You don’t have to be a seasoned backpacker to hike through Canyonlands National Park. Whether you’re a family with small kids, just dipping your toes into hiking, or have physical limitations, this Utah park offers a wide variety of short, easy trails that still deliver jaw-dropping views. To make it easy on you, we’ve compiled this guide to 11 of the top short hikes in Canyonlands National Park—the majority under 2 miles and all located in the main Island in the Sky area!
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ℹ️ The 4 Districts of Canyonlands National Park
Canyonlands National Park is a vast desert landscape divided into four main districts—Island in the Sky, The Maze, The Needles, and the Rivers. These districts aren’t connected by road, so the driving distance between each can be anywhere from two to six hours. This makes visiting more than one area a day quite impractical.
The hikes in this list are all located in Island in the Sky, as it is where the majority of visitors hike, and the only district we have visited to date. Nevertheless, here’s a breakdown of each to give you an idea:
- Island in the Sky: The most popular and accessible area, where all the trails on this list are located.
- The Needles: More remote than Island in the Sky, while still offering a mix of scenic drives and trails.
- The Maze: Remote area best for experienced backpackers.
- The Rivers: Composed of the Colorado River and the Green River, a popular area for kayaking and canoeing.
❌ Don’t Bust the Crust! Throughout all of Canyonlands National Park, you must stay on marked trails. These arid landscapes are home to Biological Soil Crust (Living Crust), a delicate ecosystem that takes decades to form and can be destroyed with just a single step off-trail.
1. Mesa Arch Trail
Mesa Arch Trail is not only one of the most popular sunrise spots in Canyonlands, but one of the most popular trails and arches overall! During first light, photographers flock here to try and get the light just right as it peaks above the horizon while still underneath the arch.
💡 Carry a Map! While hiking in Canyonlands, you’ll find that many trails are marked by small rock piles, called cairns, and signs. Even with their guidance, carrying a physical map or a downloaded digital map of the area is a good idea, especially on longer trails.
Although popular for sunrise, you can visit this short loop any time of day and get great views. The trail brings you to Mesa Arch itself before turning back towards the parking lot. Overall, we found this trail well-maintained and easy to follow! We recommend hiking up the small butte that offers a great secondary viewpoint of Mesa Arch.
The parking lot itself is quite small, with just around 30 spots. If you don’t snag a spot, we recommend checking back after another hike. As this trail is pretty short, people don’t spend too much time here outside of sunrise.
Estimated Time: 20 minutes
Length: 0.7 miles / 1 km
Elevation Gain: 62 ft / 19 m
Difficulty: Easy
Type: Loop
2. Grand View Point Trail
Grand View Point Trail is the most popular viewpoint in all of Canyonlands National Park. Located at the far end of Island in the Sky, this trail is packed with tour buses and people. Because of this, prepare to wait for a parking spot unless you’re lucky.
Although busy, the view of Monument Basin definitely makes the wait worth it. Even if you just walk a few feet to the first overlook, you get an incredible view into the sweeping Canyonlands landscape.
The views get even better if you continue onto the short trail around the rim. This extra trail also lets you escape the huge crowds, which mainly go to the first viewpoint before turning back. In our opinion, the second viewpoint is even better! It also has a bit of rock scrambling that you can look forward to if that’s your jam.
🥾 Alternate Trail: White Rim Overlook Trail is a great alternative trail with similar views of Monument Basin if the parking lot is full here.
Estimated Time: 1 hour
Length: 1.8 miles / 2.9 km
Elevation Gain: 164 ft / 50 m
Difficulty: Easy
Type: Out-and-Back
3. Visitor Center Overlook
The Visitor Center Overlook is located right across from the Island of the Sky Visitor Center. This makes it great to pair with your first entry into the park as you get your passport stamped and pick up your Junior Ranger booklet. Although this hike is very short, taking just 15 minutes at most, on the clearest of days, the views of the La Sal Mountains in the distance are incredible.
As the Visitor Center itself can get very busy, parking can prove challenging. That’s why we recommend hitting this hike whenever you manage to park by the center to avoid a second trip. If you can swing it, we recommend visiting this overlook in the morning while the light is soft.
Estimated Time: 15 minutes
Length: 0.2 miles / 0.3 km
Elevation Gain: 0
Difficulty: Easy
Type: Overlook
4. Aztec Butte Trail
Aztec Butte Trail is on the challenging end of easy, so come prepared with a solid pair of hiking boots and ample sun protection (hat, sunglasses, sunscreen, sun shirts). As you hike up two buttes, with the second being more challenging than the first, this one can be a real leg burner.
The first butte will take you up to an old archeological site called The Granary, where Indigenous peoples who lived in the area once stored food. The second takes you up to some incredible views of the cliffs and canyons of the mesa (one of our favorite viewpoints in the park) and has another archeological site at the summit.
