Canyonlands National Park
Canyonlands National Park is best known for its mesmerizing desert landscapes and expansive canyons carved by the Colorado River and its tributaries. Located in southeastern Utah, the park is a vast and rugged wilderness that showcases the raw beauty of the American Southwest. It is divided into four districts: Island in the Sky, The Needles, The Maze, and the rivers themselves. Each district offers its own unique geological formations, towering cliffs, and stunning vistas.
Visitors can marvel at the intricate rock formations, including towering pinnacles, massive buttes, and deep canyons that stretch as far as the eye can see. The park is a haven for outdoor enthusiasts, providing opportunities for hiking, backpacking, mountain biking, and off-roading adventures. The mesmerizing sunrises and sunsets, combined with the dark night skies, make Canyonlands National Park a favorite destination for stargazers and photographers. With its dramatic landscapes, rugged canyons, and rich biodiversity, Canyonlands National Park stands as a testament to the power of erosion and the enduring beauty of the desert Southwest.
VISIT Canyonlands National Park:
Park Details
Canyonlands National Park was established on September 12, 1964, and has a total area of 337,598 acres (527 square miles, or 1,367 square kilometers).
| Address | Island in the Sky, Moab, UT, 84532 |
|---|---|
| Phone | 435-719-2313 |
| Hours | Open year-round, 24 hours a day |
| Entrance Fee | $30 per vehicle, valid for 7 days |
| Learn More | Official Website |
When to Visit: Weather vs. Peak Visitation
Canyonlands National Park is the 91st most visited park in the country.
We crunched 30 years of historical weather and/or park service data to find the best months to visit Canyonlands National Park. We looked for the optimal temperatures, the least amount of snow and rain, and stayed away from peak visitation months if we could help it. All this data then helped us paint a picture as to what the absolute best time to visit Canyonlands National Park is.
Our data shows the best months to visit Canyonlands National Park are May, June, April & October.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Park Visits | 18,837 | 20,164 | 87,001 | 116,971 | 134,778 | 110,508 | 81,922 | 65,853 | 100,238 | 102,731 | 50,323 | 22,268 |
| Precipitation | 25 | 28 | 35 | 33 | 25 | 13 | 33 | 44 | 35 | 32 | 25 | 23 |
| Avg Temp | 43 | 48 | 58 | 68 | 78 | 90 | 94 | 91 | 83 | 70 | 55 | 44 |
| Max Temp | 53 | 60 | 72 | 82 | 90 | 98 | 101 | 97 | 93 | 83 | 70 | 57 |
| Avg Temp | 30 | 33 | 37 | 42 | 50 | 57 | 67 | 66 | 56 | 45 | 36 | 31 |
| Min Temp | 18 | 21 | 26 | 31 | 37 | 45 | 56 | 56 | 43 | 33 | 23 | 17 |
Canyonlands National Park Road Trips
Many family vacations consist of stringing one or more national parks together during a week-long trip. Creating these types of trips is our specialty! Here are the road trips we've created where Canyonlands National Park is visited.
Other Nearby National Park Sites
From national monuments, to historic sites to seashores and more, here are the other parks closest to Canyonlands National Park.
| Name | Distance |
|---|---|
| Arches National Park | 37 mi |
| Natural Bridges National Monument | 41 mi |
| Hovenweep National Monument | 66 mi |
| Capitol Reef National Park | 76 mi |
| Colorado National Monument | 84 mi |
| Yucca House National Monument | 86 mi |
| Mesa Verde National Park | 97 mi |
| Rainbow Bridge National Monument | 100 mi |
| Navajo National Monument | 111 mi |
| Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park | 114 mi |
Nearby Campsites & RV Parks
If you are looking to pitch a tent or park an RV at a campsite near Canyonlands National Park, here is a list of the closest campsites in the surrounding area. They all have slightly different amenitites, so its best to check them all out instead of just chosing the first on the list.
| Name | Details | Miles Away |
|---|---|---|
| Squaw Flat - Canyonlands National Park | Monticello, UT more | 3 miles |
| Hamburger Rock | Moab, UT more | 5 miles |
| Windwhistle | Moab, UT more | 16 miles |
| Willow Flat - Island in the Sky - Canyonlands National Park | Moab, UT more | 16 miles |
| Hatch Point | Moab, UT more | 17 miles |
| Dead Horse Point State Park | Moab, UT more | 22 miles |
| Echo | Moab, UT more | 23 miles |
| Hunters Canyon | Moab, UT more | 25 miles |
| Buckboard | UT more | 26 miles |
| Williams Bottom | Moab, UT more | 27 miles |
Nearest Ski Resorts
For those of you who are the diehard outdoors type, visiting a national park on a ski trip can be quite the adventure. Here are the ski resorts within 100 miles of Canyonlands National Park:
None Found.
Nearest Airports
When visiting a National park, many people are faced with either a very long drive across country, or a much shorter flight. For those of you looking to fly into Canyonlands National Park, we've listed the closest airports in the area.
Large Airports
A large airport has scheduled major airline service with millions of passengers per year. This type of airport always accepts international flights. Here are the closest large airports to Canyonlands National Park.
| Name | Code | City | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Salt Lake City International Airport | SLC | Salt Lake City, UT | 216 mi |
| Denver International Airport | DEN | Denver, CO | 297 mi |
| Harry Reid International Airport | LAS | Las Vegas, NV | 330 mi |
| Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport | PHX | Phoenix, AZ | 350 mi |
| Lake Havasu City International Airport | LHS | Lake Havasu City, AZ | 358 mi |
Medium Airports
A medium-sized airport has scheduled regional airline service. This type of airport may or may not accept international flights. Here are the closest medium-sized airports to Canyonlands National Park.
| Name | Code | City | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grand Junction Regional Airport | GJT | Grand Junction, CO | 94 mi |
| Durango-La Plata County Airport | DRO | Durango, CO | 130 mi |
| Aspen-Pitkin Co/Sardy Field | ASE | Aspen, CO | 172 mi |
| Provo-Utah Lake International Airport | PVU | Provo, UT | 176 mi |
| Eagle County Regional Airport | EGE | Eagle, CO | 184 mi |
| Cedar City Regional Airport | CDC | Cedar City, UT | 185 mi |
| Grand Canyon National Park Airport | GCN | Grand Canyon - Tusayan, AZ | 202 mi |
Credits: Campground data provided by USCampgrounds.info. Map shapes from CartographyVectors. Weather data from NOAA. Airport data from OurAirports.com. Images from Unsplash, Flickr and Parks&Trips. All data has also been updated and augmented by Parks&Trips.