Zion National Park has become increasingly popular with visitors, both local and international. Most arrive by car, RV, or tour bus. The park is being overwhelmed. Traffic congestion, lack of parking places, air and noise pollution, and damage to natural resources are frustrating problems the park was experiencing.

Visitation to the park is 2.5 million people a year and increasing. Solving these problems is crucial to protecting the park and providing a quality experience. To reduce traffic and to improve the park experience, a new bus transportation system began operation on May 26, 2000. It will run during the busy season, March through October, and peak periods. One loop will include eight stops in Zion Canyon, and a second will include six stops in the town of Springdale. Parking will be available throughout Springdale and inside the south park entrance. It will be possible to leave your vehicle in town and ride the shuttle to the new Zion Canyon Visitor Center or park right at the visitor center. There, exhibits and audio visual presentations will help you plan your visit.

The visitor center will be the start of the Zion Canyon loop into the park. Shuttles will depart each location often throughout the day. You may get on and off the shuttle as many times as you wish. Riding the shuttle on both loops is free. The cost of the shuttle system is included in the park entrance fee. All visitors, except those staying at Zion Lodge, will use the buses to access Zion Canyon. You will still have the option of biking or hiking along the canyon’s scenic drive. The Pa’rus Trail connects Zion Canyon to the new visitor center and both campgrounds. The east side of the park will remain accessible by private vehicle.

Schedule: Shuttles will operate beginning at 6:30 a.m. every 30 minutes, increasing to every 15 minutes and then, during the busy part of the day, every 6 to 8 minutes. Toward evening, the shuttles will scale back to 15 minutes, then to 30 minutes. The last shuttle will leave the visitor center at 9:30 p.m. This schedule is subject to change. A complete round trip will take a minimum of 90 minutes. Please no eating, drinking, smoking or pets allowed on the bus.

For a day-trip on the shuttle, you should take:

• Water
• Walking shoes
• Sunscreen / hat / sunglasses
• Snacks
• Maps
• Camera /binoculars
• Dress for the weather!

The Geology of Zion National Park is amazing. Many visitors traveling through the park wonder how such massive stone structures came to be. The answer dates back 250 million years ago when volcanoes were erupting and spewing ash all over. Dinosaurs left tracks in the ash leaving behind fossils which are still around today.

The sandstone which makes up most of the rock in Zion National Park was formed by the compacting of sand about 150 million years ago. This occurred when cementing properties of compounds such as calcium carbonate compacted the sand which covered the huge desert of the west. Dunes were at that timed formed into the present day Navajo Sandstone.

Zion National ParkThe next stage of creation occurred starting close to 4 million years ago when streams running of the Colorado Plateau caused the Virgin River to flood. As the river flowed through the current Zions, it eroded the rock away taking boulders, sand, and pebbles with it. Over time it formed, or rather carved the canyon we see today.

Interestingly enough, Zion National Park is actually very young from a geological standpoint. This is because Zion didn’t develop its current characteristics until just the past few million years. As Zion keeps changing, as it does every year, some day far in the future it will become nothing but a flat plain.

Zion National Park has many trails which range from an easy 10-minute walk to strenuous multiple day backpacking trips. The best time to hike while you are in Zions is in the early morning and late afternoon because of the intense heat during the summer. Hiking during the middle of the day is recommended during the colder months. Free backcountry permits are required to camp on a hiking trip. These permits are issued at the Zion Canyon Visitor Center as well as the Kolob Canyons Visitor Center.

The Narrows is one of the favorite hikes at Zions, and probably the best known and most popular hike in the park. The Narrows, which requires at least one full day of hiking is a strenuous hike which requires you to walk, or rather wade, much of the time through the Virgin River. It is 16 miles in length and may be closed at times because of the threat of flash floods.