As hiking up the steep buttes bumps this trail up to a moderate difficulty, you have the option to just tackle the first one. That being said, we found the view on the second worth the trouble and encourage you to hike there as well if you have it in you!
💡 Fun Fact! While the uses of both archeology sites are not certain, scientists and conversations with descendants of these peoples have given us educated guesses about their utility.
Estimated Time: 1 hour
Length: 1.6 miles / 2.6 km
Elevation Gain: 249 ft / 76 m
Difficulty: Moderate
Type: Out-and-Back
5. White Rim Overlook Trail
White Rim Overlook Trail is not the most popular trail in the park, but it’s conveniently located right next to a picnic day-use area with tables and toilets, and a great alternative when the parking lot is full at Grand View Point.
The trail takes you to some incredible views of Monument Basin, the La Sal mountain range, and the Colorado River. Towards the end, you will have sharp drop-offs on all sides, so please stay safe and enjoy the views from a few paces away.
When we visited, there was a small fox on the trail, so keep an eye out for wildlife by walking quietly and keeping your eyes peeled!
Estimated Time: 1 hour
Length: 1.8 miles / 2.9 km
Elevation Gain: 174 ft / 53 m
Difficulty: Easy
Type: Out-and-Back
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6. Lathrop Trail (to Canyon Rim)
Lathrop Trail is the longest of our easy hikes. Although you can hike all the way down to the Colorado River, we suggest hiking just a few miles to the overlook at the canyon rim and then going back. Even with this shorter route, you’ll be going through grasses, buttes, and even down the cliff face. This diversity easily made it one of our favorite hikes in the Island of the Sky.
The viewpoint on Lathrop Trail became one of our favorites in the entire park! You’ll most likely have it to yourself, as you hike to it, it feels well-earned, and you get a close-up view of a horseshoe bend of the Colorado River, which was unique from all the other viewpoints in Canyonlands. We loved being some of the only people on this trail.
Estimated Time: 2-3 hours
Length: 5 miles / 8 km
Elevation Gain: 158 ft / 48 m
Difficulty: Moderate
Type: Out-and-Back
7. Whale Rock Trail
Whale Rock Trail gets its name from the sandstone dome it leads you around that resembles a giant whale. This 1-hour-long trail brings you along the side of the “whale,” before climbing up to a clearing with expansive views of the entire Island in the Sky region. There is some light rock scrambling and uneven terrain on this trail, so make sure to wear hiking shoes with good traction!
Estimated Time: 1 hour
Length: 0.8 miles / 1.3 km
Elevation Gain: 141 ft / 43 m
Difficulty: Moderate
Type: Out-and-Back
8. Green River Overlook
Green River Overlook is a fantastic place to watch the sunset—one of our favorite spots in all of Utah! The overlook is reachable by a very short, paved trail, with some rocks that you can hop on for a better view of Green River itself. Just like the Colorado River, the Green River is also to thank for carving out the landscape that we now know as Canyonlands National Park.
We stopped here for dinner to take in the canyon at sunset, and it was a spot we’ll never forget! If you also visit for sunset, check out the park’s ranger programs, as they might have an astronomy ranger talk just after the sun goes down. We thoroughly enjoyed the Ranger-led astronomy talk and the dark skies when we visited. We can imagine that this overlook gets quite busy during the day, but at sunset, the crowds are lower.
Estimated Time: 10 minutes
Length: 0.1 miles / 0.2 km
Elevation Gain: 6.5 ft / 2 m
Difficulty: Easy
Type: Overlook
9. Shafer Canyon Overlook
Shafer Canyon Overlook provides a breathtaking overview of the historic Shafer Trail, a challenging road that winds its way down the canyon walls. This route has a long history, first used by Indigenous peoples to travel to the Colorado River, then by 20th-century ranchers. Later still, during the 1950s uranium boom, the trail was used to haul mining equipment and ore. Today, this same historic route is a popular and thrilling 4×4 trail that provides visitors with access to the park’s rugged backcountry
💫 Milky Way Viewpoint: Shafer Canyon Overlook is a great place to watch the Milky Way in the summer months.
Estimated Time: 10 minutes
Length: 0.3 miles / 0.5 km
Elevation Gain: 46 ft / 14 m
Difficulty: Easy
Type: Overlook
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10. Buck Canyon Overlook
Buck Canyon Overlook provides a stunning, easily accessible viewpoint at an elevation of 6,240 feet (1,902 meters). A short, paved trail leads you to the edge of the rim, where you’re rewarded with a grand, sweeping vista. From here, you can gaze out to the west across the vast expanse of the Colorado River canyon, taking in its deep canyons and the vibrant red rock formations below.
