Humans first visited what is now Canyonlands National Park over 10,000 years ago. Nomadic groups of hunter-gatherers roamed throughout the southwest from 8,000 B.C. to 500 B.C. Living off the land, these people depended on the availability of wild plants and animals for their survival.
Canyonlands National Park preserves an immense wilderness of rock at the heart of the Colorado Plateau. Water an gravity have been the prime architects of this land, cutting flat layers of sedimentary rock into hundreds of colorful canyons, mesas, buttes, fins, arches, and spires. The Park is centered on two great canyons, those carved by the Green and Colorado rivers. The Park is divided into three districts, each unique in what it has to offer the visitor, and a separate unit to the west of the main body of the Park. See the Park's News and News Releases for current information.
Island in the Sky District
Phone: 435-259-4712. A high mesa wedged between the Colorado and Green Rivers like a natural observation platform. Vistas rival those found anywhere. See the Park's Island in the Sky page for more details.
Needles District
Phone: 435-259-4711. A high desert paradise, a jumbled landscape dominated by a series of distinctive sandstone spires called the Needles. Perhaps the other distinctive feature of the Needles District is an extensive trail system that offers nearly endless options for the hiker. See the Park's Needles page for more details.
Maze District
Phone: 435-259-2652. Very remote. Most people have never been to a place as remote as the Maze, and getting there can be a great warm-up for experiencing this remote district. Whether you come from Hite, Hanksville, or Green River, you definitely get the feeling of being out of touch with civilization long before you reach the park boundary. It is best to check with local authorities and reference up-to-date maps before entering this area. Follow all backcountry precautions and regulations. See the Park's Maze page for more details.
The Colorado and Green Rivers funnel together to rush through canyons 2,000 feet deep, revealing layers of sandstone and shale that date back 300 million years. Some overlooks, reachable by passenger car, present majestic terrain punctuated with richly-colored arches, spires, and pinnacles.
Horseshoe Canyon Unit
There is no through road in this unit of the park. Barrier Creek flows through this canyon which is home to the Great Gallery of pictographs. See the Park's Horseshoe Canyon page for more details.
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| Elevation: |
- Island in the Sky District: 6,120 feet.
- Needles District: 4,958 feet.
- Maze District: 4,673 feet.
- Horseshoe Canyon Unit: 4,850 feet.
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| Fees: |
March to October, $10.00 per vehicle, $5.00 per person; free the rest of the year. See Park Fees and Reservations for curretn information. |
| Hours: |
Open daily. See Park Operating Hours and Seasons for more details. |
| Visitor Center: |
- Island in the Sky District: The Visitor Center is open from 8:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m., from April to late October, and from 8:00 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. the rest of the year. Features exhibits, book and maps sales, audio-visual programs, backcountry permits, general information, and park rangers are on duty.
- Needles District: The Visitor Center is open 8:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. from April until late October, and from 8:00 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. the rest of the year. Features exhibits, books and map sales, audio-visual programs, backcountry permits, general information, a picnic area, and park rangers on duty.
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| Facilities: |
Island in the Sky District
- A 34-mile (round-trip) scenic drive allows visitors to tour the entire mesa top.
- There are no free water sources in this district. Water is sold in the Visitor Center at the front desk and at a vending machine outside.
- Vault toilets are located at the Visitor Center, Grand View Point, the Green River Overlook, Upheaval Dome, White Rim Overlook, and at the Willow Flat Campground.
- There are picnic areas at White Rim Overlook and Upheaval Dome.
Needles District
- A scenic drive continues seven miles past the Visitor Center, ending at Big Spring Canyon Overlook. Along the way are several pullouts for short hiking trails, viewpoints, and a picnic area.
- Graded gravel roads lead to Cave Spring, where there is an interpretive trail, and to the Elephant Hill trailhead, where there is a second picnic area.
- The Elephant Hill access road provides excellent views of the Needles from a car (about one mile from the pavement).
- Water is available year-round at the Visitor Center and at the Squaw Flat campground.
- Restrooms are available at the Visitor Center and the Squaw Flat campground. There are also vault toilets at Elephant Hill.
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| Directions: |
- Horseshoe Canyon Unit: The Horseshoe Canyon Unit is 101 miles from Moab via Interstate 70, or 119 miles from Moab via State Highway 24.
- Island in the Sky District: The Island in the Sky District is on UT 313, 30 miles southwest of US 191.
- Maze District: The Maze District is 80 miles east of UT 24 via dirt road.
- Needles District: The Needles District is on UT 211, 34 miles west of US 191.
- Get directions from Google Maps.
- Get directions from MapQuest.
- NPS Directions.
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| Coordinates: |
- Horeshoe Canyon Unit: Map Coordinates (NAD83): 38 26.813N; 110 12.773W.
- Island in the Sky District: Map Coordinates (NAD83): 38 23.224N; 109 52.222W.
- Maze District: Map Coordinates (NAD83): 38 12.758N; 109 59.084W.
- Needles District: Map Coordinates (NAD83): 38 09.684N; 109 45.832W.
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| Regulations: |
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| Precautions: |
- Services are very limited. Drinking water is not available at Island in the Sky or The Maze. Drinking water is available in The Needles. Food, gasoline, stores, and lodging are not available in any of the districts. The Canyonlands Needles Outpost, 1.5 miles from The Needles Visitor Center, has gasoline, food, and limited supplies. Full services are available in Moab, Green River, Monticello, Hanksville, and other nearby towns.
- Unpaved two-wheel-drive roads can be negotiated by regular passenger vehicles. Four-wheel-drive roads are too steep, rocky, rough, sandy, or hazardous for two-wheel-drive vehicles. High-clearance two-wheel-drive vehicles can travel some of these roads under good conditions. Check with a Ranger for more information.
- Detailed maps and guides of four-wheel-drive routes and hiking trails are available. For longer trips topographic maps are essential. They are sold at the Visitor Centers.
- See Backcountry Considerations.
- See Backcountry Emergencies.
- NPS News Updates.
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