05/01/2021 - 05/16/2021: All 5 National Parks in Utah and more
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I was in Utah from Saturday, 05/01/2021 - Saturday, 05/16/2021. Inspired by my mini-hiking trip to Indiana Dunes, New Buffalo, and Saugatuck in October 2020, I was eager to delve into the world of National Parks. Utah seemed like the perfect destination, as it offered me the opportunity to reconnect with my good friend Heidi and explore multiple National Parks all at once!
During my time in Utah, I saw pretty much all of Salt Lake City, Park City, all 5 National Parks, Lower Calf Creek Falls of Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, Kodachrome Basin State Park, and Dead Horse State Park. It really was a wonderful, epic trip!
I arrived in Salt Lake City on Saturday, 05/01/2021.
On Sunday, 05/02/2021, Heidi, her husband, and I had brunch at the Ice Haus, a German style gastropub located in the heart of Murray, UT, known for having live music, weekly events like bar bingo, good food, cocktails, and an extensive beer selection. After we were satiated, we set off for Park City to wander around Historic Main Street, stopping at No Name Saloon, a lively restaurant/bar with a rooftop patio for a drink. While you could easily spend a couple of days in Park City, we only had a couple of hours to spare, so we just stuck to the main area of Park City before heading back to Salt Lake City to relax for the evening.
Heidi and her husband had to work Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, leaving me to explore Salt Lake City on my own during those days. On Monday morning, I grabbed a bus from the suburbs into downtown Salt Lake City, starting my day at Washington Square Park, a pretty public park, filled with trees, walkways, and statues surrounding the Salt Lake City and County Building.
From there, I walked to Gateway Plaza, an eclectic, mixed-use shopping and entertainment destination located in the heart of downtown Salt Lake City.
City Creek Center, an open-air with offices, a fountain, and a simulated creek, was next on my itinerary. While I didn't make any purchases at either shopping center, both locations were really interesting to explore.
Temple Square is a popular visitor attraction owned by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and occupies a 10-acre city block. With it being such an iconic structure in Salt Lake City, and only a 2 minute walk away from City Creek Center, I had to stop there next on the walking tour I curated for myself. Unfortunately, I was unable to go inside, as it closed on 12/29/2019 to undergo a major structural and seismic renovation, and will remain closed until about 2024. It was still an impressive sight to see!
Continuing my exploration, I proceeded to the Utah State Capitol. Situated atop a hill, the Capitol offers sweeping views of Salt Lake City, as well as the majestic Wasatch and Oquirrh Mountains. Surrounding the building are beautifully maintained and sculpted lawns, trees, flowerbeds, and shrubs.
Just east of the Capitol lies Memory Grove Park, showcasing memorials to Utah’s veterans and a replica of the Liberty Bell. The park's main loop spans approximately 0.8 miles.
After exploring the park and walking along City Creek Canyon Road - a route popular for walking, jogging, and bicycling, extending into the northeast mountains - I took a Lyft to the Ensign Peak Trailhead. In my opinion, Ensign Peak is the perfect way to view the city, as it provides stunning views of the Salt Lake Valley, Wasatch Mountains, the Great Salt Lake, and Antelope Island. The 1 mile out-and-back hike took me about 40 minutes to complete.
I completed the hike at Ensign Peak around 2:30pm, leaving me with time to spare before meeting Heidi and her husband at Whiskey Street, a lounge and eatery renowned for its impressive selection of whiskey and beer in the heart of Salt Lake City. Our meetup wasn't until 4pm, so I decided to take the opportunity to walk the 2.4 miles from the Ensign Peak Trailhead to Whiskey Street. It was a long, but enjoyable, stroll!
After spending some time at Whiskey Street, we ventured to Gracie’s, a charming gastropub offering two floors, two patios, and captivating views of downtown and the Wasatch Mountains. Our evening concluded with dinner at Takashi, a delightful sushi restaurant known for its signature rolls and extensive sake list. According to the Google Fit app on my phone, I logged an impressive 33,765 steps that day!