Zion Canyon Trails

• Weeping Rock – Beginning at the Weeping Rock parking lot, this easy trail is 1/2 mile long and will take around 1/2 hour to complete.
• Canyon Overlook – Beginning at the Zion-Mt. Carmel Highway just east of the long tunnel, this easy trail is 1 mile long and will take around 1 hour to complete.
• Emerald Pools – Beginning at the Zion Canyon Scenic Drive opposite Zion Lodge, this easy to moderately strenuous trail is 1.2 miles long and will take around 1 hour to complete.
• Riverside Walk – Beginning at the Temple of Sinawava, this easy trail is 2 miles long and will take around 1.5 hours to complete.
• Watchman – Beginning at the service road east of Watchman Campground, this moderately strenuous trail is 2 miles long and will take around 2 hours to complete.
• Hidden Canyon – Beginning at the Weeping Rock Parking Lot, this moderately strenuous trail is 2 miles long and will take around 3 hours to complete.
• Angels Landing – Beginning at the Grotto Picnic Area, this strenuous trail is 5 miles long and will take around 4 hours to complete.

Kolob Trails

• Taylor Creek – Beginning 2 miles from the Kolob Visitor Center, this moderately strenuous hike is 5.4 miles long and will take around 4 hours to complete.
• Kolob Arch – Beginning at Lee Pass on the Kolob Canyons Road, this strenuous trail is 14.4 miles long and will take around 9 hours to complete.

Extended Backcountry Trails

• Easy Rim – Beginning at the Weeping Rock Parking Lot, this strenuous trail is 11.6 miles long and will take around 7 hours to complete.
• West Rim – Beginning at the Grotto Picnic Area, this strenuous trail is 14 miles long and will take around 12 hours to complete.

Canyoneering. Permits are required for all through hikes of the Narrows and its tributaries, the Left Fork of North Creek (the Subway), Kolob Creek, and all canyons requiring the use of aid. The Subway is limited to 50 people per day. Other hiking permits are available at the Zion Canyon Visitor Center beginning at 8:00 a.m. up to one calendar month prior to the date of the hike. Cost is $5.00 per person for Subway and Narrows. There is no fee for other canyons. The maximum group size is 12, including all leaders.

Climbing. Climbing on Zion’s sandstone requires appropriate hardware and techniques. Information on climbing is available at visitor centers. Climbing and rappelling is prohibited on the cliffs above Middle and Lower Emerald Pools and Weeping Rock. Some routes may be closed to climbing when Peregrine Falcons are nesting. A permit is required for overnight climbs. There is no fee for overnight climbs. Visit the Backcountry Permit Desk for additional climbing routes and information.

Utah’s oldest and most visited national park, Zion National Park is located in southwestern Utah. Most of the park’s 147,000 acres are located within Washington County; however, the extreme eastern section of the park is in Kane County, while the park’s northern tip extends into Iron County. Zion Canyon is located on the southern part of the Markagunt Plateau. It is cut by tributaries of the Virgin River which have left eroded canyon walls and monoliths that are beautiful and overpowering.

Zion Canyon presents a diverse collection of nature’s wonders that include such features as the towering and magnificent 2,200-foot Great White Throne, the park’s most famous landmark; the Court of the Patriarchs; the Sentinel; the Watchman; Checkerboard Mesa; Kolob Arch, at 310 feet the world’s largest known natural span; and the Narrows of the Virgin River, where a person can walk upstream to places so narrow that both sides of the canyon walls can almost be touched with one’s outstretched hands.

One early visitor to Zion Canyon, Frederick S. Dellenbaugh, an artist who had been with John Wesley Powell on his second trip down the Grand Canyon in 1872, spent part of the summer of 1903 painting in Zion Canyon. The paintings were exhibited at the 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair and an article about Zion Canyon, “A New Valley of Wonders,” was published by Dellenbaugh in the January 1904 issue of Scribner’s Magazine. In the article, Dellenbaugh described his first view of the Great Temple, which stands at the entrance to Zion Canyon: “One hardly knows just how to think of it. Never before has such a naked mountain of rock entered our minds. Without a shred of disguise it transcendent form rises pre-eminent. There is almost nothing to compare to it. Niagara has the beauty of energy; the Grand Canyon of immensity; the Yellowstone of singularity; the Yosemite of altitude; the ocean of power; this Great Temple of eternity.”

