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Canyonlands National Park

Utah · Established September 12, 1964

A wilderness of mesas, needles and mazes where the Green meets the Colorado

Area: 337,598 acres
Established: September 12, 1964
Recreation visits: 796,057 / yr
State: Utah
Highest point: About 7,180 ft (2,188 m), above Big Pocket in the Needles District
Lowest point: About 3,900 ft (1,189 m), Colorado River south of Cataract Canyon

Canyonlands Weather Forecast

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Seven-day outlook at the park's reference point (38.246, -109.880). Elevation changes everything in the mountains — expect colder, windier and wetter conditions on high ground.

Map of Canyonlands National Park

The Park

Canyonlands National Park protects the rugged heart of Utah's canyon country, where the Green and Colorado rivers carve deep, meandering gorges and meet in a remote confluence. Their canyons divide the park into three very different districts: the lofty mesa of the Island in the Sky, the banded spires of the Needles, and the wild labyrinth of the Maze, plus the detached Horseshoe Canyon unit with its haunting rock art.

Established on September 12, 1964, the park spans about 337,598 acres (1,366 sq km) and receives roughly 800,000 visits a year, most of them to the Island in the Sky. It is Utah's largest national park and among its most remote, a high desert of intense summer heat, sudden storms, cold winters and some of the darkest skies in the country.

Geography

Island in the Sky is a broad, flat-topped mesa wedged between the two rivers, reached by a narrow neck of land. From its rim, the land drops about 1,200 feet to the White Rim, a pale sandstone bench, and another 1,000 feet or so to the rivers below. The White Rim Road loops along that bench for about 100 miles.

East of the Colorado River, the Needles District is a landscape of red-and-white striped spires, arches, grassy parks such as Chesler Park, and parallel faulted valleys called grabens. West of the rivers lies the Maze, a roadless tangle of slickrock canyons, and beyond it the Orange Cliffs; the Land of Standing Rocks and the Doll House hide among its towers.

The rivers join at the Confluence and continue south into Cataract Canyon, famous for its rapids. Elevations range from about 3,900 feet on the Colorado River south of Cataract Canyon to about 7,180 feet in the southern Needles.

Landmarks

Grand View PointAreaThe southern tip of Island in the Sky, looking over the White Rim, Monument Basin and distant mountains.
Mesa ArchArchA rim-edge arch famous for framing the sunrise glow on its underside.
Upheaval DomeAreaA bullseye of upturned rock layers, widely interpreted as an eroded meteorite impact structure.
Green River OverlookRiverA western Island in the Sky overlook above the winding Green River.
Shafer Canyon OverlookCanyonA view down the switchbacks of the historic Shafer Trail to the White Rim.
White RimPlateauA pale sandstone bench encircling Island in the Sky, traced by the White Rim Road.
Monument BasinCanyonA basin of slender towers capped with White Rim Sandstone below Grand View Point.
Confluence OverlookRiverA Needles District viewpoint above the meeting of the Green and Colorado rivers.
Chesler ParkValleyA grassy park ringed by the red-and-white banded needles of Cedar Mesa Sandstone.
Druid ArchArchA towering, slab-like arch at the head of Elephant Canyon.
Angel ArchArchA large, remote arch in Salt Creek Canyon with a winged, figure-like outline.
Pothole PointAreaSlickrock dotted with rain-filled potholes that host tiny aquatic creatures.
Maze OverlookCanyonA remote viewpoint into the Maze's tangle of interlocking canyons.
The Doll HouseAreaRounded, colorful spires above the rivers at the far end of the Maze District road.
Spanish BottomRiverA riverside flat on the Colorado near the head of Cataract Canyon's rapids.
Great GalleryCanyonA panel of life-sized painted figures in Horseshoe Canyon, one of North America's premier rock art sites.

Geology

Canyonlands exposes a thick stack of sedimentary rock spanning roughly 150 million years, from the bottom of Cataract Canyon to the top of Island in the Sky. The story begins in the Pennsylvanian Period, about 300 million years ago, when a restricted sea in the Paradox Basin repeatedly evaporated, leaving thousands of feet of salt and gypsum. Fossil-rich marine limestones of the Honaker Trail Formation followed.

In the Permian, rivers flowing from the ancestral Uncompahgre Mountains spread red, iron-rich sands and gravels across the basin while coastal dunes and sandbars left white sands. Their interfingering produced the red-and-white striping of the Cedar Mesa Sandstone that forms the Needles, followed by the Organ Rock Shale and the pale, cliff-forming White Rim Sandstone.