After spending the previous day wandering around downtown Salt Lake City, I opted for a change of scenery on Tuesday, 05/04/2021. I started my day by taking a Lyft to the Living Room Trailhead, a popular and relatively steep but short hike that offers stunning views of the city. At the trail's end are interesting rock formations that look like chairs and couches, giving the trail its name. It took me about an hour and a half to complete the 2.5 mile out-and-back hike.
After the hike, I walked the short distance to the Red Butte Gardens, one of the largest botanical gardens in the Intermountain West and the state arboretum of Utah. Admission is $14, which can be purchased at the entrance. The garden consists of over 21 acres of developed gardens and five miles of hiking trails winding through an extensive Natural Area. You could easily spend an entire day there, but I knew I had other places I wanted to check out after the gardens, so I only spent about 2 hours there.
Next, I headed to Liberty Park, Salt Lake City's oldest and second-largest city park, covering 80 acres. The park features a pond with two islands, walking/running paths, swimming pool, tennis courts, paddle boats, picnic facilities, and is home to Tracy Aviary, one of only two accredited standalone aviaries in the United States. Entrance is $14, which can be purchased online or in-person at the main entrance on the north side of the Visitor’s Center. Heidi picked me up from the park around 4pm that day and we headed back to her place for dinner.
Wednesday, 05/05/2021 was my last full day in Salt Lake City before heading out to the National Parks. That morning, I took a bus to Sugar House Park, the largest public park in Salt Lake City, spanning 110.5 acres, featuring several amenities, a large pond, hilly areas ideal for sledding, and access to Parley's Trail, an east-west cycling and pedestrian multi-use pathway, linking the Bonneville Shoreline trail on the east to the Jordan River Parkway to the west.
After spending some time at Parley’s Historic Nature Park, I walked a short distance to check out Canyon Rim Park. Spanning 16 acres and nestled in the Millcreek City neighborhood, this park features picnic pavilions, athletic courts, and scenic walking trails.
To conclude my day, I headed to Roots Café, an eclectic coffee house known for its fresh-pressed juices, gourmet sandwiches, and pastries. It was the perfect spot to enjoy lunch before catching a Lyft back to Heidi’s to prepare for the hiking portion of the trip.
On Thursday, 05/06/2021, Heidi dropped me off at an Enterprise Rent-A-Car so that I could pick up the rental car I’d be using for the rest of the trip. I opted up a midsize SUV, as I knew the trailhead for one of the hikes I was going on in Zion National Park required high-clearance vehicles in order to access the parking area.
After securing the car, I returned to Heidi’s place to pack up and prepare for our journey. Departing around 10:30am, we headed to Thousand Lakes RV Park in Torrey, UT, our accommodation for the Capitol Reef portion of the trip. This scenic park offers RV sites, tent sites, and cabins, along with picturesque views and an on-site restaurant. We opted for one of their cabins with a kitchen.
Eager to explore, we changed into hiking gear, and headed to the Fish Creek Trailhead to hike some of the Fish Creek Lake Trail and the Fish Creek Cove. The hikes rewarded us with sightings of ancient pictographs, petroglyphs, and a slot canyon featuring a small waterfall!
After spending a couple of hours hiking, we returned to Thousand Lakes RV Park for dinner and headed to bed.
Friday, 05/07/2021 was dedicated to exploring the Cathedral Valley District of Capitol Reef National Park. The Cathedral Valley driving loop spans 57.6 miles and typically takes 6 to 8 hours to complete. This remote and rugged region requires a vehicle with high ground clearance for optimal navigation. Foot and vehicle traffic in Cathedral Valley is minimal, so travelers should be prepared for unexpected challenges. Assistance may not be readily available, and response times can vary greatly, depending on the season. It's essential to carry ample water, food, fuel, appropriate clothing, and emergency supplies for any unforeseen circumstances.
