SLOW SALLY & CREW

We spent 30 hours exploring an island in the sky. What? An island in the desert? Yes! The Island in the Sky is one of four districts in the sprawling Canyonlands National Park. Like Capitol Reef, the name sounds oddly aquatic, but it is nevertheless appropriate for this desert setting. The “island” is a broad mesa rock formation, towering 2,000 feet above the rivers below, which sever it from the other districts in the park.

Canyonlands is the largest National Park in Utah, with many of its treasures hidden away, lurking deep in the backcountry. Unfortunately, those treasures are off-limit to us mere mortals who are without a 4WD vehicle (and with a canine companion)! Ah, the struggles of adventure. Nonetheless, we made it our mission to explore as much of the front country as possible during our short stay in the park.

In this post, we’ll share our experiences “winning” at camping, tackling one of the most challenging hikes in the park, and discovering some of Utah’s most breathtaking views.

This is the final post in our 3-part mini-series about vanlife in Utah’s National parks. If you haven’t already read our previous posts – Part 1 – Bryce Canyon, and Part 2 – Capitol Reef – check them out first. I promise it’s worth it!

1: Why Did We Choose Canyonlands?

The Island in the Sky district of Canyonlands National Park is located just outside of Moab, where we had spent the previous week hiking, camping, exploring, and drinking lattes. A visit to the Island in the Sky seemed like a perfect way to cap off our week in the area. Unlike its more popular neighbour, Arches National Park, Canyonlands has first-come-first-served camping, no timed entry system, and is the least visited of Utah’s National Parks. It sounded like our kind of place. The Canyonlands webpage had us drooling over the spectacular vistas of snow-capped mountains, deep, rugged canyons, epic desert landscapes, and flowing rivers. Dear National Park, you do know how to lure us!

2: What Did We Like Best?

There were two things we loved most about our time on the Island in the Sky:

• spending the night in the tiny, cozy, Willow Flats primitive campground; and
• hiking the strenuous Syncline Loop trail.

Don’t make us pick a favourite. We can’t! More about these experiences below… read on.

3: What Did We Like Least?

The crowds. If you’ve read Parts 1 and 2 of this series, this answer has become very unoriginal. But it’s the truth! Don’t be fooled by the fact that Canyonlands is the least visited National Park in Utah. It’s relative. And keep in mind, the Island in the Sky is the most easily accessed and visited district in the park.

The number 1 tip in the Rangers’ “Top 10 Tips for Visiting Canyonlands”, is to “pack your patience” and anticipate crowds, traffic, and long lines in certain parts of the park. When we arrived in the Park early on Friday morning, we sailed past the entrance station. The trailheads and lookoffs were busy but enjoyable. By Saturday, however, the Island in the Sky was overrun. Competition for parking was fierce and lots were overflowing. By the time we fled the park in the afternoon, the line of vehicles waiting at the entrance station snaked along the scenic road into the distance. One poor man was sitting behind the wheel, cradling his head in his hands.

4: We Were Surprised By…

… how many hulking snow-capped mountain ranges surround the park. There are the La Sal mountains in the east, the Abajos in the south, and the Henry’s in the southwest. These snowy ranges are made even more special by the juxtaposition with surrounding red, desert rocks. Snow-capped mountain views are my favourite!

5: Which Trails Did We Hike?

During the short 30 hours we spent in the park, we squeezed in a lot of hiking!

Syncline Loop (8.1-mile loop)

I’d been longing to do a challenging day-hike and the Syncline Loop was exactly the type of trail I was looking for. Marc generously offered to stay at the campsite with Walter while I tackled my latest challenge. The park’s brochure promised a strenuous trail with steep switchbacks and long scrambles through boulder fields. It also states, in bold text, that “most park rescues occur on this trail.” Challenge accepted! Click on the video link below for my hiking diary and join me for the highs, the lows, the breathtaking views, and some unexpected wildlife encounters.

