I just got back from an adventure in Canyonlands National Park with my trail buddy, Julia, and I can’t wait to share it with you—just in time for National Trails Day on June 1st! We’re heading out to Arches National Park tomorrow, but you’ll have to wait until my next Trail of the Month to hear about my favorite parts from Arches.
Mesa Arch Trail
Our Canyonlands journey began with the Mesa Arch Trail. We originally planned to do a sunrise hike, but we stayed up too late last night and when we woke up at 3:30 am this morning, we decided that we don’t need to see the sunrise through the arch. Although, I’ve heard it is a sight worth seeing. Maybe in the future, we’ll make our planned sunrise hike (fingers crossed for tomorrow).
The trail is a super quick half-mile loop, perfect for the first official hike of the summer. We found our way to Mesa Arch after accidentally wandering away from the path a few times. Don’t worry, we realized very quickly we were no longer on the path. Julia and I spent a decent amount of time here, snapping photos and soaking in the views. Julia took my favorite picture of the day—me “falling” off a cliff. You can see the arch and my favorite picture from the day in the slideshow below.
Upheaval Dome Hiking Trail
Next up was Upheaval Dome. This 1.8-mile round-trip hike is a bit more challenging but worth it. The first section of the trail had a lot of stairs. After climbing to the top, we caught our breath and found the first lookout point only 150 feet ahead. It started to heat up while we were looking out over the dome area. When you’re outside in the desert heat, it’s important to remember to stay hydrated! The National Parks Service recommends drinking at least a gallon of water in a semi-arid climate like Canyonlands.
The second lookout point takes some work to get to. We got lost at several points over this trail, but luckily had help from other hikers nearby to get us back on track. When in doubt, follow the cairns. They will guide you around a mini slot canyon, down carved stairs, over a stone crossing, and finally up a fairly steep rock incline we had to scramble up. At the top, we were rewarded with a truly panoramic view of Upheaval Dome.
Green River Overlook
After our Upheaval Dome adventure, we headed to the Green River Overlook. This is more of a viewpoint than a hike, but it was pretty cool to see how the winding Green River has carved its way into the landscape over many, many years. Standing at the edge of the overlook, you can barely see the river, though.
Grand View Point
We wrapped up our day with a hike on Grand View Point Trail. Can you guess what this 2-mile round-trip trail offers? If your answer is a subpar view of a parking lot, then you got it wrong. It shows off grand views of the park, including the Island in the Sky, White Rim, and the Colorado River.
The trail follows the canyon edge, providing stunning vistas at every turn. The viewpoint was crowded, so we decided to cut this hike short and only made it halfway before we turned around. The views were gorgeous, but we really didn’t need to complete the hike in its entirety to see that.
Wrapping Up
Canyonlands National Park is now in my top 7 favorite National Parks. Here are my favorites in order:
- Rocky Mountain National Park
- Grand Teton National Park
- Great Smoky Mountains National Park
- Indiana Dunes
- Yellowstone National Park
- Canyonlands National Park
- Gateway Arch
You may have already guessed, but I’ve only been to these 7 parks so far. I’m looking forward to exploring more of our national parks this year. I’ll be sure to bring you along with me! So, grab your hiking boots, a trail buddy, and a gallon of water, and head out to celebrate National Trails Day with an adventure of your own. Happy hiking!
Mara Irons
Mara Irons is the Marketing Manager at Transformance Advisors. She specializes in crafting compelling content and conducting research to ensure community relevance. With a background spanning education, transportation, digital marketing, health, and nonprofit sectors, Mara brings diverse expertise to her role.
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Outside of work, she loves exploring the outdoors with her dog, Indi. However, if it’s cold or raining, you can find her on the couch watching true crime documentaries with a glass of wine.
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