Within the Cathedral Valley District we saw the Bentonite Hills, Temple of the Sun and Moon, Upper and Lower Cathedral Valley, Glass Mountain, and the Gypsum Sinkhole.
Next, we the hiked Upper Cathedral Valley Overlook trail. It took us about 15 minutes to complete the 0.2 mile round trip hike. The overlook offers stunning panoramic views of the rugged Cathedral Valley and the sandstone monoliths known as the Cathedrals.
The Jailhouse Rock and Temple Rock Route was the one major hike we did while visiting the Cathedral Valley District of Capitol Reef National Park. We spent almost 2 hours hiking almost 4 miles.
Exploring the Cathedral Valley District of Capitol Reef National Park was such a unique way to visit the park. I felt like we were in our own remote oasis, since we encountered very few people along the loop drive.
We returned to Thousand Lakes RV Park around 7pm, where we enjoyed dinner at Torrey Grill, the restaurant located within the park. Afterward, we headed to bed, preparing for an early start the next day.
On Saturday, May 8th, 2021, Heidi and I left Torrey, UT at 6am to head to Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument to hike Lower Calf Creek Falls. To get to the National Monument, we drove Highway 12 Scenic Byway, a renowned scenic roadway winding through Utah's captivating terrain. Along the journey, we made stops at various overlooks to get photos of the stunning sunrise.
We arrived at the parking lot for Lower Calf Creek Falls around 7am, and were fortunate to secure two of the last available spots on a Saturday morning. Lower Calf Creek Falls is one of the more accessible and popular hikes in Grand Staircase-Escalante partly because the trailhead is directly on the main highway (most of the other trails in Escalante require driving on a dirt road). Therefore, for those planning to hike this trail on a weekend, arriving early is advisable.
The 6.7 mile out-and-back hike travels through a picturesque beautiful canyon leading to a soaring 126-foot waterfall. It was such a wonderful way to start the day. According to my Garmin watch, it took us about 4 hours to complete the hike.
Heidi and I departed from Grand Staircase Escalante around 12:30pm to drive to Kodachrome Basin State Park, where we embarked on the Panorama Trail hike. The park offers six hiking trails, most of which are less than 1 mile in length, with the Panorama Trail being the exception. The full loop is 6 miles in length, but if you opt out of the spur trails, the distance is only 3 miles.
We chose the shorter route and spent nearly 2 hours hiking 3.85 miles, according to my Garmin watch.
We left the park around 4:30pm, to check into our hotel at Stone Canyon Inn in Tropic, UT, a beautiful inn providing you with breathtaking views of Bryce Canyon National Park. That evening, we treated ourselves to dinner at Stone Hearth Grille, an upscale restaurant at the inn.
Sunday, 05/09/2021, was devoted to exploring Bryce Canyon National Park. Heidi and I checked out of Stone Canyon Inn and drove the short distance to the park to embark on the Navajo Loop and Queen’s Garden Trail. Renowned as the park's most popular hike and highly recommended by the National Park Service for first-time visitors, this trail offers a unique combination of the distinctive hoodoos found along the Queen’s Garden Trail and the iconic switchbacks of the Navajo Loop Trail.
Around 12:30pm, Heidi and I parted ways, with her heading back home to the Salt Lake City area, while I continued on with the second leg of my journey.
I began the solo portion of my journey by driving Bryce Canyon Scenic Drive, the main park road, south to Rainbow Point, the southernmost viewpoint. After getting some photos, I turned around and drove north to Fairyland Point, the northernmost viewpoint along the rim, stopping at the scenic overlooks along the way.
I reached Fairyland Point around 3:30pm. After capturing some photos there, I proceeded to drive to Zion Park Motel, the hotel I stayed at while visiting Zion National Park.
