Utah - Day 14: Canyonlands National Park and Dead Horse State Park
I spent Friday, May 14, 2021, exploring the Island in the Sky section of Canyonlands, catching the sunset at Dead Horse Point State Park, and venturing back into Canyonlands for some night sky photography at Mesa Arch.
Canyonlands National Park is divided into three districts: Island in the Sky, The Needles, and The Maze. Located in the northern part of the park, Island in the Sky is the most accessible of the three. If you only have one day to explore Canyonlands, I recommend spending your time there, driving the scenic drive on top of the mesa, pausing at the various overlooks for beautiful views of the park or completing some of the short hikes.
Mesa Arch at Canyonlands National Park
I started my morning at Mesa Arch, a Canyonlands landmark famous for its stunning sunrise views. Perched on the edge of the mesa, Mesa Arch offers panoramic views of the canyon below and the distant La Sal Mountains.
Sunrise was at 6:11am that day, and I had read that arriving at least an hour before sunrise was ideal for securing a good spot. However, since my hotel was a 45-minute drive from Mesa Arch, I would have had to leave by 4am to arrive on time. After spending 18 hours in Arches National Park the day before, I couldn’t bring myself to wake up that early. Instead, I arrived at Mesa Arch around 8:30am, and although I missed the sunrise, the scenery was still breathtakingly beautiful.
Grand View Point Trail
After spending about an hour at Mesa Arch, I drove to Grand View Point Trail, located at the southernmost end of the Island in the Sky scenic drive. This easy 2-mile out-and-back hike offers spectacular views of both sides of the canyon the entire way. It took me about an hour to complete the hike.
Green River Overlook
Next, I made my way to Green River Overlook, a short walk on a paved path that offers a breathtaking panorama of the rugged landscape carved by the Green River. Perched atop a towering mesa, the overlook provides sweeping views of deep canyons, colorful rock formations, and the meandering path of the river below.
Murphy Point Trail
Murphy Point Trail, an easy 3.6 out-and-back hike, was my next destination for the day. I reached the Murphy Point Trail parking area around 1pm. The trail begins with a stroll through a grassy plateau, gradually revealing the majestic buttes encircling the Island in the Sky district.
About ½ mile in, there is a junction where hikers can either turn left or continue straight. Turning left leads to Murphy Loop Trail, a 10.1-mile loop that offers outstanding views from atop the Murphy Hogback and White Rim Road. The route to Murphy Point continues straight past the junction. At the end of the trail, Murphy Point provides sweeping panoramic views of Candlestick Tower, the Green River, and the White Rim Road.
After reaching the point, time was spent soaking in the stunning vistas and enjoying lunch. The trail remained quiet until the overlook, where a solo hiker and a couple eventually arrived. Sharing conversation with them made for a really pleasant midday break before heading back.
Orange Cliffs Overlook
Next, I made my way to Orange Cliffs Overlook. With it being right next to Grand View Point Overlook, I should have stopped there first after hiking the Grand View Point Overlook Trail in the morning. But, I unfortunately didn’t think to look that closely at a map before visiting the park to see the most strategic way to see the entire park, and was instead following more of a list of things I had read were the top places to see in Canyonlands. Consequently, I ended up doing a bit of unnecessary backtracking from Murphy Point Overlook to reach Orange Cliffs Overlook.
The Orange Cliffs Overlook offers stunning panoramic views of the surrounding landscape, characterized by its vibrant orange-hued cliffs, deep canyons, and unique rock formations. One thing to note is that parking is limited at this location, but it's just a short stroll from the parking lot to reach the overlook.
Buck Canyon Overlook
Next on the itinerary was Buck Canyon Overlook. A short walk along a paved pathway from the parking area leads to this viewpoint, offering stunning vistas of the canyon below and the distant La Sal Mountains.
White Rim Overlook Trail
White Rim Overlook Trail was my next hike for the day. The 1.8 mile round-trip hike provides panoramic views of the iconic White Rim rock formation, the expansive canyon below, and again offers views of the distant La Sal Mountains on the horizon.
I returned to my car after hiking White Rim Overlook Trail at 5pm. My main priority for the day was to see the sunset at Dead Horse Point State Park, which was scheduled for 8:23pm that evening. While there was more I wanted to see in the Island in the Sky district of Canyonlands, I was eager to explore the state park before sunset. Content with everything I had experienced, I decided to make my way toward Dead Horse Point, stopping at Aztec Butte and Shafer Trail Viewpoint along the way.
Aztec Butte Overlook and Shafer Trail Viewpoint
On the way out of the park, I stopped at Aztec Butte Overlook and Shafer Trail Viewpoint.
Aztec Butte is a 2-mile out-and-back hike that rewards hikers with stunning views of the canyon. Instead of completing the full hike, I pulled over at the overlook and snapped a few photos before continuing to Shafer Trail Viewpoint.
This viewpoint is just a short stroll from the parking area and offers a dramatic view of the Shafer Trail as it winds down Shafer Canyon toward the La Sal Mountains. To drive the Shafer Trail, a high-clearance 4WD vehicle and an experienced driver are strongly recommended.
In retrospect, I realize that I did a fair amount of unnecessary driving to cover all the sights I wanted to see in Canyonlands that day. Without a close look at the map beforehand, I ended up following a general list of top places to visit in the park, which led to more backtracking than needed. Looking back, a more efficient route after the Grand View Point Overlook Trail would have been: Orange Cliffs Overlook, followed by White Rim Overlook, Buck Canyon Overlook, Candlestick Tower Overlook, Green River Overlook, Aztec Butte, and finally Shafer Trail Viewpoint before heading to Dead Horse Point State Park.
Hopefully, my experience will be a lesson to you to look closely at a map before visiting a park! :)
Dead Horse Point State Park
I arrived at Dead Horse Point State Park at 5:40pm on Friday, 05/14/2021, with plenty of time before the sunset at 8:23pm. Entry to the park costs $20 per private vehicle.
Perched high above Canyonlands’ White Rim Trail, , the park offers sweeping panoramic views of the Colorado River as it winds through the deep canyons below. Thanks to its elevated position, Dead Horse Point is one of the best places in the area to watch the sunset. As the light fades, the sun casts a warm golden glow over the rugged cliffs and rock formations, creating a captivating play of light and shadow across the landscape.
After a quick stop at the Visitor Center, I continued along the main park road to the Overlook parking lot, located at the end of the park. While the park features 8 miles of interconnected hiking trails, each leading to a different overlook, I chose not to hike and instead spent my time exploring the main overlook area. It was the perfect spot to unwind, watch the changing sky, and take in the full beauty of the sunset.
Night Sky at Mesa Arch back in Canyonlands National Park
I left Dead Horse Point State Park around 9:00pm to re-enter Canyonlands National Park, reaching Mesa Arch by 9:45pm. I stayed there until 12:30am, enjoying the quiet night and the clear skies.
It was a perfect opportunity for night photography, with minimal light pollution and a great view of the stars above the arch. I had hoped to capture the Milky Way rising behind Mesa Arch, but it wouldn’t align until closer to 2:00am. Since it had already been a long day, I decided to leave at 12:30am, knowing I still had about an hour to drive back to the hotel.
When I reached the car, I cranked up the volume on the stereo to stay awake during the drive back and fell asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow.
