Island in the Sky (Willow Flat) Campground

• All sites are first-come, first-served. We do not take reservations. Campsites fill most days spring through fall.

The Needles Campground

• You may book individual campsites in Loop B up to six months in advance for nights between March 15 and November 15. Make reservations online here or by calling Recreation.gov at 1-877-444-6777. Loop A is available first come, first served only. Group sites are open March 15 through November 15. You may reserve these sites up to six months in advance. Group sites are closed in winter.

The Needles District Group Campsites

• You may book group campsites up to six months in advance throughout the season: March 15 – November 15.

Alcove Spring Trail

After descending 1,400 ft (4276 m) past a large alcove, the trail meanders in a wide canyon to the base of the notable Moses and Zeus towers.  

Aztec Butte Trail

This trail climbs two sandstone buttes to outstanding views and stone granaries built by Indigenous people centuries ago.

Aztec Butte: The Value of Storage

Big Spring Canyon Overlook and Trailhead

Big Spring rests at the end of the Needles Park Road. From the overlook, unique rock spires and multi-colored sandstone benches line the bend in the canyon. The presence of the spring allows trees and plants to flourish in the spring and summer months.

Big Spring Canyon Overlook: Protecting Wilderness

• A slanted informational sign stands at the end of a paved road. In the distance, a landscape of varying geological formations appears to be endless as it moves towards the horizon. Desert plants line the landscape, displaying various shades of brown and green. The left side of the sign displays an aerial image of the canyon before you. A sunset paints the horizon of the picture with shades of yellow, orange, red, and pink. To the right of the image is informational text about the wilderness.

Big Spring Canyon to Elephant Canyon Loop Trail

This loop features extended hiking on slickrock benches and mesa tops overlooking canyons. Excellent views of sheer cliff walls and other rock formations. Must climb two ladders.

Big Spring Canyon to Wooden Shoe Canyon Loop Trail

A great introduction to the landscape of The Needles, this route connects two canyons for a loop across varied terrain.

Buck Canyon Overlook

From a paved overlook at 6,240 feet (1,902 m) in elevation, enjoy sweeping vistas to the west and across the Colorado River canyon. 

Buck Canyon: Tracks in the Canyon

Campground Amphitheatre: Discover the Night

• A slanted informational sign stands to next to a gravel trail. The end of the gravel trail leads to a small outdoor amphitheater where seasonal programs are given. On the horizon jagged rock formations tower above fields of green and brown grasses and shrubs. The left side of the sign displays a vibrant image of the milky way shining brilliant shades of blue, white, purple, and red. A silhouette of The Needles formations are located below the stary sky. A quote is printed across the bottom right corner of the image. Informational text is displayed to the right of the image.

Candlestick Tower Overlook

From this small roadside pullout, you can see sweeping views of Canyonlands and several prominent rock features, once of which, resembles a group of candlesticks.

Canyonlands' Cave Spring Trail

Water is scarce in this desert. From this trailhead, hike a short, 0.6-mile (1 km) loop leading to a historic cowboy camp and prehistoric rock markings, all made possible by a small but essential natural spring.

Cave Spring: Water to Live By

• A slanted informational sign stands beneath a low hanging rock alcove. Smoke residue and historical rock images line the formation walls, while a small seep of water flows from the rock. Green plants and mosses grow around the seep. The top half of the sign contains text, with three diagrams positioned horizontally below. Text is displayed below each diagram. The diagram on the left labeled "1," depicts the inner layers of sandstone with small streams of water moving their way downwards. The diagram in the middle is labeled "2" and depicts the same sandstone diagram, now significantly eroded inward on the right side as water flows horizontally outward. The diagram on the right is labeled "3" and depicts further erosion to the sample sandstone, now representing the modern state of the surrounding alcove.

Chesler Park Loop and Joint Trail

This trail provides many great panoramas of the Needles formations. The Joint Trail winds through deep, narrow fractures in the rock.

Chesler Park Viewpoint Trail

This popular trail leads to a pass overlooking a scenic expanse of desert grasses and shrubs surrounded by sandstone spires. 

