Canyonlands National Park

Canyonlands National Park preserves 337,598 acres of colorful canyons, mesas, and buttes carved by the Colorado River and its tributaries in southeast Utah. The park is divided into four districts by the rivers: Island in the Sky, The Needles, The Maze, and the rivers themselves. Each district offers distinct experiences, from the broad mesa top of Island in the Sky to the remote wilderness of The Maze, one of the most inaccessible areas in the United States. The park's high desert ecosystem supports desert bighorn sheep, mountain lions, and numerous reptile and bird species adapted to extreme conditions. Biological soil crusts cover much of the surface, playing crucial roles in preventing erosion and providing nutrients. Ancient rock art and archaeological sites throughout the park provide evidence of human presence spanning thousands of years, from Archaic hunter-gatherers to Ancestral Puebloans. Canyonlands implements minimal development strategies to preserve wilderness character across most of the park. Managing 800,000 annual visitors, the park uses permits for backcountry use and river trips while maintaining primitive conditions. Research programs focus on archaeological preservation, biological soil crust ecology, and desert ecosystem dynamics while restoration efforts target damaged areas from past grazing and mining.

Water Features

Colorado River, Green River, Ephemeral pools

Ecosystem

This destination features a desert ecosystem.