Canyonlands National Park, near Moab, Utah

 

Dramatically eroded from 527 square miles of colorful southeastern Utah sandstone by the Colorado and Green Rivers, rugged and remote Canyonlands is a geologic wonder. The park is sliced into four districts, of which the Island in the Sky, an elevated mesa, is the most accessible – you can view the canyon floor 2,200 feet below through Mesa Arch, or gaze into Upheaval Dome from atop kid-friendly Whale Rock. How you explore the rest of this rugged park – by foot, mountain bike, or raft – will be determined by your stamina and sense of adventure. WHERE: The Island in the Sky district is 35 miles southwest of Moab via U.S. 191 and State 313. WHEN: Open year-round; the weather is best in spring and fall. COST: $10 per vehicle. SERVICES: There’s a visitor center in the Island in the Sky district (435/259-4712). Limited camping on a first-come, first-served basis at Willow Flat ($5). Nearby Moab has a full range of motels and eateries; contact the Grand County Travel Council (800/635-6622 or www.discovermoab.com). ACTIVITIES: The easy 1/2-mile round-trip hike to Mesa Arch, located on the eastern lip of the mesa, begins 6 miles south of the Island in the Sky visitor center. Bulbous Whale Rock – a towering sandstone formation longer than a football field that kids can scamper across – and its 1/2-mile access trail are a 5-mile drive west of the Mesa Arch parking lot. CONTACT: (435) 719-2100 or www.nps.gov/cany.