Welcome to Canyonlands National Park. Views in Canyonlands include thousands of feet down to the Green and Colorado Rivers, or thousands of feet up to red rock pinnacles, cliffs and spires. All of these views create the incredible beauty of Canyonlands, Utah's largest national park. Canyonlands is world renowned for its four wheel drive vehicle, mountain bike routes and its white water rafting. Water and gravity have been the prime architects of the land in Canyonlands, carving flat layers of sedimentary rock into the landscape seen today.

Canyonlands National Park was established in 1964, "...to preserve an area...possessing superlative scenic, scientific and archaeological features for the inspiration, benefit and use of the public." (Public Law 88-590, 1964). The Green and Colorado River have sliced Canyonlands National Park into three districts, each named according to its distinctive landscape. Island in the Sky is the northern section and visitors can look down to the Colorado River on the east and down to the Green River on the west. The "Island's" southern tip overlooks the rivers' confluence. The Needles District is named for its profusion of red rock spires and fins. The remote Maze District is Canyonlands' most jumbled stone playground, requiring backcountry use permits year-round. Major entrances to the park are accessible from US-191, 22 miles north of Monticello (Needles), and 35 miles northwest of Moab (Island in the Sky). Canyonlands National Park was expanded to its current size in 1971.

Visitor centers are open year-round with reduced hours in the winter. A reservations office is open Mon-Fri and accepts applications for backpacking permits, four-wheel-drive campsites, same-day use in the Needles District, and group campsites. Fees are charged for reservation-only areas and for backcountry permits. To find out more information about Canyonlands be sure to get your Canyonlands Travel Packet!