Colorado River Overlook

This overlook is 7 miles down a rugged, unpaved road. You must have a high-clearance, four-wheel-drive vehicle or mountain bike. No permit required; no camping allowed.

Confluence Overlook Trail

Unlike other Needles hikes, this trail traverses dry, open country along the northern edge of the geologic faults that shaped the Needles. The trail ends at a cliff overlooking the junction of the Green and Colorado rivers 1,000 ft (304 m) below.

Druid Arch Trail

This trail offers one of the most spectacular views in The Needles. It follows the first part of the Chesler Park trail, then branches off to travel along the bottom of Elephant Canyon through deep sand and loose rock. The last 1.25 mile at the upper end is steep with one ladder and some scrambling.

Elephant Hill Access Road: The Needles

• A slanted informational sign stands next to a gravel road. In the distance spires of red and white sandstone line the horizon as the landscape falls into deep canyons. Desert plants fill out the landscape in flashes of green and brown. The sign displays an image of the surrounding landscape in the top right corner, next to a segment of informational text. Below the image and text are three diagrams depicting the formation of the spire formations known as "The Needles." The diagram on the left, labeled "1" depicts a segmented, cubical block of partially eroded sandstone. The diagram in the middle, labeled "2" depicts this same block now further eroded, with each segment gaining more definition from the others. The diagram on the right, labeled "3" depicts the final stage of erosion with the once rectangular segmented pieces now forming the jagged spires called "The Needles."

Fort Bottom Trail

Fort Bottom Ruin is an ancient stone structure overlooking the Green River, built by Indigenous inhabitants of the Canyonlands area centuries ago. It is only reachable from the 4WD White Rim Road (permit required).

Gooseberry Trail

The steepest trail in this district of Canyonlands, Gooseberry descends over a thousand feet of scree slopes and switchbacks across sheer cliffs.

Gooseneck Overlook Trail

This short walk from the 4WD White Rim Road (permit required) ends abruptly at an overlook of a meandering gooseneck bend in the Colorado River.

Grand View Point Overlook and Trail

Grand View Point offers a spectacular view of the Canyonlands area. From this panoramic viewpoint at 6,080 feet elevation, you can see distant mountains, canyons, basins, and the four-wheel-drive White Rim Road far below. A short trail leads to even more views.

Grand View Point: Carving the Canyons

Grand View Point: Grand View Point Overlook

Green River Overlook

Best mesa-top view of the Green River far below. Can be lovely for sunset.

Green River Overlook: Green River Overlook

Green River Overlook: What Shall We Find?

Horseshoe Canyon

Horseshoe Canyon contains some of the most significant pictographs in North America. The Great Gallery, the best-known panel in Horseshoe Canyon, includes well-preserved, life-sized figures with intricate designs. Other impressive sights include spring wildflowers, sheer sandstone walls, and mature cottonwood groves along the intermittent stream in the canyon bottom. Horseshoe Canyon was added to Canyonlands National Park in 1971.

Island in the Sky Entrance Station

Island in the Sky Visitor Center: There's Something in the Air

Lathrop Trail

The Lathrop Trail crosses a wide grassland on the mesa top, enjoys views of Colorado River, then descends into the canyon below. For a moderate trail option, hikers often turn around at the canyon rim. Continuing down to the White Rim Road means a strenuous hike back out.

Mesa Arch Trail

Short hike to a natural stone arch perched at the mesa's edge, framing views of La Sal Mountains and the canyon below.

Mesa Arch: Keeping it Together

Mormon Pioneer National Heritage Area

The Mormon Pioneer National Heritage Area preserves the natural, historical, and cultural heritage legacies and contributions of Mormon settlement in the West. The heritage area accomplishes this through community-led efforts to connect with the past by telling the Mormon pioneer story.

• This heritage area landscape is distinguished by its rugged terrain, diverse rock features and geology, and unique small communities connected along Highway 89. There is a variety of geological and geographical features, such as rocky terrain, red cliffs, forests, and rivers.The Colorado River (including its tributaries), wind, and rain have physically shaped this region, which helped to create its canyons, arches, and gullies. Also of interest are Native American sites and cliff drawings, highlighting the years before settlement of Mormon Pioneers.