Zion Canyon was occupied by the Anasazi people from about 1,500 to 800 year ago. Their abandoned cliff houses, rock art, and chipping sites are scattered throughout the park. The Paiute Indians occupied the canyon when Nephi Johnson arrived in 1858. The first Mormon occupant of Zion Canyon was Isaac Behunin, who built a one-room log cabin at a site near the location of Zions Lodge. Behunin named his new home Zion Canyon. He was soon joined by a few other settlers who established farms along the narrow valley floor. Later, in 1900, David Flanigan began to build a system of cable works which would provide the means to lower virgin timber to the valley floor from the high mountain forests nearly two thousand feet above the canyon.

In 1872 John Wesley Powell surveyed the area and recorded the canyon’s Indian name, Mukuntuweap. It was under this name that the canyon was designated a national monument on 31 July 1909 by a proclamation signed by President William Howard Taft. In 1918 it was renamed Zion National Monument; a year later, 1919, it became a national park. The first automobile road was constructed into the canyon in 1917 and the first lodge was built in 1925. The original lodge was destroyed by fire in 1966 and a new building was constructed that year. During the winter of 1989-90 the exterior of the lodge was restored to its historic architectural look.

The park’s most impressive construction project, the 1.1-mile-long tunnel cut through solid sandstone, was begun in 1927 and completed in 1930 at a cost of $2,000,000. At that time many of the hiking trails within the park were undertaken, including the famous “Walter’s Wiggles” section of the trail to Angels Landing, completed in 1926. Other trails and improvements in the park were undertaken by Civilian Conservation Corps crews during the 1930s. In 1937 the Kolob Canyon region was designated as a national monument, and it was incorporated into Zion National park in 1956.

Zion Canyon is especially popular with hikers and drivers, who follow the Zion Canyon Scenic Drive to its terminus at the Temple of Sinawava and the Gateway to the Narrows, and then return to take the Zion-Mt. Carmel Highway, with its tunnel, to the top of the canyon. The park has two visitor centers, one at the entrance to Kolob Canyon and the main visitor center at the south entrance to the park.

The beauty of Zion Canyon has gained worldwide recognition, with over three million visitors coming to the park in 1993. However, because of the severe and growing automobile congestion inside the park, the National Park Service recently announced plans to limit private vehicles in Zion Canyon by providing a public transportation system that would restrict private vehicles to areas outside the park.

Visitation. Highest in the summer and lightest during the winter months.

Location. Zion National Park is located in southwest Utah on the edge of the Colorado Plateau. The area to the south of Zion is known as Utah’s Dixie. The area found on the north and east of Zion is known as Color Country.
Address
Superintendent
Zion National Park
Springdale, UT 84767
Telephone
435-772-3256 This line offers 24-hour recorded information

Park Entrances
• South Entrance: East on Route 9 off I-15 north or south
• East Entrance: west on Route 9 off east Hwy 89
• Kolob Canyon Entrance: Exit 40 off I-15 (does not access the rest of the park)

Entrance Fees. Entrance to the park is $25 per vehicle, $10 per pedestrian or cyclist (not to exceed $20 per family). The fee for commercial vehicles is based on capacity and ranges from $35-$190. Please contact the park at (435)772-3256 for more information and rates. Entrance fees are waived with a Zion National Park Pass ($40 annually), annual Golden Eagle Passport, Golden Age Passport or Golden Access Passport. You can obtain these passes at any national park, monument or recreation area, including any Sequoia or Kings Canyon Park entrance.

Reservations and Permits. Campgrounds are both first-come, first-served and by reservations if you have any questions just call the reservation phone or talk to a ranger at a visitor center. Reservations can be made by calling: 1-800-365-CAMP(2267).

Backcountry Camping – Permits are required in Zion for all camping outside designated campgrounds. The cost is $5.00 per person and parties are limited to 12 persons including leaders. Permits and more information is available at both visitor centers.

Operating Hours. Visitors centers are open daily from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm in the spring, fall, and winter, with extended hours in the summer. Some visitor centers are closed on some federal holidays.
For current updates call the 24 hour number at (435) 772-3256

Transportation
To Park: Commercial airlines fly into Cedar City, St. George, Salt Lake City, and Las Vegas, NV. Greyhound /Trailways serves St. George and Cedar City and you can either rent a car or take a taxi from either city. Amtrak serves Salt Lake City and Las Vegas.