I arrived at Zion Park Motel around 5:45 pm on Sunday, May 9, 2022. I chose to stay there because it’s just one mile south of Zion National Park, and I found it to be fairly affordable, costing $408.69 for three nights in May 2021. The rooms were a bit dated, but I didn't mind since I wouldn't be spending much time in the room. The bed was comfortable, which was perfect!
After checking in and freshening up, I went back out for Oscar’s Cafe, a popular restaurant serving generous portions of authentic Mexican food. Following dinner, I walked to Sol Foods Supermarket for some additional supplies before returning to the hotel to call it a night.
On Monday, 05/10/2022, I arrived early at the Visitor Center so that I could catch the 6am shuttle to The Grotto, the 6th stop of the Zion Canyon Shuttle. The Grotto Trail, the Kayenta Trail, and Angel’s Landing are all accessible from that stop. My goal for that morning was to complete the Angel’s Landing hike to Scout’s Lookout.
The hike begins by crossing a bridge over the Virgin River onto the West Rim Trail, leading to Refrigerator Canyon - a shaded and paved section of the trail. Following Refrigerator Canyon is Walter’s Wiggles, a series of 21 switchbacks with an elevation gain of 250 feet in a relatively short distance. Beyond Walter's Wiggles lies the sandy plateau of Scout’s Lookout.
At this point, hikers have the option to continue on to Angel’s Landing, hike the West Rim Trail, or head back down. I chose to stop at Scout’s Lookout, where I enjoyed a sandwich, captured some photos, and took a moment to relax before heading back down to the bus stop. While I’ve read the view from Angel’s Landing is breathtaking, I personally was nervous to hike the narrow ridge from Scout’s Lookout to Angel’s Landing and found the scenery from Scout’s Lookout to be incredibly rewarding.
Next, I took the shuttle to the Temple of Sinawava stop, the last shuttle stop along the Zion Canyon Scenic Drive, to hike The Narrows, a unique and exhilarating trek in the Virgin River.
There are 2 ways to complete the river hike: Bottom-Up or Top-Down. The Top-Down option is the more challenging and adventurous of the 2 options, and also requires a permit. The Bottom-Up hike, the route I chose, is the most common and accessible way to experience The Narrows.
I didn’t rent any gear for this hike, as I was comfortable with using my own gear. To keep my feet from getting uncomfortable while hiking in the water, I wore neoprene socks under my Darn Tough hiking socks. Luckily, my hiking shoes, the Salomon Speedcross 5, are waterproof. I highly recommend using a hiking pole on this hike, as mine definitely helped me maintain my balance.
I also had dry bags inside my day pack. I used them to store my camera, portable chargers, food, and anything else I didn’t want to get wet. Dry bags are great for keeping your gear dry in wet conditions, as long as the bag isn't fully submerged. I figured they'd come in handy in case I fell during the hike!
Upon exiting the shuttle, I continued onto the Riverside Walk, a paved trail that leads to The Narrows. The river hike begins at the end of the paved trail. Mystery Falls, a beautiful spot where water cascades down the sandstone walls from the canyon above, is on the left side just under half a mile from the end of Riverside Walk. Wall Street, one of the narrowest and most photogenic parts of the trail, is about 1.5 miles up from the end of the Riverside Walk. My goal had been to make it to Wall Street, but I unfortunately turned around just before reaching that spot.
Nothing is marked along the route, so it’s a game of watching for specific landmarks as you hike up the river. The spot I turned around at looked quite narrow and, even with the hiking pole, I fell into the water a couple of times. When I reached what I thought was Wall Street, I felt pretty happy with all I had seen and, since I was kinda soaked from falling, I decided it was as good as any time to turn around and hike back to Riverside Walk.
When I got to the paved area, I walked over to the side to take off the neoprene socks and change into dry hiking socks. Luckily, it was a beautiful, sunny day, so my clothes and hiking shoes dried quickly.
It was around 2pm when I returned to the Temple of Sinawava stop to pick up the shuttle to head back to the Visitor Center. Since it was still early, I instead hopped off at the Zion Lodge stop, stop #5, to walk around the Zion Lodge area and hike some of the Emerald Pools hiking trails.