Moses and Zeus Towers Trail

Moses and Zeus are two prominent towers overlooking Taylor Canyon. This trail leads to their base. Reaching this trail requires a hike down Alcove Spring Trail (11.2 mi/18.3 km roundtrip) or a permit to drive the 4WD White Rim Road.

Murphy Loop Trail

A great full-day hike with 1,400 feet (440 m) elevation change, the Murphy Loop Trail offers outstanding views from atop the Murphy Hogback and White Rim Road.

Murphy Point Trail

This mostly level hike leads past a historic corral on the mesa top. The trail ends with panoramic views of Candlestick Tower, the Green River, and the White Rim Road.

Neck Spring Trail

A walk back in time, this loop trail passes historic ranching features and two springs where cowboys watered cattle.

Orange Cliffs Overlook

Enjoy panoramic views across the canyon of the Green River to the dazzling sandstone cliffs of the aptly named Orange Cliffs unit of Glen Canyon Recreation Area.

Orange Cliffs Overlook: Protecting Wilderness

Peekaboo Trail

Steep slopes and nearby cliff edges make this a challenging route. Two ladders must be climbed.

Pets in Canyonlands

Pets and owners have a special bond, but a national park is not always the best place for pets. Canyonlands National Park is a designated natural area, and its purpose is to preserve and protect the park's natural environment, cultural resources, wildlife, and scenic beauty.

Pothole Point Trail

This short loop trail (0.6 mi/1 km) crosses sandstone dimpled with pockets called potholes, which may be filled with surprising aquatic life.

Scenic Drive Picnic Area: Life in the Balance

• A slanted informational sign stands next to a shaded picnic structure. Behind the sign is a rolling landscape of slickrock, desert shrubbery, and red sand. The vegetation provides flashes of greens and browns to the red rock. The top of the sign displays informational text about the fragility of the desert ecosystem. Below the text are three images, aligned horizontally, accompanied by text below each one. The image on the left depicts pools of water atop the slickrock environment that has some trees lining the edge of the photo. The image in the middle depicts a closeup view of a tadpole shrimp swimming in water. The creature is magnified in the picture and reveals a hard exoskeleton with an elongated tail. The image on the right depicts a bare rock landscape with patches of lumpy, black soil crust creating ripples on the surface.

Shafer Canyon Overlook: Anatomy of a Canyon

Shafer Canyon Overlook: Dropping into the Canyons

Shafer Trail Viewpoint

The Shafer Trail Viewpoint at Island in the Sky provides an incredible view of this iconic road that descends 1,500 feet (457 m) down colorful sandstone walls to the canyon basin.

Slickrock Trail

This trail features expansive 360-degree views into Big Spring Canyon and Little Spring Canyon, with the La Sal Mountains and Abajo Mountains in the background. Geology guide available at trailhead. 

Slickrock: Keeping it Together

• A slanted informational sign stands next to paved parking area. Behind the sign is a rolling landscape of slickrock, desert shrubbery, and red sand. Plants that line the landscape add various shades of green and brown to the surrounding red rock. The left side of the sign depicts a large image of a biological soil crust specimen. The specimen has a lumpy surface with colorful algae, lichen, and fungi growing on the surface. An overlaying image in the bottom left corner of the larger image depicts young soil, which is primarily monochromatic and relatively smooth. Text is written below this smaller image. The right side of the sign displays printed text about the soil crust.

Canyonlands Backcountry Office

• Canyonlands Backcountry Office
• The central backcountry office is located at park administrative offices south of Moab. Rangers can answer questions about backcountry travel over phone or email and issue permits online.

Hans Flat Ranger Station

• Hans Flat Ranger Station
• The remote Hans Flat (Maze) Ranger Station is normally open daily year-round. This ranger contact station has a picnic table and vault toilet, and a small selection of books and maps for sale. There are no services, food, gas, trash collection, electricity for visitor use, nor potable water in The Maze. The nearest communities with amenities are Hanksville (68 miles) and Green River (86 miles).