In Park: Rental cars are available at the airports and other locations in Cedar City, St. George, Salt Lake City or Las Vegas. A free shuttle is available in the Giant Forest during the summer months. Zion Lodge provides tram tours of upper Zion Canyon. A hiker shuttle is also available for transportation to backcountry trailheads. Call (435) 772-3213 for prices and details.

Weather. The climate in Zion is quite mild and very pleasurable. In the summer temperatures range from the 60′ into the 90’s. During the winter, temperatures range from the 20’s into the 50’s. The spring can bring storms without warning and the possibilities are common in the summer also. The winter can bring rain to the valleys and snow to the higher elevations. Be prepared for a wide range of weather conditions. Temperatures vary with changes in elevation and seasons. Day/night temperatures may differ by over 30 degrees Fahrenheit.

Safety Tips

• Lock valuables in your car out of sight.
• Let someone know of your itinerary when hiking in the backcountry.
• Prevent blisters by wearing comfortable boots or shoes which fit the terrain.
• Be prepared for any weather condition. During the summer temperatures can reach or exceed 100ºF. Wear sunscreen and a hat. Carry plenty of water. Hike in the earlier hours of the morning or later in the afternoon. Bring the proper equipment in the winter.
• Prevent hypothermia by wearing layers. If you find yourself shivering and feel disoriented, seek shelter and drink warm liquids. Hypothermia can develop and is a serious condition requiring medical attention.
• Watch for mountain lions(also known as panthers, cougars, or pumas.) If you encounter one, back away slowly; if attacked, wave, shout, and throw rocks. DO NOT RUN. Watch children closely.
• Watch where you are stepping and reaching because you may encounter a poisonous western rattlesnake, which is commonly found below 7000-foot elevations and occasionally up to 11,000-foot elevations. Even though snake bites are rarely fatal, they do require a doctor’s attention. If you are bitten, avoid moving, which spreads the venom, and send for help immediately. Snakes are a native species to the park and should not be disturbed.
• Do not feed or touch ground squirrels or other rodents. They can carry disease.
• Giardiasis, an intestinal disorder, can result from drinking water from the streams or lakes in the mountains. Carry sufficient water. Purify water taken from the lakes and streams using a Giardia-rated water filter, or by boiling it for three to five minutes.
• Zion is very prone to flash floods. Check with the nearest visitor center before entering any of the canyons.

Visitor Centers and Exhibits. When you arrive in the park, stop at a visitors center for an overview of the park by watching a slide presentation and viewing the exhibits. Park rangers can be found on hand to answer questions. Backcountry permits, ranger-guided walks, maps, books, and other park literature is also available. You will also find rest rooms and water fountains.

• Zion Canyon Visitor Center, South Entrance – open year round
• Kolob Canyons Visitor Center, Kolob Canyon Entrance – open year round

Exhibits can be seen at both the centers. Zion Canyon Visitor Center is the only center open during the winter.

• Zion Canyon Visitor Center, South Entrance
  Exhibits on the natural and cultural history of the area.
• Kolob Canyons Visitor Center, Kolob Canyon Entrance
  Exhibits explain the geology of Zion National Park.

Lodging and Camping Facilities. Lodging in Zion National Park is operated by Amfac Parks & Resorts. Reservations are strongly recommended, especially during summer and holidays.

• Zion Lodge – open year round
• Other lodging can be found in the surrounding communities

Campgrounds in Zion. Zion has three campgrounds. Two are on a first-come, first-served basis. To make reservations or for more information, call 1-800-365-2267.

• South Campground – Open April through October. First come first serve, no hookups, no showers. – $14.00 or $7.00 with a Golden Age/Access card.
• Watchman Campground -Open year-round – Tent: $14.00 or $7.00 with a Golden Age/Access card, Elec.: $16.00 night ($8.00 w/G. Age – Access) Group: $3.00 per/person, per/night, no showers.
• Lava Point – open June-October – No Fee, first-come, first-served, primitive campground with only 6 sites and no water. Lava Point is about 1 hour from main canyon of park.

Food and Supplies. Food service and groceries available in the park at Zion Lodge and in surrounding communities.