The trails offer scenic paths through vegetation and alongside streams, leading to pools nestled in the canyon's cliffs. Divided into Lower, Middle, and Upper levels, these trails cater to various hiking preferences and offer opportunities to enjoy the park's natural beauty at different levels of difficulty.
According to my Garmin watch, it took me about 2 hours to hike almost 4 miles of the Emerald Pools hiking trails.
I returned to the car around 5:30pm and drove back to Zion Park Motel to shower and change, and then ventured out again to walk to the Springdale Visitor Center. I returned to the hotel around 9pm, heading straight to bed.
On Tuesday, 05/11/2021, I again arrived at the Visitor Center before 6am to catch the shuttle bus to the Big Bend shuttle stop. Shuttles don’t pick up at this stop to take visitors up the canyon, but do stop to bring visitors down the canyon towards the Visitor’s Center. From the Big Bend stop, you’ll see a large, sweeping bend in the Virgin River and stunning views of the Great White Throne, Angel’s Landing, and Cable Mountain. I hiked along the Virgin River to the Grotto stop. While hiking along the river, I was so happy to see a deer crossing it!
When I reached the Grotto stop, I picked up the shuttle to head back to the parking lot to the car.
After retrieving the car from the parking lot, I drove about an hour from the Visitor Center to hike the The East Mesa Trail, a quiet hike that takes you through a ponderosa pine forest on the upper east side of Zion National Park and leads you to Observation Point. From there, you can see the entirety of Zion Canyon, including Angel’s Landing, the Virgin River, and the road going through the park.
To get to the East Mesa Trailhead, 4 wheel drive or all wheel drive is highly recommended, as the parking area for the trailhead is down a section of dirt road. There are also only 15 parking spots at the trailhead. If the parking area is full, shuttles are available from Zion Ponderosa.
I arrived at the trailhead around 11:30am. It took me about 3 hours to complete the 7.5 mile hike.
My next stop was the Canyon Overlook Trail, a relatively flat and easy hike that leads to some incredible views of the Zion Canyon.
The trail isn’t accessible from the shuttle, and can only be reached via private vehicle. The parking area is located on Highway 9, just east of the Zion-Mount Carmel Tunnel. Parking is extremely limited right by the trailhead, but there are overflow lots further down the road. I arrived around 4:30pm, and, luckily, didn’t have any issues with getting a parking spot.
The 1 mile out-and-back hike took me about an hour to complete.
I then drove back to the Visitor Center parking lot to hike The Watchman Trail, arriving around 6:30pm.
The trailhead is conveniently located right by the Visitor Center plaza, across the street from the shuttle stop.
It was the perfect spot to watch the sunset.
On Wednesday, 05/12/2022, I departed from Zion Park Motel in Springdale and drove to Moab. Leaving Springdale around 8am, I arrived in Moab by 1:30pm and promptly headed to the trailhead for Corona and Bowtie Arches.
Starting from the trailhead, I crossed the railroad tracks and followed the old road that ascends to a gap in the slickrock bench above. Following cairns, I proceeded up the wash for about 100 yards until the trail veered left. Along the way, 2 safety cables provided security, particularly in slightly exposed sections, aiding in traversing the terrain safely while enjoying views of Corona Arch in the distance. After ascending steps carved in sandstone with the assistance of the second safety cable, I continued east, climbed a short ladder over the ledge, and followed cairns to reach the top of a large bench. From there, a short walk along the wide slickrock bench led me to the base of Corona Arch.
Completing the almost 3-mile trail took approximately one hour and 45 minutes. Afterwards, I headed to Adventure Inn, my accommodation for visiting Arches and Canyonlands National Parks. I chose to stay there because it’s conveniently located on the main road in Moab, U.S. Route 191, just five miles from Arches National Park and 32 miles from Canyonlands National Park. Additionally, there were a couple of gas stations nearby. It was also relatively affordable, costing $393.96 for three nights in May 2021.
