Canyonlands National Park Self-Guided Driving Audio Tour

Canyonlands National Park in southeastern Utah is known for its dramatic desert landscape carved by the Colorado River. Island in the Sky is a huge, flat-topped mesa with panoramic overlooks. Other notable areas include the towering rock pinnacles known as the Needles, the remote canyons of the Maze, and the Native American rock paintings in Horseshoe Canyon. Whitewater rapids flow through Cataract Canyon.

Cataract Canyon is a 46-mile-long canyon of the Colorado River located within Canyonlands National Park and Glen Canyon National Recreation Area in southern Utah.

The Green River Overlook offers some of the most unique views of Canyonland’s Island in the Sky District. You’re able to see the Green River continuing its work on the canyon walls. The river is the largest stream in Utah at 730 miles. The name probably comes from the green soapstone that can be found along its banks.

Stop by the Visitor Center coming up ahead. It’s a great place to grab supplies, use the bathroom, and fill up your water bottles. As you’ve already seen, this park doesn’t have much infrastructure, and being dehydrated out here is no joke.

Dead Horse Point — it’s a creepy name, isn’t it? According to local legend, wild mustangs used to be corralled here to be broken in the early 1800s. Once all the desirable horses had been broken and claimed by the cowboys, the undesirables were left to go free.

Corona Arch is a natural sandstone arch near Moab. The arch is located within the same rock formation as Pinto Arch and Bowtie Arch.

This overlook offers views from three sides. It may be a bit daunting if you're afraid of heights since there’s nothing between you and the Canyon. However, the incredible view is worth it.

Coming up on your left is a turn out for Plateau Viewpoint. Pullover if you want photos of some spectacular views! There’s also a handicap accessible toilet and an information panel on anthropological work in the area.

In such a beautiful landscape, you can’t escape the lure of exploring off the beaten path. But watch out! If you do go off the path, you might be trampling on soil that’s alive. You might think I’m joking, but throughout Canyonlands, Arches, and Moab is something called a biological soil crust.

Look to the right. All you can see at the moment are tall rock walls. That’s because we’re near the floor of Sevenmile Canyon. As we continue to drive, we’ll emerge from the canyon and be able to see two very distinct features in the distance to the right -- the Merrimac and the Monitor.

The area we’re traveling over is known as the Neck. Why? Well, remember that this Island in the Sky District of Canyonlands is a huge mesa surrounded by lowlands. Well, there’s a strip of land that connects this mesa to other mesas — just like a natural bridge!

A lot of natural landmarks and trails in Canyonlands are named by or after cowboys and ranchers. In fact, Ned Chaffin’s father and one of his brothers had a spring named after them.

Coming up on your right is Big Mesa Viewpoint. Pause for a quick look at some stunning scenery. The enormous mesa looks like it was plonked down here by accident, and then forgotten.

What makes this trail special? Simple: the granaries left here by Native peoples. They’re visible from the base of the last hill if you just keep your eyes open. These granaries are hundreds of years old, so be careful when approaching.

In front of you is perhaps the world’s largest whale. Don’t see it? The whale’s head is on the left side of the rock. There’s an easy one-mile hike that takes you up along the whale’s back. When you get on top of this cetacean, you’ll be rewarded with spectacular views of the Upheaval Dome.

Ahead, pull over for Mesa Arch. This is a must-do at Canyonlands. Once you’ve parked, walk along the short trail to the arch. As you walk, notice the juniper and pinyon trees around you. These are popular in Canyonlands so keep an eye out for them elsewhere too.

In the distance, do you see three giant candles sticking out of the landscape? That’s Candlestick Tower! Doesn’t this sandstone formation look like a layered birthday cake, topped with candles? * The bottom layer is white, the middle a reddish-brown, and the top is red.

Despite being relatively small, there’s a lot to do here. First, what might catch your eye is the overlook itself, which has a view of the Colorado River. There’s also a cafe to reenergize.

Here you’ll see spectacular views of Buck Canyon and the La Sal mountains. The short trail is paved, making it one of the most accessible places in the park. There’s also a rail that stands between you and the canyon, so if you are scared of heights, this overlook is perfect for you.

This is a great place to rest and enjoy a quick meal! There are only eight tables, so be sure to claim one if there are any available.

The cowboys used the Orange Cliffs extensively. They called a part of these cliffs “Under the Ledge” — since it was a distinct area that sorta appeared to be underneath a huge, rocky ledge.

We’re now at the end of the Canyonlands National Park tour. I hope you’ve enjoyed the journey! If you enjoyed the tour, check out our other tours of nearby Arches, Bryce, Zion, and more!

Remember how the park’s rocks have been formed in layers? In most of the park, these layers haven’t been disrupted since their formation. What you see is what was deposited, all those hundreds of millions of years ago.

The trail that leads to Murphy Point Overlook is quite easy, adding up to 3.5 miles roundtrip. While the hike itself doesn’t offer much in the way of scenery, the overlook provides a stunning view of Stillwater Canyon and the Green River.