Recommended Activities. Drive through Zion Canyon and take advantage of all the short trails and overlooks. Stop at the visitor centers to learn more about the park. Enjoy the view of the canyon and from the canyon overlook shortly after the tunnel on Route 9. Take a little extra time and hop over to Kolob Canyons. Learn about the geology of the park at the visitor center and follow the road into the canyons where you will find the trail to on of the world’s longest arches, Kolob Arch.

Canyonlands National Park is located in southeastern Utah with the confluence of the Green and Colorado rivers located near the center of the park. The area had been promoted during the 1930s for inclusion into the park system as part of a much larger Escalante National Monument. However, that effort did not succeed, and in 1961 Utah Senator Frank Moss introduced legislation in the United States Senate calling for the establishment of Canyonlands National Park. After considerable opposition within the state, the legislation was passed and on 12 September 1964 President Lyndon Johnson signed the act making Canyonlands the thirty-second national park. The park is the largest of Utah’s five national parks, with a total of 337,258 acres. It is known for its rivers, canyons, mesas, pillars, standing rocks, grabens, and arches. All the rocks in Canyonlands are sedimentary.

Canyonlands was home to the Fremont people and the Anasazi. The Fremont people left records in the form of pictographs and petroglyphs in Horseshoe Canyon and Salt Canyon. The Anasazi built several granaries, like Keyhole Ruin, probably in the twelfth century. Ute and Navajo Indians subsequently occupied the canyons until the late 1800s. They were eventually pushed out of the area by cattlemen. In 1869 and 1871 John Wesley Powell explored the Green and Colorado rivers as they traveled through Canyonlands. Today, the park is divided into three districts, Island in the Sky, Needles, and Maze-Standing Rock.

Island in the Sky is the northernmost district. It is a high and extensive mesa located in the area between the Green and Colorado rivers. Some of the popular attractions in this area are Upheaval Dome, Shafer and White Rim Trails, Grand View Point, and Monument Canyon.

Needles, or the southern district, is the area east of the Colorado River. Angel Arch, Druid Arch, Paul Bunyans Potty, the Grabens, Elephant Hill, and Needles are common attractions. This area contains most of the artifacts from the Fremont people and the Anasazi in Salt, Davis, and Lavender Canyons.

The Maze-Standing Rocks District is located west of the Colorado River after its confluence with the Green River. This section is known for Elaterite Basin, Elaterite Butte, the Maze, Standing Rocks, the Doll House, the Fins, and Ernies Country.

The Canyonlands districts are not connected by inner roads. Visitors must leave the park to enter another district. In several areas, the park is not developed, and many of the sites can be seen only by hiking. Headquarters for the park is in Moab, with visitor centers located in each of the three districts.

Stephanie M. Kawamura

Established: September 1964 by Lyndon B. Johnson

Preservation: Committed to saving many endangered species both plant and animal alike.

Plant Species: Limited desert plant life

Animal Species: Limited endangered species

Hiking Trails: Several well rated hiking trails

VISITATION: Highest in spring and fall.

LOCATION: Southeast Utah

Address: Canyonlands National Park, 2282 S. West Resource Blvd., Moab, UT 84532-3298

Telephone: (435) 719-2313. Backcountry Reservations: (435) 259-4351

OPERATING HOURS, SEASONS: Visitor centers are open daily from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., with extended hours during spring and fall. Visitor centers are closed on some federal holidays.

CLIMATE, RECOMMENDED CLOTHING: The climate in Canyonlands is extremely dry. Most precipitation falls in early spring and late summer. Summer highs often exceed 100 Degrees Fahrenheit, with lows in the 60’s. Fall and Spring temperatures are milder, with highs in the 70’s and 80’s. Winter temperatures range from highs in the 40’s and 50’s to lows well below freezing.

DIRECTIONS: Canyonlands is divided into three land districts which are two to six hours apart by car.

Needles District: From U.S. 191, take Utah 211 west to the Needles.

Island in the Sky District: From US 191, take Utah 313 south to the Island.

Maze District: From Utah 24, take a graded dirt road east to the Hans Flat Ranger Station.

TRANSPORTATION: To Park: Commercial airlines serve Grand Junction, CO and Salt Lake City. From Salt Lake City, a commuter airline serves Moab. Nationwide bus service is available to Green River (fifty miles from Moab) and Crescent Junction (thirty miles away). Amtrak services Green River and Grand Junction, CO. Taxi and shuttle services can be arranged from these locations.

