Canyonlands National Park, Utah:

In and around the town of Moab, Utah, there are a slew of National Parks, B.L.M. (Bureau of Land Management) Recreation areas, and National Forest lands that invite exploration by adventure-seekers from all over the world. Curious rock formations and spectacular red rock canyons dominate this phenomenal section of the Colorado Plateau. Much of what makes the Colorado Plateau distinctive can be found in the Moab region where the Colorado river and its tributaries have scultpted some bizarre and otherworldly landscapes.

Places like Canyonlands National Park, and Dead Horse Point State Park comprise a red rock wilderness where water, wind, and time have eroded the stone into endless permutations of varying shapes. In Canyonlands National Park, backcountry trails lead hikers into maze-like canyons where having a compass and topo map is a prerequisite for survival. This park is a bewildering universe of standing rock, tortured gullies, eroded mesas, and raised benchlands.

Dead Horse Point State Park provides visitors with one of the classic southwestern expanses, where the artistic and intricately detailed contours of Canyonlands National Park are revealed in all their glory. From first-rate hiking and mountain biking to float trips on the Colorado river and gorgeous scenic drives, the Moab region of Utah is an exquisitely rare paradise that exhibits some of Mother Nature's finest artwork.

Recommended Day Hikes:
Elephant Canyon/Druid Arch Trail - Canyonlands National Park
Round Trip Length: 11.0 miles
Trailhead location: Elephant Hill trailhead (located in the Needles district)
Level of Difficulty: Moderate
Attractions: The attractions found along this hike include Druid Arch, Elephant Canyon, and numerous large red and orange sandstone spires

Grand View Point Trail - Canyonlands National Park
Round Trip Length: 2.0 miles
Trailhead location: Grandview Point (located in the Island in the Sky district)
Level of Difficulty: Easy
Attractions: Awesome views of the scooped out canyon structure known as Monument Basin and other remote areas of the park

Mesa Arch - Canyonlands National Park
Round Trip Length: about 0.5 miles
Trailhead location: Mesa Arch parking area (located in the Island in the Sky district) Dwellings National Monument parking lot where the trailhead is located.
Level of Difficulty: Easy
Attractions: Robust pinyon-juniper woodland; natural arch formation which frames a ragged canyon below and the La Sal mountains in the distance

Recommended Points of Interest:
Dead Horse Point State Park; Mesa Arch (located in the Island in the Sky District); Grand View Point Overlook (located in the Island in the Sky District); Upheaval Dome (located in the Island in the Sky District); Needles Overlook (located on a spur road off Utah 191); Horsheshoe District of Canyonlands National Park for superlative pre-historic rock art; The Maze District (requires excellent routefinding skills, maps, and a high-clearance, 4-wheel drive vehicle)

Helpful travel tips and observations
Weather out here can be unpredictable. I once got caught in a flash flood while hiking in Canyonlands National Park and such conditions can easily turn lethal. If you see storm clouds approach, try and get back to your vehicle. To get away from the crowds, look into hiking one of the many scenic trails within Bureau of Land Management recreation areas: http://www.blm.gov/utah/moab/hiking.html

URL to article: http://www.northamericanparks.com/canyonlands.asp