Island in the Sky Visitor Center

• Island in the Sky Visitor Center
• The Island in the Sky Visitor Center offers exhibits, book & map sales, park orientation film, backcountry permits, general information, vault toilets, and park rangers on duty. You can get drinking water inside (during open hours) or outside (24 hours a day) during summer and fall. Water is only available inside (during open hours) in winter.

The Needles Visitor Center

• The Needles Visitor Center
• The Needles Visitor Center normally offers exhibits, book & map sales, backcountry permits, information, picnic area, and park rangers on duty. The park orientation movie (15 minutes) is available on demand. Water is available year-round. When the visitor center is closed in winter, you must self-register for backcountry permits outside the visitor center entrance.

• Stargazing Events in Southeast Utah
• Rangers occasionally lead stargazing programs and events at parks throughout southeast Utah. Learn about what to expect and check out a schedule of stargazing events at Arches and Canyonlands national parks and Hovenweep and Natural Bridges national monuments. Even when formal programs are not offered, people are welcome to enjoy the parks after dark on their own.

• Rock Climbing at Canyonlands
• The sandstone towers at the Island in the Sky attract the most rock climbers. We do not see many climbers in the rest of the park due to the poor rock quality and a lack of established routes.

• Canyonlands Junior Ranger Program
• There are a few ways to become a junior ranger at Canyonlands. Free junior ranger booklets are available at park visitor centers, or you can download them from the park website. Filled with fun activities, these books reveal the wonders of Canyonlands to kids and parents alike. After completing certain exercises, you can earn a junior ranger badge and signed certificate.

• Hiking at Canyonlands
• Canyonlands has hundreds of miles of hiking trails which explore the park’s natural and cultural features. Both Island in the Sky and The Needles provide ample opportunities for short walks, day hikes and backpacking trips. Due to its remoteness, The Maze is primarily a backpacking destination.

• Backcountry Camping in Canyonlands
• What better way to connect with this wilderness of countless canyons than on foot? Canyonlands offers hundreds of miles of hiking trails with designated campsites for overnight backcountry travel.

• Experience the Shafer Trail
• The Shafer Trail is a challenging, unpaved backcountry road for recreational users seeking the experience of a lifetime. High-clearance 4WD vehicles with a low range gear (4LO) are required. ATVs, OHVs, or UTVs are not permitted inside the park.

• Boating in Canyonlands
• The Colorado and Green rivers have played a significant role in shaping the landscape of Canyonlands. Boating is a great way to see the park from the bottom up, and affords boaters a unique perspective.

• Auto Touring in Canyonlands
• There are hundreds of miles of unpaved roads in Canyonlands, providing access to various campsites, trailheads, and viewpoints in the park's backcountry. Most roads require high-clearance, low range four-wheel-drive. Roads range in difficulty from intermediate to extremely technical. Research your route thoroughly before attempting these roads.

2 Hours in Island in the Sky

Want to make the most out of your 2 hours in the park? Visit Grand View Point and Green River Overlook, and hike the 0.5-mile-loop nature trail to Mesa Arch.

2 Hours in The Needles

Looking to make the most of two hours in the park? Start at the Needles Visitor Center to watch the park orientation film and grab a map from one of our friendly rangers. Hike one or two of the short interpretive trails, like Stone Storehouse or Pothole Point, stop by Wooden Shoe Arch Overlook, then drive to Big Spring Canyon Overlook to enjoy the view.

4 Hours in the Needles

Want to make the most of four hours in the park, but not sure if you want to commit to a backcountry hike? The Needles District offers beautiful front country opportunities that allow for an excellent experience! Start at the Needles Visitor Center to watch the park orientation film, then explore the park's four front country hikes and beautiful overlooks for a truly memorable visit. (Note: Vehicles longer than 21ft in length are not permitted on the Cave Spring or Elephant Hill Access Roads)

Explore Human History

Dive into Canyonlands history with visits to historic mining camps, archeological sites and museum exhibits. This tour includes stops in the Needles and Island in the Sky districts, with a bonus stop at Horseshoe Canyon in the Maze District. You can visit a few stops in one afternoon, or complete the full tour in several days. Remember, archeological sites are fragile, irreplaceable resources. Never touch rock markings, leave all artifacts where you find them, and watch your step to avoid damage to sites.