FEES, COSTS, RATES: Fees are $10 for private vehicles, $5 for individuals (good for seven days). Golden Age, Eagle, and Access passes are available and honored. Commercial Tours and Educational Groups fee information call (435) 719-2313.

FACILITIES AND OPPORTUNITIES:

Visitor Center/Exhibits
Island in the Sky District
The Island in the Sky Visitor Center is open 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. daily (except December 25th), with extended hours spring through fall. Exhibits, publications and information are available, and a park orientation video may be viewed. Bottled water is available for sale at the visitor center. No water is available elsewhere; bring all that you will need.

Maze District
The Hans Flat Ranger Station is open year-round from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. There is a small sales area with books and maps. There are no amenities like food or gas, no entrance fees and no potable water sources in the Maze District.

Needles District
The Needles District Visitor Center is open year-round from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (except December 25th), with extended hours March through October. Exhibits, publications and information are available, and a park orientation video may be viewed. Water is available.

Trails, Roads: Canyonlands has hundreds of miles of backcountry roads and trails. Backcountry permits are required for overnight use and are limited in number. Reservations are recommended.

Lodging: There is no lodging in Canyonlands National Park. Overnight accommodations are available in the nearby towns of Hanksville, Green River, Moab and Monticello.

Camping facilities:Individual camping sites for ten or fewer people are first-come, first-served.

Needles District: Squaw Flat Campground is an ideal base camp for day hikes to popular destinations like Chesler Park, Druid Arch and the Joint Trail. There are 26 sites available on a first-come, first-served basis. Bathrooms, fire grates, picnic tables, tent pads and water available year-round. Group size limit is 10 people and 2 vehicles. Maximum RV length is 28 feet. Fee is $10 per night. Squaw Flat typically fills every day from late March through June and again from early September to mid-October.

Island in the Sky District: Willow Flat Campground is a short walk from one of the finest sunset spots in the park: Green River Overlook. Twelve sites are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Sites include picnic tables, fire grates and vault toilets. No water. Maximum RV length is 28 feet. Group size limit is 10 people and 2 vehicles. Fee is $5 per night. Willow Flat typically fills every day from late March through June and again from early September to mid-October.

Group Campsites: The Needles District offers three campsites for groups of 11 or more people which may be reserved in advance. The Squaw Flat Group Site can hold up to 50 people and 10 vehicles. The Wooden Shoe Group Site can hold up to 25 people and 5 vehicles. The Split Top Group Site can hold up to 15 people and 3 vehicles. Nightly fees are $3 per person.

Food/supplies: There are no services within Canyonlands. Gas, food and other items are available in nearby towns.

Accessibility: At the Island in the Sky, visitors with mobility impairments can access the visitor center and restrooms, Buck Canyon Overlook and Grand View Point Overlook. In the Needles District, visitors with mobility impairments can access the visitor center and restrooms, Squaw Flat Campground and restrooms and Wooden Shoe Overlook. Other points of interest are accessible with some assistance.

RECOMMENDED ACTIVITIES/PARK USE: Canyonlands is primarily a backcountry destination. Visitors come to the park for sightseeing, hiking, camping, mountain biking, four-wheel driving, and river running. Each district retains its own character and offers different opportunities for exploration. The Island in the Sky offers expansive views from many overlooks, short hiking trails, and is the easiest to visit in a short period of time. The Needles offers more of a backcountry experience, requiring some hiking or four-wheel driving to see the area’s attractions. The Maze is entirely a backcountry area which requires a good deal of hiking and/or four-wheel driving over rough terrain and considerably more time to visit.

Geologic processes have played the most important part in shaping the desert ecosystem of Canyonlands. The arid climate and sparse vegetation allow the exposure of large expanses of bare rock, while the deep canyons of the Colorado and Green Rivers reveal 300 million years of geologic history.

