Canyonlands National Park, Utah

The Needles District of Canyonlands receives 6 times as many backpackers as its more popular neighbor across the Colorado River, Island in the Sky. The Needles has an excellent trail network that is incredibly diverse, featuring amazing rock features as well as grassy meadows and savannahs.  Whil...

...If you're in the MOAB area, this is an arch that's definitely worth checking out! This arch probably doesn't get the recognition that it deserves, mainly due to number of arches that are in the town of MOAB and inside Arches & Canyonlands National Park.  The hike itself was fairly easy, ...

Wilson Arch is a common stop for people visiting the local national parks and Moab, but with some general climbing knowledge and gear you can make this into a longer outing.  If coming from Moab, the arch is obvious on your left about 25 miles south.  There is ample parking on both sides of the r...

To get to Wilson Arch, drive south of Moab on US-191 S for about 25 miles. The arch is right off US-191S and there is parking on either side of the highway. Keep an eye out after you pass the LaSal Junction - the arch is visible from the road.From the parking lot there is a a very short (~0.5 mil...

The Halfway Stage Station is a ruin site that is located off of Mill Canyon rd. This station served as the half way mark between Moab and Thompson which is where the train station was. It was 35 miles between Moab and Thomson so travelers would stop for lunch on there way to or from Thompson. The...

Starting from the trailhead north of Moab on Dalton Wells Rd. Follow the Copper Ridge 4x4 road until you see the signs for the start of the Sovereign Trail. It starts with a steep uphill, but once you crest the top of the hill you are rewarded with a beautiful view of the La Sals and surrounding ...

This short trail is located off Mill Canyon rd about 15 minutes north of Moab.  A short walk from the parking area leads to an established interpretive trail with signage of where to look for the fossils and a description of what type of dinosaur they belong to. Several different types of dinosau...

The Monitor-Merrimac Trail is a scenic beginner level mountain bike trail in Moab, UT. It is located on BLM Land (Bureau of Land Management), so it is free to use year round. The trail is a 5.5 mile loop and has about 630’ of elevation gain. The Monitor-Merrimac Trail is slickrock for the majo...

I'm always find dinosaur tracks fascinating. Willow Springs has a few cool tracks not as defined as others but definitely noticeable. There is also an interpretive sign describing the tracks installed by the Bureau of Land Management. To find the tracks, drive north on 191. Over the Colorado Rive...

Drinks Canyon Camping Area is located just 6 miles up the Colorado River on Hwy 191 from Moab. This BLM managed campsite has 17 sites that are all first-come, first served. Just a short drive from Arches National Park, Canyonlands National Park, Fisher Towers, and the surrounding BLM land, Drinks...

After leaving Moab, turn off Highway 191 on to 211. The drive will wind over the mesa tops and down into red rock canyon country. Enjoy the changing seasons whether the red cliffs are covered in snow or spring desert flowers are blooming.Watch for cattle as this is open range country. Also watch ...

This a classic Moab area campground. Although you'll have neighbors nearby and a highway next to the site, it feels very secluded and quiet. You can sunbath on the sand and take a dip in the river to cool off/wash up everyday. It doesn't get much better than that. This is first-come, first-serve ...

Balanced rock is a short loop and can be done in a short amount of time. You can spend a few minutes walking around the rock and snap a few pictures with your family. Make sure to stay on the well marked trail in order to preserve the environment.

This campground has three different campsites. All the sites are made for larger groups, so there has to be a minimum number of people to reserve a site. Site A is the largest, with the maximum capacity of 40 people. Site B fits 20 people and site C fits about 30 people. All the sites are non-ele...

To get to the trailhead: After entering the park, keep driving along the main road until you see signs for The Windows Area (just past the Balanced Rock and a little over 9 miles from the Visitor Center).  Follow this road until it ends in a parking lot and you see the arches to your right. The ...

The hike to Double Arch is a relatively flat and easy hike of 0.5 miles roundtrip. You can add this to the rest of the quick spots you may want to visit on your visit to Arches.This arch is created by two arches that shares the same stone as the foundation for their outer legs. This arch was form...