How long does Canyonlands Scenic Drive take?

The time it takes to drive through the Island in the Sky in Canyonlands will depend on how many stops you take. There's a Scenic Drive that runs from one end of the mesa to the other, about 25 miles, so you can drive to the end and all the way back in a little over two hours.



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The distance from Canyonlands to Arches is only 27 miles, around 30 minutes of a drive. That is why it is so easy to combine both national parks in one day.

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Over 330,000 acres are filled with arches, buttes, mesas, canyons, hiking trails, dirt roads, campgrounds, and overlooks. It would take days, weeks even, to fully explore all that Canyonlands has to offer. However, if you only have one day in Canyonlands, you have just enough time to visit the highlights.

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Half a Day: In addition to enjoying the scenic drive, hikers can explore the Slickrock Trail or walk to the edge of Chesler Park for a closer look at The Needles. Visitors with four-wheel-drive vehicles might consider driving to the Colorado River Overlook. Spend some time at the visitor center learning about the area.

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Ideally, you need at least two days in Canyonlands National Park. With two days, you can visit both Island in the Sky and The Needles. Each additional day you add gives you more time for some epic adventures, such as the White Rim Road, white water rafting, backpacking in The Needles, or exploring The Maze.

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If you only want to see a few highlights in each park, then yes, one day in Arches and Canyonlands is enough time. For a better experience, add one more day to your itinerary, so you can spend one full day in Arches and one full day in Canyonlands.

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You can still visit the short (and gorgeous) hikes in Canyonlands if you don't have time or don't want to do a more difficult/longer day hike. We preferred Canyonlands due to the longer trails and much fewer people. But if you're looking for shorter trails and lots of arches, Arches might be your better bet.

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Canyonlands in Moab, Utah, has some great views and some very pretty overlooks, but unless you are spending some time driving the off-road trails or camping on the White Rim Road, the typical person would probably spend half as much time in Canyonlands than in Arches.

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Timed entry reservations are not required to enter the park. You can make reservations for day-use, overnight, and river permits and for group campsites at The Needles.

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ISLAND IN THE SKY, CANYONLANDS: The Island in the Sky district is the most popular area of Canyonlands to visit.

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The best times to see most wildlife are early and late in the day, especially in the summer, when the midday sun drives all Canyonlands residents to search for shade.

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Island in the Sky is the most visited and accessible district, offering expansive views from many overlooks along the paved scenic drive. You can park and view a variety of scenic wonders from the vista points without hiking. The most popular site in the park is Mesa Arch.

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Timed entry reservations are not required to enter Canyonlands National Park. The park is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, except in cases of severe weather.

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If you're looking for wide-open scenery, Bryce has some but Canyonlands is probably the better bet. The views from Dead Horse Point State Park, right next to Canyonlands, are unbelievable. my personal favorite is canyonlands thats based on the hiking selections. for the driveby bryce and arches you can see a lot.

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Does Canyonlands get crowded? With over half a million visitors per year, it's less crowded in Canyonlands National Park than in the major parks. Most visitors come here in April/May and September/October. During these peak months, the popular spots might be busy.

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Two days in Arches is ideal though and would give you enough time to explore the Fiery Furnace on the ranger-led hike and do a few more of the longer hikes. One day is really all you need at the Island in the Sky district of Canyonlands National Park if you're sticking to the overlooks and shorter trails.

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Yes, you may enter the park before 7 am or after 4 pm. Because entrance lines into the park may vary, we suggest arriving at 6:30 am or earlier.

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Annual Entrance - Park Admits one (1) private, non-commercial vehicle or its pass holder to Arches and Canyonlands national parks, and Natural Bridges and Hovenweep national monuments.

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Four-wheel-drive vehicles, motorbikes, and bicycles are allowed in The Maze. Your vehicle must have high-clearance, four-wheel drive (low range) in The Maze. ATVs, UTVs, and OHVs are prohibited. We do not recommend trailers due to the severity of the road and the likelihood of damage to trailers and park resources.

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There's really no way to say which part of Canyonlands National Park is the best, but we'd recommend that first-time visitors start with the Island in the Sky before heading to the Needles. The Island in the Sky has more impressive vistas and easier trails, and it's closer to Moab so you can get there a little faster.

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