Through the Triassic and Jurassic, tidal flats, rivers and enormous sand seas deposited the Moenkopi and Chinle formations and then the Wingate, Kayenta and Navajo sandstones that make up the sheer walls and cap of Island in the Sky. Younger layers were later stripped away by erosion.

Beginning about 70 million years ago, the Laramide orogeny and later uplift of the Colorado Plateau raised the region thousands of feet, and the Green and Colorado rivers cut their deep canyons. Where the Colorado River canyon reached the buried salt, the overlying rock slid slowly toward the river on the flowing salt, cracking into the parallel grabens of the Needles. Upheaval Dome, a strange ring of upturned strata, is widely thought to be the eroded scar of a meteorite impact, supported by the discovery of shocked quartz.

Deep time

About 300 million years agoEvaporating seawater in the Paradox Basin deposits thick salt and gypsum beds.
Late PennsylvanianMarine limestones, sandstones and shales of the Honaker Trail Formation accumulate above the salt.
PermianRiver red beds and coastal dunes create the Cedar Mesa Sandstone, Organ Rock Shale and White Rim Sandstone.
TriassicTidal flats and rivers lay down the Moenkopi and Chinle formations.
Late Triassic to Early JurassicDesert dunes and streams deposit the Wingate, Kayenta and Navajo sandstones.
Less than 170 million years agoAn impact, the leading explanation for Upheaval Dome, disrupts the rock layers of Island in the Sky.
Beginning about 70 million years agoLaramide uplift and later Colorado Plateau uplift raise the region and energize river downcutting.
Last several million yearsRivers carve deep canyons, and salt flow toward the Colorado River cracks the Needles into grabens.

The rocks

Paradox FormationPennsylvanian
Salt, gypsum and black shale exposed at the bottom of Cataract Canyon; its flow creates the grabens.
Honaker Trail FormationPennsylvanian
Gray, fossil-rich limestones, sandstones and shales along the river canyons.
Cedar Mesa SandstonePermian
Red-and-white banded sandstone that forms the spires of the Needles and much of the Maze.
Organ Rock ShalePermian
Brightly colored mudstones that form the slopes and towers of the Land of Standing Rocks.
White Rim SandstonePermian
Cross-bedded coastal sandstone forming the pale White Rim bench.
Moenkopi FormationEarly Triassic
Chocolate-brown, ripple-marked mudstones from ancient tidal flats.
Chinle FormationLate Triassic
Colorful river and floodplain deposits forming slopes below the Wingate cliffs.
Wingate SandstoneLate Triassic
Massive, red-orange cliffs of wind-blown sand that ring Island in the Sky.
Kayenta FormationEarly Jurassic
Thin-bedded stream deposits that form a protective ledge above the Wingate.
Navajo SandstoneEarly Jurassic
Cross-bedded fossil dunes capping the mesa top and forming its rounded domes.

Trees, Plants & Ecosystems

558vascular plant species recorded

Pinyon-juniper woodlandMesa tops and higher benches
Utah juniper and pinyon pine grow from cracks and shallow soils across Island in the Sky and the southern Needles.
Blackbrush and desert shrublandSandy benches and slopes
Blackbrush, Mormon tea and saltbush cover vast areas, knitted together by biological soil crust.
Desert grasslandsGrabens, parks and flats such as Chesler Park
Bunchgrasses including Indian ricegrass and galleta flourish on deeper soils.
River corridorsGreen and Colorado rivers, about 3,900 ft and above
Cottonwoods, willows and invasive tamarisk line the rivers, supporting beavers, herons and endangered native fish.
Hanging gardens and potholesSeeps, alcoves and slickrock
Dripping springs sustain ferns, columbines and cave primrose, while potholes briefly host shrimp and insects after rain.

Trees

Utah juniperJuniperus osteospermaOne of the most common trees of the Southwest, able to sacrifice branches to survive drought.
Two-needle pinyonPinus edulisA slow-growing nut pine of the mesa tops.
Fremont cottonwoodPopulus fremontiiMarks springs and canyon bottoms where groundwater is near the surface.
Netleaf hackberryCeltis reticulataA tough tree of washes and canyon floors.
Singleleaf ashFraxinus anomalaA small ash of rocky canyon slopes.
Gambel oakQuercus gambeliiGrows in moist, sheltered spots in canyons and at higher elevations.
Goodding's willowSalix gooddingiiA large willow of river and stream banks.
Five-stamen tamariskTamarix chinensisAn invasive Eurasian tree that crowds native vegetation along the rivers.