The Evolution of Canyons
Canyonlands is located within a geologic region called the Colorado Plateau. For millions of years, water and wind deposited materials from a variety of environments onto what is now the Colorado Plateau. The area was repeatedly flooded and then dried by intense sun and wind, and the remains of these ancient seas and deserts were slowly compressed into layers of sedimentary rock. Massive geologic uplifts to the east and north brought torrents of mountain rain and snowmelt, carving the deeply incised river channels of the Green and Colorado rivers. Water from nearby mountain ranges like the Abajos, La Sals, and Henrys drains into these rivers, eroding the landscape further into a network of tributary canyons.

Other Formations
Most of the rock stata around Canyonlands are flat. However, massive folds and faults in the land resulted from a thick layer of salt that shifted under the weight of the overlying sandstone. In many places, this movement caused the surface rock to fracture or collapse downward, forming “synclines” and “anticlines” (see glossary). Over time, flash floods and the action of water freezing and thawing enlarged these fractures and eroded the sandstone features into the landscape seen today.

Canyonlands Cliff Profile
Many cliffs in the Canyonlands basin show classic profiles which can be seen throughout the southwest. The layers were formed out of a variety of materials during different periods of geologic time. When and how the layers were deposited has great bearing on how they look today. The layers are listed here in descending order (going back in time). See: Cliff Profile

Desert Varnish
Desert varnish is the thin red to black coating found on exposed rock surfaces in arid regions. Varnish is composed of clay minerals, oxides and hydroxides of manganese and/or iron, as well as other particles such as sand grains and trace elements. The distinctive elements are Manganese (Mn) and Iron (Fe). See: Desert Varnish

The Needles
About ten million years ago, the Colorado Plateau was pushed up thousands of feet and rivers, such as the Colorado and the Green, cut down and carved deep canyons. Water, the primary force of erosion, eats away or weathers rock by attacking the cement holding the sand grains together. Moreover, during storms, rushing water knocks loose sand and rocks as it flows down washes causing additional erosion. The water naturally acts faster on areas of weakness within the rock, such as fractures and cracks. The Needles occur in an area with many fractures called joints.
See: Needles

Upheaval Dome
Canyonlands is a place of relative geologic order. Layers of sedimentary deposits systematically record chapters in the park’s past. With some exceptions, these layers have not been altered, tilted or folded significantly in the millions of years since they were laid down by ancient seas rivers or winds.
See: Upheaval Dome

The female northern bald eagle is larger than the male, averaging 10 to 14 pounds. Males generally weigh 8 to 10 1/2 pounds. The size difference allows the pair to exploit different size prey. The bald eagle stands 2 1/2 to 3 feet tall with an impressive 6 l/2 to 7 1/2-foot wingspan. Their keen eyesight is eight times more powerful than a human’s. The bright yellow feet of adults are strong, unfeathered and equipped with long, sharp, black talons for penetrating and grasping prey. The powerful, bright yellow, hooked bill is used for tearing and dismembering prey. The adult bald eagle is unmistakable, its white head and tail contrasting sharply with its dark body. However, a bald eagle in its first four years of life is predominantly dark brown with varying amounts of white, especially on its undersurface, and immature bald eagles are often mistaken for golden eagles (Aquila chrysaetos).

Mule Deer Desert mule deer, also known as “black-tail deer”, are found in rugged, desert regions of western North America, including the Texas Panhandle and western portions of the state. They are closely related to the Rocky Mountain subspecies, which inhabits mountainous wooded areas. Distinctive features of mule deer are a black-tipped tail, white rump patch, and erect, nine-inch-long ears. Their hide is rusty brown in the summer, and gray in winter, with white undersides year-round.

Bighorn Sheep largest and best-known wild sheep of the North American continent, also called Rocky Mountain sheep. Bighorn sheep have large, curved horns, which may take more than one turn. Their coat is long, full, and coarse. Except during the short mating season, bighorns generally divide into separate male and female herds. They leap at great speed; grip slippery surfaces with shock-absorbing, elastic padded feet; and have acute senses of sight, smell, and hearing.

Western Rattlesnake Western Diamondbacks can attain a length of seven feet, but the average size is between three and four feet. The rattle is the most distinguishing feature of the snake, and is a horny section at the end of the tail, which serves to scare off intruders. After each molt, the rattle of the snake will gain a new section in the rattle. However, adequate information about the age of the rattlesnake cannot be determined by counting the sections of the rattle, as it may have been broken or the snake may have shed more than once a year.