Anticipating a very early start the next day, I headed to bed early.
On Thursday, 05/13/2021, I spent 18 hours immersed in the wonders of Arches National Park. I arrived at the trailhead for the Windows Trail in Arches at 3:30am for night sky photos and stayed at the park until just after sunset, which was at 8:22pm. It made for a long, but memorable day.
I opted for the Windows section for my night sky photography excursion after learning that capturing Turret Arch framed through the North Window is considered to be the quintessential sunrise shot. Since I also planned to capture sunrise photos from there, it made sense for me to begin with night sky photography at that location. Additionally, the short, gentle climb up a gravel trail from the parking lot to reach the Windows section made it an easy spot to navigate, even in the dead of night with just my headlamp.
Click here to view more night sky photos from the Windows Section
Around the time of first light, I stopped taking night sky photos and continued on the trail to walk through the North Window, scrambling up the rocks a bit so that I could get my own sunrise photo of Turret Arch through the North Window. After spending 3 hours in the Windows section, and feeling quite content with the photos I captured, I walked back to my car to continue on with my journey.
Devil’s Garden Trail, a popular 8 mile hike renowned for its stunning array of natural arches, was next on my itinerary for the day. Along the scenic trail, hikers can encounter eight impressive arches, should they choose to explore them all.
Beginning with Tunnel Arch and Pine Tree Arch, I went clockwise and visited the rest of the arches in this order: Landscape Arch, Partition Arch, Navajo Arch, Double O Arch, Dark Angel Arch, and Private Arch. After enjoying the serene beauty at Private Arch, I retraced my steps, heading back towards Double O Arch and Landscape Arch before returning to the trailhead.
Despite its advertised length of 8 miles, my AllTrails and Garmin apps recorded a distance of 9.9 miles, completed in just under 6 hours. This variance in distance added an unexpected challenge to the hike, but it was definitely still worth it. The breathtaking scenery and unique natural formations made it a truly unforgettable experience.
Next, I made my way to the Sand Dune Arch parking area to hike Sand Dune and Broken Arch Trail, arriving around 2:30pm. The Sand Dune Arch Trail is an easy stroll through a sandy area. Broken Arch Trail winds through open blackbrush and grassland flats to Broken Arch. While Broken Arch appears to be broken due to a crack through the top, it is actually intact. According to AllTrails, it took me about 45 minutes to complete the 1.65 mile hike.
After completing the Sand Dune and Broken Arch Trail hike, I drove to Skyline Arch to embark on the easy 0.4 mile round trip hike from the parking lot to view the scenic arch.
From there, I proceeded to explore Park Avenue and Courthouse Towers. The Park Avenue Trail is only 2 miles out and back, but after hiking almost 12 miles between Devil’s Garden Trail and Sand Dune and Broken Arch Trail, and knowing I still had a 3 mile hike ahead of me to watch the sunset from Delicate Arch, I decided not to complete this hike. Instead, I was content with taking photos of Park Avenue from the Park Avenue viewpoint before driving to the Courthouse Towers parking area for more photos.
Around 5:30pm, I left the Courthouse Towers parking area to drive to the Wolfe Ranch Parking Lot, the parking area for Delicate Arch Trail.
I spent Friday, 05/14/2021 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 3 districts: Island in the Sky, The Needles, and The Maze. Positioned in the park's northern region, Island in the Sky is the most easily accessible of the three. If you only have one day to spend at 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.
I began my morning at Mesa Arch, a well-known destination within Canyonlands, famous for its spectacular sunrise photo opportunities. Positioned on the edge of the mesa top, Mesa Arch offers stunning views of the canyon below and the La Sal Mountains in the distance. Sunrise that morning was at 6:11am. With it being such a popular spot, I had read it would be ideal to get to Mesa Arch at least an hour before sunrise. My hotel was a 45 minute drive from Mesa Arch, meaning I would have had to have left by 4am to arrive early enough to get a good spot for sunrise photos. After spending 18 hours at Arches National Park the previous day, I just couldn’t bring myself to get up that early. Instead, I arrived at Mesa Arch around 8:30am. Despite the later arrival, the scenery was still breathtakingly beautiful.