Wildflowers, shrubs & other plants

BlackbrushColeogyne ramosissimaA dark, twiggy shrub covering huge areas of sandy benches.
Mormon teaEphedra viridisA jointed, leafless green shrub of dry slopes.
Harriman's yuccaYucca harrimaniaeA small yucca with stiff leaves and creamy spring blooms.
Plains pricklypearOpuntia polyacanthaA widespread cactus with showy spring flowers.
Claret cup cactusEchinocereus triglochidiatusCrimson flowers blaze from mounded stems in spring.
Sacred daturaDatura wrightiiHuge white trumpet flowers that open at dusk.
Desert paintbrushCastilleja chromosaRed-orange bracts brightening spring slopes.
Small-leaf globemallowSphaeralcea parvifoliaAn apricot-colored mallow common along roads and trails.
Yellow beeplantCleome luteaA tall annual that blooms profusely in wet years.
Indian ricegrassStipa hymenoidesA graceful bunchgrass of sandy soils and a traditional food source.
GalletaHilaria jamesiiA tough, drought-tolerant grass of desert flats.
Roundleaf buffaloberryShepherdia rotundifoliaA silvery, evergreen shrub of rocky slopes on the Colorado Plateau.
Alcove columbineAquilegia micranthaA delicate flower of hanging gardens and seeps.
Cave primrosePrimula specuicolaA rare primrose that blooms in shady, dripping sandstone alcoves.

Wildlife

49mammals
205birds
19reptiles
6amphibians
33fish

Mammals

Bighorn sheepOvis canadensisDesert bighorn climb canyon walls along the rivers and White Rim.
Mule deerOdocoileus hemionusBrowses in the pinyon-juniper and near water.
Mountain lionPuma concolorAn elusive predator ranging through the canyons.
CoyoteCanis latransCommon and adaptable, from mesa tops to river bottoms.
Gray foxUrocyon cinereoargenteusA nimble fox of rocky terrain and woodlands.
RingtailBassariscus astutusA nocturnal climber of cliffs and canyons.
BobcatLynx rufusHunts rodents and rabbits across the park.
American beaverCastor canadensisLives in bank burrows along the Green and Colorado rivers.
Northern river otterLontra canadensisA river swimmer occasionally seen by boaters.
Rock squirrelOtospermophilus variegatusA large ground squirrel of rocky outcrops.
White-tailed antelope squirrelAmmospermophilus leucurusDashes across hot, sandy flats with its tail held high.
Ord's kangaroo ratDipodomys ordiiA nocturnal seed-eater that gets water from its food.
Spotted batEuderma maculatumA striking black-and-white bat with enormous pink ears that roosts on cliffs.
Black-tailed jackrabbitLepus californicusIts huge ears help shed heat in the desert.

Birds

Peregrine falconFalco peregrinusNests on high canyon walls above the rivers.
Golden eagleAquila chrysaetosSoars over mesas hunting rabbits.
Common ravenCorvus coraxAcrobatic and curious, common at overlooks.
Woodhouse's scrub-jayAphelocoma woodhouseiiA loud blue jay of pinyon-juniper woodland.
Pinyon jayGymnorhinus cyanocephalusTravels in noisy flocks, harvesting pinyon nuts.
Canyon wrenCatherpes mexicanusIts falling, echoing song is the sound of the canyons.
Rock wrenSalpinctes obsoletusBobs on boulders and slickrock.
White-throated swiftAeronautes saxatalisStreaks past cliff faces at high speed.
Say's phoebeSayornis sayaA rusty flycatcher of open desert and ledges.
Juniper titmouseBaeolophus ridgwayiA plain gray crested bird of juniper woodland.
Black-throated sparrowAmphispiza bilineataA handsome desert sparrow singing from shrubs.
Mexican spotted owlStrix occidentalisA threatened owl that nests in deep, shaded side canyons.
Willow flycatcherEmpidonax trailliiA small flycatcher of riverside thickets.
Yellow-breasted chatIcteria virensA loud, secretive songbird of dense riparian vegetation.

Reptiles & amphibians

Great Basin collared lizardCrotaphytus bicinctoresA big-headed lizard that can run on its hind legs.
Side-blotched lizardUta stansburianaAmong the most common lizards in the park.
Desert spiny lizardSceloporus magisterA large, heavily scaled lizard of rocks and trees.
Tiger whiptailAspidoscelis tigrisA restless, long-tailed forager of open ground.
Midget faded rattlesnakeCrotalus oreganusA small, pale rattlesnake of canyon country; watch where you step.
Striped whipsnakeMasticophis taeniatusA fast, slender snake that hunts lizards by day.
Great Basin spadefootSpea intermontanaBreeds quickly in rain-filled potholes and pools.
Red-spotted toadAnaxyrus punctatusA small toad of rocky washes and springs.