Estimated Time: 5 minutes
Length: 0.1 miles / 0.2 km
Elevation Gain: 0 ft / 0 m
Difficulty: Easy
Type: Overlook
11. Upheaval Dome via Crater View Trail
Upheaval Dome via Crater View Trail is a 45-minute out-and-back hike that leads you to a geological mystery. Unlike the rest of the park, which was formed by gradual erosion, Upheaval Dome has left experts debating whether it was formed by a meteorite impact or a salt dome that rose from within the earth. Be prepared for a bit of a challenge, as some parts of the route require rock scrambling and navigating sections of unmarked slick-rock.
Estimated Time: 45 minutes
Length: 1.3 miles / 2.1 km
Elevation Gain: 230 ft / 70 m
Difficulty: Moderate
Type: Out-and-Back
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🗺️ Map of the Top Easy Hikes in Canyonlands
How to use this map: We have saved the locations from this guide on this map. You can save this map to your Google Maps by pressing the star icon. In your Google Maps, click the menu icon and then Saved Maps, where this map will appear.
☀️Sun Safety in Canyonlands
Canyonlands National Park has very little shade, so it’s of utmost importance that you practice the following sun safety tips to stay safe during your trip.
1. Drink Sufficient Water: It is recommended that you drink (not just bring) 1 liter of water per person, per hour hiking.
2. Pack Salty Snacks: Bring along some salty snacks to replace any electrolytes you lose while sweating.
3. Protect Your Skin: Sunscreen, sunglasses, sun hats, and sun shirts are all recommended in this sunny park.
4. Time Your Hikes: Especially if you’re visiting in the peak of summer, plan your most strenuous hikes for the early morning or late afternoon when temperatures are the coolest.
5. Rest: Don’t overexert yourself on a trail. Take breaks when needed.
Please respect the outdoors and Leave No Trace! Before embarking on your outdoor adventure, review the seven principles of Leave No Trace, which include planning ahead and preparing, traveling and camping on durable surfaces, disposing of waste properly (pack out what you pack in), leaving what you find, minimizing campfire impacts, respecting wildlife, and being considerate of others. Abiding by these principles helps keep these places beautiful so others can enjoy them for years to come!
⛅ When to Visit Canyonlands National Park
Overall, we recommend the Spring or Fall to visit Canyonlands National Park. Although these are the high times for the park, Canyonlands is still the least visited national park in Utah, so the crowds won’t be as intense as, say, in Zion or Arches. Here’s a bit more information about each season:
- Winter in Canyonlands — Winter in Canyonlands is quiet and cold, with highs of 30ºF to 50ºF and lows of 0ºF to 20ºF. Some facilities close during the winter, and several roads and trails close down as well due to ice.
- Summer in Canyonlands — Summer in Canyonlands is a scorcher. Daytime highs can exceed 100ºF, making it a bit difficult to hit more strenuous trails in the middle of the day. Late summer sometimes brings with it storms that cause flash floods in the canyons.
- Spring & Fall in Canyonlands — The shoulder seasons of spring and fall are the most temperate, dry, and, with that, popular seasons for Canyonlands. March to May and mid-September to October experience pleasant daytime highs averaging no more than 60ºF to 80ºF.
🥾 What to Pack for Hiking in Canyonlands
Some of the biggest essentials while hiking in Canyonlands National Park are ample hydration and sun protection. Our favorite ways to hit both of these are by carrying water bladders with our favorite electrolytes instead of tons of heavy water bottles and wearing a mix of sunscreen, sun shirts, and wide-brimmed hats. In this section, we outline everything else that came in handy for us.
🎫 Consider investing in the America the Beautiful pass for $80 like we did if you’re planning on travelling to several parks within the year.
Sun Protection
Hiking Essentials
Safety Essentials
- Headlamp – A headlamp or a flashlight is especially useful when going on sunrise, sunset, or night hikes in Canyonlands National Park.
- Trail Maps – We love using AllTrails+ to download maps ahead of time.
- GPS – We carry the Garmin InReach Mini 2 with us on all trails for safety.
- First Aid Kit – This first aid kit is one of those items we hope to never have to use but always carry, just in case.
🐕 Pets in Canyonlands National Park
If you’re traveling with a non-service animal, keep in mind that pets are not permitted on the overlooks or trails of Canyonlands National Park. They are allowed on campgrounds, front-country roads, parking lots, and picnic areas.
For more information on pets in Canyonlands National Park, click here. We were able to keep Ollie in our van as we can control the temperature from our phones. If you need a kennel, here’s a list of several in Moab, Utah.
📰 Related Articles
- 11 Most Epic Sunrise Spots in Arches National Park
- How to See Arches National Park in 1, 2, or 3 Days
- 7 Gorgeous Sunset Spots in Arches National Park
- Top 11 Hikes in Arches National Park (Ranked in Order)
- How to See Arches National Park in One Day
- 11 Best Easy Hikes in Arches National Park
- How to See Arches and Canyonlands in Just One Day
- More Coming Soon!
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