Slowly and yet all too quickly, the day’s first light pricks the tops of The Needles in the distance, casting a rosy pink hue on the red rocks. This is the secret of Canyonlands. Yes, the views from Island in the Sky are iconic, but this. . . this is gorgeous.

May 13 and 15, 2023

Our grand Utah excursion continues from Arches National Park into Canyonlands National Park as my uncle, cousin, and I pull into the Island in the Sky district around 9 a.m. To orient ourselves with this new park, our first stop is the Island in the Sky Visitor Center, immediately within the park. From here we drive half a mile to the famous Shafer Canyon Overlook. I’ve seen this vista hundreds of times online, but it still blows me away as I hop out of the car and peek over the edge.

Like a ribbon, Shafer Trail Road zigzags down into Shafer Canyon and out into oblivion. Not only am I taking in the spectacular roadway switchbacking down the steep canyon walls, but I’m also assessing if my Honda Pilot can manage the tight turns, sharp slopes, and uneven terrain. As I watch, I spy several jeeps and SUVs crawling their way down the road. It looks promising from up here. But that venture will have to wait. First, there is another attraction we can’t miss while we are on the rim of the park.

Perhaps one of the most iconic scenes in Canyonlands National Park, Mesa Arch is extremely photogenic. Driving a little over 5 miles, we pull into the Mesa Arch parking lot. We hike a short quarter mile to the viewpoint and discover why this landmark catches all the buzz. A chiseled flat archway no more than 30 feet wide and roughly 6 feet tall greets us on a precipice overlooking a vast canyon wilderness below. It’s like a window to another world. Facing east, I’ve heard sunrise here is simply stunning, so after a few photos, we hop back in the car and vow to return in better lighting.

Heading back to Shafer Trail Road, we begin the descent in my intrepid 2006 Honda Pilot. I shift into 4WD just in case, but quickly find, it is not entirely necessary. Though the road is rough, it is not horrendous. The first part of this road is the most thrilling as we turn corner after corner making our way down the daunting canyon road. At the canyon floor, the road straightens out and heads for the Colorado River, following it out of the park and back to Moab.

Back in Moab, we opt to spend the afternoon exploring Corona Arch an impressive rock formation just outside Canyonlands National Park. While this hike is worth the time, I am still itching to explore the actual park, so later I venture out on my own back into Island of the Sky, revisiting Mesa Arch at sunset and some of the missed overlooks like Green River Overlook and Grand View Point Overlook. The views are expansive and wonderful. I feel I could just reach out and touch everything sprawled out in front of me like a relief map. I enjoy my time at the overlooks, but I take note of a fast-approaching storm system. Hurrying back to my car I duck inside and drive to Mesa Arch just in time as a torrent of rain hammers the park. Lightning from out of nowhere strikes consistently all around.

Luckily, the clouds part just as the sun begins to set. I quickly get out and scramble to Mesa arch just as a shaft of light illuminates the rock against the dark sky backdrop in one last display of brilliance before slipping below the horizon. This was definitely worth waiting out the storm. With night descending, I return back to our rental house in Moab. The next day is a planned bike ride outside the park along Porcupine Rim, so I accept the fact that I will revisit Canyonlands only one last time the day after.

This last day in Canyonlands must be well spent. This whole time, I’ve heard wonderful things about The Needles district so I rise early to drive an hour down the highway and arrive at Salt Flat Trailhead near The Needles Campground. Because I got a later start than I was hoping the sky is already growing light. The sun will rise at any moment. So I throw my gear in my bag and race down Big Spring Canyon Trail, hoping to find any sort of viewpoint of The Needles. I skirt along the ridges of Elephant Hill and find a good vantage point. Already the sky is turning pink above the western horizon. I set up my camera and wait for the light.

Slowly and yet all too quickly, the day’s first light pricks the tops of The Needles in the distance, casting a rosy pink hue on the red rocks. This is the secret of Canyonlands. Yes, the views from Island in the Sky are iconic, but this. . . this is gorgeous. Like a real life timelapse, I watch a curtain of light wash away the nightly shadows on the landscape all around me. Blues and purples ignite into reds and oranges like a massive magic act.

Slowly packing up my things in the morning light, I continue hiking along Big Spring Canyon Trail as far as I can before turning back to head home. The views here are savory. Like little dioramas, I look down on every nook and cranny, every spire, every toadstool in the canyon, each casting dramatic shadows in the new light. Watching my time, I have to head back. On the way out of the park, I stop at The Needles Visitor Center and Newspaper Rock, a petroglyph site located just outside the park boundaries.

As I drive the 8 hours home, I wonder to myself how I let The Needles slip by me unnoticed? I spent only a few hours there and feel robbed of Canyonlands’ secret beauty. I already dream of returning some day to hike the extent of Chesler Park Trail and explore the inner workings of The Needles. . . who knows, maybe even tag on a foray into The Maze district while I’m at it. Suffice it to say, Canyonlands leaves me longing for more in hidden pockets I had no idea existed—the perfect fodder for a future trip.