by Paul Heney
Last updated: 9:00 PM ET, Mon July 16, 2018
During our family Summer venture to Moab, Utah, I had ulterior motives. Sure, we intended to visit nearby Arches National Park. We planned to do some hiking and sightseeing. We hoped to go horseback riding together for the first time. And we wanted to experience the fun and funky vibe of the city of Moab, known as a popular outdoor getaway.
But I also had a strong desire to visit nearby Canyonlands National Park, Utah's largest. Canyonlands is sometimes overlooked because of its proximity to the more glamorous Arches, but it has plenty of stunning scenery to offer, including an iconic arch of its own. And my ulterior motive? Thelma & Louise.
The groundbreaking 1991 film about a female buddy trip gone horribly wrong winds through the American southwest and famously ends at the Grand Canyon. Except it wasn't shot there-much of the scenery was filmed in Canyonlands and adjoining Dead Horse Point State Park, including the final scene. Once I let on to my partner why I was so excited to visit the park, he laughed and probably rolled his eyes, knowing my obsession with the film.
Canyonlands was carved out by the Colorado and Green Rivers and encompasses an impressive 527 square miles. The park is divided into several sections: Island in the Sky, The Maze, The Needles and Horseshoe Canyon.
The park has a northern entrance (closer to Moab), and this allows visitors to drive into the Island in the Sky area; there is a Visitor's Center located just past the park's boundary. A separate (and non-connecting) southeastern entrance gives access to The Needles area. Horseshoe Canyon is located apart from the rest of the park and has driving access from Utah state route 24. The Maze is reached only via hiking trails.
You can see a lot of the geology and landscape of Canyonlands from the car, but don't limit yourself to simple window-gawking. There is a plethora of trails here, and many of them offer spectacular vistas at every turn. One of the easiest is also one of the most rewarding: Mesa Arch. This outstanding natural arch is famous as one of the landscape screenshots from Windows software. Even the kids found the half-mile hike easy and were doing selfies in front of the arch. Or try the Cave Spring Trail, again about a half-mile in length; this one features two wooden ladders that lead to an overlook, as well as passing by a historic cowboy camp.
Whatever you do, make sure to drive to the Grand View Point Overlook at the far end of the northern entrance's road. The views here are among the most dramatic I've experienced at a national park; plan to spend some time here and simply gawk at the varied geologic features in every direction. And not to worry, I never had any interest of following in Thelma or Louise's footsteps while in the park, whether breaking the law or getting too close to a steep drop-off. Just recognizing different vistas was enough for me.
Canyonlands was designated as an International Dark Sky Park in August 2015 by the International Dark Sky Association-as a result, the park now holds star parties throughout the summer, showing off its glorious view of our own Milky Way, nebulae, distant galaxies, star clusters, and more.
Some helpful tips: Water is a necessity here, especially on hikes. Bring plenty of water for every member of your party and fill up them containers whenever you have the chance. We found the cell service in the area to be very spotty (and occasionally nonexistent), so be aware that you may be out of contact with the outside world while in the park. And there is no shade to be had, so sunscreen is a must, especially during the hot Summer months.
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