As we continue our road trip, we made a stop in Canyonland National Park who is incredible with his views!!!
Where is Canyonland National Park?
As I love to stop first in the Visitor Center to get some information before hiking, here is the address of the one on Island in the Sky:
Off UT 313, approximately 22 miles southwest US 191
Moab, UT 84532
If you drive, follow these instructions:
On US 191, drive 10 miles north of Moab or 22 miles south of Interstate 70 (Crescent Junction), then take UT 313 southwest for 22 miles. Follow signs for Canyonlands National Park. Drive time from Moab is roughly 40 minutes to the visitor center.
Maps about the area:
Canyonland is quite surprising as there are many places you can visit. We choose to go mostly on the part called Island in the Sky (the name was very inspiring for me)
https://www.nps.gov/cany/planyourvisit/upload/CANYnews2020-508web.pdf
If you decide to stop on Island in the Sky, just click on the link bellow:
https://www.nps.gov/cany/planyourvisit/upload/ISKYmap_web.pdf
The Maze (which is nearby Glenn Canyon, and as I had planned to get there so this is why we didn’t choose to stop there)
https://www.nps.gov/cany/planyourvisit/upload/MAZEmap-web.pdf
The Needles:
https://www.nps.gov/cany/planyourvisit/upload/NEEDmap-web.pdf
Horseshoe (I will write an article about this place because we went there another day)
https://www.nps.gov/cany/planyourvisit/upload/HorseshoeCanyon-web.pdf
Some history about the area:
People have lived in and traveled through what is now Canyonlands National Park for over 10,000 years. During that time, they left evidence of their presence that is protected in the park today.
Hunter-Gatherers
Humans first visited Canyonlands over 10,000 years ago. Nomadic groups of hunter-gatherers roamed throughout the southwest from 8,000 BCE (Before Common Era) to 500 BCE. Living off the land, these people depended on the availability of wild plants and animals for their survival. They do not appear to have stayed in any one area for very long. They left little in the way of artifacts and didn’t build homes or other lasting structures. However, the hunter-gatherers during this time created a great deal of intriguing rock art. Some of the best examples of their art, known as “Barrier Canyon Style,” remain on the cliff walls of Horseshoe Canyon.
Ancestral Puebloans and Fremont
Roughly two thousand years ago, the hunter-gatherers began to rely more on domesticated animals and plants. These early farmers are called the ancestral Puebloan (formerly known as Anasazi) and Fremont people. They grew maize, beans, and squash, and kept dogs and turkeys. To tend their crops, they lived year-round in villages like those preserved at Mesa Verde National Park. Though the two groups overlapped, the Fremont lived mostly in central Utah, while the ancestral Puebloans occupied the Four Corners region. These cultures can be distinguished by their different tools, pottery, and rock art.
Over time, growing populations at Mesa Verde caused a search for suitable land all over southeast Utah’s canyon country. By 1200 CE (Common Era), large groups had moved into what is now The Needles, especially in Salt Creek. However, granaries and dwellings used by the ancestral Puebloans are scattered throughout the park. You can see examples of these structures at Roadside Ruin in The Needles, Aztec Butte at Island in the Sky, and along many backcountry trails.
For many years, changing weather patterns made growing crops more and more difficult. Around 1300 CE, the ancestral Puebloans left the area and migrated south. Their descendants include the people living in modern pueblos in New Mexico and Arizona, like Acoma, Zuni, and the Hopi Mesas.
Utes, Navajos, and Paiutes
Before the ancestral Puebloans left, other groups appeared in the area. The Ute and Paiute cultures may have arrived as early as 800 CE. The Navajo came from the north sometime after 1300 CE. All three groups still live here today. These cultures initially lived more of a hunter-gatherer lifestyle than the ancestral Puebloans. Their use and exploration of the Canyonlands area appear to have been minimal.
What did we see?
We ended hiking a lot as usual, but we loved it!!!
We went for a little hike to Mesa Arch. It is a spectacular arch perched on a cliff edge. You can get views of the White Rim Road, canyons, and the distant La Sal Mountains. Mesa Arch is a popular spot for sunrise photographers, but it’s a great visit at any time of day.
Then we went to Upheaval Dome.The scientist thinks that a meteorite came down right at this place or a long time; it was a salted lake.
We went to the Green River Overlook and the Buck Canyon Overlook.
The Grand View Point lies at the southernmost point of the Island in the Sky scenic drive. From here, you can see the White Rim, features in The Maze and The Needles, and distant mountains. A short, paved sidewalk leads to a spectacular viewpoint. From there, you can hike an additional mile to a second viewpoint.
Enjoy this place and take as many photos as you want!!!