There are extensive hiking trails in the park, providing opportunities for short walks, half or full-day hikes, or week-long backpacking trips. See district descriptions and maps for more details. Lack of water is a limiting factor, and hikers may have to carry their own supply. Pets are not allowed on hiking trails. Permits are required for all overnight trips, and advance reservations are recommended. No permit is required for day hiking.

The park is broken up into three different districts. Each one has it own unique features.

Island in the Sky has the most trails that are readily available for visitors. There are several hikes in the Island in the Sky, which have several degrees of difficulties. For more trails see the visitors center.

Mesa Arch Loop Trail
• Trail description: loose rock
• Estimated time: 1/2 mile, 30 min round trip
• Level of difficulty: easy
This hike takes you through the La Sal Mountains showing hikers the beauty of the mountain pinon and juniper woodland.

Upheaval Dome Overlook Trail
• Trail description: loose rocks, steep inclines
• Estimated time: 1 mile, 45 min. round trip
• Level of difficulty: medium
This trail offers a look at, what some geologists believe, to be the most abnormal geological feature in the world.

Grand View Trail
• Trail description: next to the rim of a cliff
• Estimated time: 2 miles, 1 1/2 round trip
• Level of difficulty: easy
One of the most popular hikes because of the awesome view from the Grand View Overlook.

Neck Spring Loop Trail
• Trail description: Sandy
• Estimated time: 5 miles, 2-4 hours round trip
• Level of difficulty: medium
This trail is offers a wonderful view of the Canyonlands.

Canyonlands Needles. Most of this part of the park is reachable only by foot, amazing since this is the most developed part of the park. For more trails see the visitors center.

Cave Spring
• Trail description: slickrock
• Estimated time: 6 miles, 45 minute round trip
• Level of difficulty: easy
Amazing remnants of the 1800’s cowboy line camp and some fascinating plant life.

Slickrock Foot Trail
• Trail description: deep sand and slickrock
• Estimated time: 2-4 miles, 2-3 hours round trip
• Level of difficulty: medium
Long panoramic view of the park

Angel Arch Backcountry Trail
• Trail description: hard surface
• Estimated time: Little over a mile, 30 minutes round trip
• Level of difficulty: easy
This trail leads to the symbol of Canyonlands, Angel Arch.

Confluence Overlook
• Trail description: wide open with little tree cover
• Estimated time: 5.5 miles, 4-6 hours round trip
• Level of difficulty: medium
Shows an awesome view of the confluence of the Green and Colorado River

Canyonlands Maze. This part of the park is only accessible by four wheel drive roads and hiking trails making this the most natural of the areas in the park. For more trails see the visitors center.

Colorado / Green River Overlook Trail
• Trail description: slickrock
• Estimated time: 5 miles
• Level of difficulty: easy
Amazing scenery of the Standing Rock.

Spanish Bottoms Trail
• Trail description: no trees and has a steep upgrade
• Estimated time: little over a mile
• Level of difficulty: medium
Takes you to Standing Rocks just above the Cataract Canyon.

Horseshoe Canyon
• Trail description: Offers rock art from 2000 years ago
• Estimated time: 6 1/2 miles, 1 day
• Level of difficulty: easy
Horseshoe is a separate trail from canyonlands.

North Trail Canyon
• Trail description: Steep
• Estimated time: 14 miles, all day
• Level of difficulty: medium
At the pinnacle of this hike you get to see the harvest scene when you pass through the White Rim pillars.

Safety Concerns. Fragile desert plants and soils are damaged easily by off-road hiking and riding. Please do not disturb the black crusts on top of the soil. These ‘cryptobiotic crusts’ are living plants and protect the desert from erosion. Leave your bike along the road while hiking to viewpoints. Do not ride off-road to avoid sand or mud.

Mountain bike riding in a national park requires extra care to protect you and the natural and cultural features. All routes are on existing unpaved and four wheel drive roads. Riding on foot trails, closed roads or cross-country is prohibited. Pets may not accompany bicycles. Up-to-date information on weather, water availability and road conditions can mean the difference between life and death. Stop at a visitor center, ranger station or park office for current information.