Canyonlands – National Park Travel Treasure
Posted in National Park, Scenery, Southwest, Travel, Travel Planning | By Shelley Gillespie | Tags: Southwest, Travel, US Domestic Travel
Canyonlands, located in Utah and one of the US National Parks, cannot be judged by a photograph or other image. You really must be there to feel how open, deep and vast the earth stretches out in front of you. It seems to dwarf the Grand Canyon in immensity!
Standing on a ledge several years ago, wind blowing and rain threatening, I felt very small and insignificant looking out at the giant canyons, eroded by time and the Colorado and Green Rivers.
Canyonlands - nature at its most amazing
The immensity of Canyonlands
Canyonlands is not as famous as the Grand Canyon, but it is just as impressive. Nearby (near is relative) is the equally amazing Arches National Park. Where Canyonlands stretches endlessly below, Arches is above ground and has hollowed out “windows” in the stone, creating numerous arches.
Canyonlands - like an imprint of a giant creature
Why go? Well, because seeing nature on this giant scale somehow puts us in our place, gives up perspective on our lives.
We traveled only as far as the “Island in the Sky” section of the park. I am not a geologist, but the rocks were so multilayered and etched by nature that I was lost in the depths. My visit was cut short because the winds were high and I felt like I would blow over the edge to the far reaches below! (That may sound melodramatic, but there was no railing where I was standing.)
If you have the opportunity, GO!
There are not a lot of amenities in Canyonlands, so go prepared with water, gas, food and other supplies. Moab, nearer to Arches National Park, is a great resource and rest stop.
We spent 10 days traveling between Zion National Park, Capitol Reef, Arches, Canyonlands and Bryce. It was an awe-inspiring experience for someone who had never been west of the Mississippi River. I now live in Arizona, so that tells you something about how inspired I was by my travels to the National Parks in the Southwest.
Travel to Canyonlands if…you want to be awed and have an intrepid nature. The National Parks Guide calls Canyonlands, “this rugged corner of southeastern Utah…its roads are mostly unpaved.” It is a good idea to have a four-wheel drive vehicle, good hiking shoes and, as I mentioned previously, lots of supplies. Some walks are short and can lead to expansive views, so don’t give up if you are even a bit in shape.
The entrance fee is $10 for a carload; $5 per person for cyclists and walk-ins. Canyonlands is always open.
Tomorrow: Come back and learn more about Arches National Park
Tags: Southwest, Travel, US Domestic Travel