Upheaval Dome (1.6-mile round trip)

I hiked this trail by accident when I took a wrong turn at the Syncline Loop trailhead. Oops. It was a happy mistake (in hindsight, not at the time) as the dome is one of the park’s defining and mysterious geological features, possibly the result of a meteor strike.

Aztec Butte (1.4-mile round trip)

When I arrived back from my Syncline Loop adventure, exhausted and slightly overheated, it was Marc’s turn to explore. He hiked the Aztec Butte to investigate the ancestral Puebloan cave dwellings. The trail was short but there was some uphill hiking and scrambling to keep things interesting.

Grandview Point (1.8-mile round trip)

We took turns exploring parts of this easy, scenic trail with panoramic views of the White Rim.

Mesa Arch (0.6-mile round trip)

Oh, Mesa Arch. Too popular for its own good. This short hike is easy, scenic, close to the Visitor’s Centre, and leads to one of Utah’s most photographed arches…. thus attracting everyone! After circling the trailhead parking lot a couple of times, we managed to nab a space and took turns hiking this overcrowded trail. Despite what you might expect, it was worth it. I captured a few great photos and Marc rescued a group of lost women wandering off-trail. Never a dull moment.

6: Where Did We Camp?

Willow Flat Campground was our home for the night on the Island in the Sky. With only 12 sites available, we knew it would fill up fast. We arrived at 8:00 AM on Friday morning and claimed one of two available sites. The rest of the day, we watched as campers circled the campground, hoping in vain to find a site. We felt like we had “won” camping.

We loved Willow Flats. It was cozy, primitive, and peaceful (except for the Minnie Winnie trailer down the road that ran a generator at 7:15 AM… small trailer, noisy generator!). The sites were relatively private and surrounded by desert flora. Each had a little palapa, picnic table, and fire pit. The Green River Overlook was just a few minutes walk down the road. At sunset, the landscape was aflame in bright orange hues.

As we sipped our coffees on Saturday morning, fellow Roadtrekkers pulled into the site across the street. How fun! They joined us for coffee, and we swapped travel stories. The perfect end to a wonderful stay.

7: Walter’s Dog-Friendly Park Rating: 1.3/5 Stars

Walter here – reporting for my canine followers. Paws up for the Willow Flats campground. I had my very own shade palace under the palapa and picnic table. It was a perfect spot for afternoon snoozing. But be warned, this was one of the least dog-friendly National Parks I’ve visited. Not a single dog-friendly trail! Big signs everywhere with pictures of our species and a big red line through it. Even the paved scenic sniff-offs were out of bounds. My humans kept taking turns, going on long hunts along the trails without me. I was happy when after just one sleep, we left for more canine-inclusive places.

• Campground – 4/5 Stars
• Trails – 0/5 Stars
• Lookoffs – 0/5 Stars

8: Would We Go Back?

Yes! With the arrival of the weekend and the crowds, we left after just one night in the park. We managed to see most of the Island in the Sky, but we didn’t even step foot in any of the other 3 districts. Canyonlands is all about the backcountry and there is still so much for us to explore… another time… preferably with a 4WD vehicle or mountain bike, and without Walter in tow.

9: Our Tips & Recommendations

• Arrive at Willow Flat Campground before 8:30 AM if you want a good chance at a campsite during peak season. It’s tiny and it fills up early.
• If you have flexibility in your schedule, visit during weekdays. It’s much less crowded.
• Hiking the strenuous trails is a great way to lose the crowds. I saw only a handful of people during the 5 hours I spent on the Syncline Loop trail.
• The views from the look-offs are most stunning at sunrise and sunset. Check the park’s website for intel about the best time to visit each look-off.
• For dog-friendly hikes and activities, consider Moab and the surrounding area. We share lots of great recommendations in this post.

Stay Tuned

Stay tuned for our next post, where we hike, explore, and attempt to squeeze Walter through some of Utah’s best slot canyons.