Fish

Colorado pikeminnowPtychocheilus luciusThe largest native minnow in North America, an endangered predator of the big rivers.
Humpback chubGila cyphaA strange, hump-backed native fish adapted to swift canyon water.
BonytailGila elegansOne of the rarest fish of the Colorado River system.
Razorback suckerXyrauchen texanusAn endangered sucker with a sharp keel behind its head.
Roundtail chubGila robustaA native chub of the Colorado River basin.
Flannelmouth suckerCatostomus latipinnisA native sucker of silty, flowing rivers.
Bluehead suckerPantosteus discobolusA native algae-grazer of rocky river bottoms.
Channel catfishIctalurus punctatusA non-native catfish common in the rivers.

Species totals are the park's certified NPSpecies checklist (occurrence: present).

Climate & When to Visit

Canyonlands shares the high-desert climate of the Colorado Plateau: dry air, strong sun and temperature swings that can exceed 40 degrees F in a single day. The elevation difference of more than 3,000 feet between the rivers and the mesa tops makes the canyon bottoms noticeably hotter than Island in the Sky.

Spring and fall are the most comfortable seasons, with daytime highs of about 60 to 80 F and lows of 30 to 50 F. Summer highs often exceed 100 F, and the monsoon brings thunderstorms from about July into September that can trigger flash floods and make dirt roads impassable. Winters are cold, with highs of 30 to 50 F and lows of 0 to 20 F, and snow or ice can close steep backcountry roads like the Shafer Trail.

Spring
Pleasant highs of 60 to 80 F with windy spells and blooming cacti; the most popular time for backpacking in the Needles.
Summer
Often above 100 F, especially near the rivers; afternoon monsoon storms bring lightning and flash floods.
Autumn
Mid-September through October brings comfortable temperatures, clear skies and good conditions for the White Rim Road.
Winter
Cold, with highs of 30 to 50 F and lows near 0 to 20 F; snow and ice can close steep dirt roads and trails.

Weather hazards

Extreme heat and dehydration: Water is scarce and summer heat is intense; carry at least a gallon of water per person per day.
Flash floods: Monsoon storms can send floods through canyons and across roads; avoid washes when storms are nearby.
Remote backcountry roads: Roads in the Maze and White Rim require high-clearance vehicles and can become impassable after rain or snow.
Lightning: Mesa-top overlooks and slickrock are exposed during storms; seek lower ground or a vehicle.
Cliff edges: Many overlooks have sheer drops with no railings; stay on trails and supervise children.

Canyonlands Questions

When is the best time to visit Canyonlands National Park?

Spring (April to May) and fall (mid-September to October) offer the most comfortable temperatures for hiking, biking and backcountry travel. Summer is very hot, and winter can close some roads, but both seasons bring solitude.

What is the weather like in Canyonlands?

It is a high desert with large daily temperature swings. Summer highs often top 100 F, winter lows can drop near zero, and late-summer thunderstorms can cause flash floods.

Which district of Canyonlands should I visit?

Island in the Sky is the most accessible, with paved roads and sweeping overlooks. The Needles offers extensive hiking among spires and arches, while the Maze is a remote wilderness for experienced, well-equipped travelers.

How did Canyonlands form?

Hundreds of millions of years of sediment built up a thick stack of rock layers, and uplift of the Colorado Plateau allowed the Green and Colorado rivers to cut deep canyons through them. Flowing salt beneath the Needles cracked the rock into grabens, and erosion sculpted the spires and arches.

Was Upheaval Dome made by a meteorite?

The leading explanation is that Upheaval Dome is the deeply eroded remnant of a meteorite impact crater, supported by the discovery of shocked quartz. An older hypothesis proposed that rising salt pushed the layers upward.

What wildlife lives in Canyonlands?

Desert bighorn sheep, mule deer, coyotes and ravens are commonly seen, along with many lizards. The rivers support endangered native fish such as the Colorado pikeminnow and razorback sucker, and most mammals are active at night.

Can you see the confluence of the Green and Colorado rivers?

Yes, from the Confluence Overlook in the Needles District, reached by a roughly 10-mile round-trip hike, or from the rivers by boat.

More parks in the Rocky Mountains

← Bryce Canyon National Park Capitol Reef National Park →

Sources: www.nps.gov · www.nps.gov · www.nps.gov · www.nps.gov · irmaservices.nps.gov · en.wikipedia.org · en.wikipedia.org · en.wikipedia.org · Official NPS site