpoint is located right next to Grand View Point, and it is a great spot to stop and take in the views. This was probably my least favorite viewpoint, though. We were here around the afternoon, and I didn’t really like how the sun was behind the canyons. It is probably best in the early morning.

Candle Stick Towers

We stopped here right after Green River Lookout in the early morning, and I loved how bright and orange the Candle Stick looked in the distance. I wish we had a telephoto lens, as I would have loved to get an even more zoomed-in photo of it. Hopefully, next time I am here, I finally have a telephoto lens :-).

Dead Horse Point State Park

This state park is technically not a part of Canyonlands National Park, but I still included it in this list because it is relatively close, and the views are phenomenal. We went to watch the sunset at Dead Horse Point, and it was a fantastic time. You can do some easy hikes around the area like the East Rim Trail and West Rim Trail.

Final Thoughts On Canyonlands National Park Hikes

Thanks for reading all about the Canyonlands hiking trails! I have explored so much of Utah, and I have other really cool blog posts: