Canyonlands National Park
Canyonlands National Park preserves more
than 500 square miles of wild and scenic
canyons, rivers, pinnacles, and arches. The
erosive power of the Colorado and Green
rivers has divided the park into three land
districts - the Island in the Sky, the Needles,
and the Maze. The rivers and steep canyons
impose such formidible barriers that it is
impossible to drive directly between districts.
Major features in the Needles District are
accessible only by foot or high-clearance
4-wheel-drive vehicle. The most accessible
district is the Island in the Sky, with paved
roads leading to spectacular, high-level vistas.
The Maze District is accessible only by high-
clearance 4-wheel-drive vehicle, foot, or by rafting
down the Colorado or Green rivers. River trips
offered by outfitters in nearby communities provide
a dynamic, canyon-bottom view of the park.
The Needles
Colorful spires of eroded sandstone
punctuate the landscape at Chesler
Park, a grassland surrounded by bare rock.
The Rivers
Visitors may follow the route of early
explorers through turbulent Cataract
Canyon on the Colorado River.
The Maze
In the Maze, water and wind have
transformed sandstone layers into
a labyrinth of canyons.
Island in the Sky
From Green River Overlook there is a
sweeping view of a canyon within a canyon.
At the bottom lies the Green River, surrounded
by the eroding edges of the White Rim.