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. The 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.
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, visitors are treated to sweeping views of deep canyons, colorful rock formations, and the meandering path of the river below.
Murphy Point Trail, an easy 3.6 out-and-back hike, was my next destination for the day. The trail commences with a stroll through a grassy plateau, gradually revealing the majestic buttes encircling the Island in the Sky district. About ½ a mile in, you’ll reach a junction where you can either go left or continue straight. If you go left, you’ll end up on Murphy Loop Trail, a 10.1 mile loop hike offering outstanding views from atop the Murphy Hogback and White Rim Road. In order to reach Murphy Point, be sure to continue going straight at the junction. Upon reaching Murphy Point, you’re treated to sweeping panoramic views of Candlestick Tower, the Green River, and the White Rim Road.
I reached the parking area for Murphy Point at approximately 1pm, and found myself alone on the trail for the majority of the hike. Upon reaching Murphy Point, I lingered to soak in the stunning vistas and enjoy my lunch. As I ate, I was joined by another solo hiker and a couple who also arrived at the point. It was nice to sit and chat with them for a bit before I continued on my way.
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.
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 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 are again treated to 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 at 8:23pm that evening. While there was more I wanted to see at the Island in the Sky district of Canyonlands, I was eager to explore the state park prior to the sunset. Content with what I had seen, I decided to make my way to Dead Horse Point State Park, stopping stopping at Aztec Butte and Shafer Trail Viewpoint along the way.
Aztec Butte is a 2 mile out-and-back hiking trail with amazing butte-top views of the canyon. Instead of completing the hike, I opted to just pull over at the overlook and take a couple of photos before making my way to Shafer Trail Viewpoint. The Shafer Trail Viewpoint is a short stroll from the parking area, offering a stunning view of the Shafer Trail as it winds its way down Shafer Canyon and towards the La Sal Mountains. To navigate the Shafer Trail by vehicle, a high-clearance 4WD vehicle and an experienced driver are 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. Unfortunately, I hadn't thoroughly examined a map beforehand to plan the most strategic route. Instead, I followed a list of top destinations in the park, leading to more backtracking than necessary. Looking back, I see that after Grand View Point Overlook Trail, a more efficient sequence 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! :)
I arrived at Dead Horse Point State Park at 5:40pm on Friday, 05/14/2021, plenty of time before the sunset at 8:23pm. Entrance to the park is $20 for a regular private vehicle.
The park sits above the White Rim Trail in Canyonlands National Park. Due to it’s elevated position, it offers sweeping panoramic views of the Colorado River winding through the deep canyons below. As the sun sets, its warm glow illuminates the rugged cliffs and rock formations, creating a captivating play of light and shadow across the landscape.
Upon arrival, I stopped at the Visitor Center, and then continued on the main park road to the parking lot for the Overlook, located at the end of the park. While there are 8 miles of connected hiking trails at the park, each leading to 8 different overlooks, I didn’t complete any of them. Instead, I opted to explore the immediate area around the main overlook, soaking in the breathtaking views and the beauty of the sunset.
I left Dead Horse Point State Park around 9pm to re-enter Canyonlands National Park, arriving at the Mesa Arch around 9:45pm. I stayed at the park until 12:30am, enjoying the beauty of the night sky.
On Saturday, 05/15/2021, I embarked on the final leg of my epic two-week hiking trip in Utah. After checking out of Adventure Inn at 9am, I drove back to Salt Lake City, returning the mid-sized SUV to the Enterprise Rent-A-Car. I then got an uber back to Heidi’s place to reconnect with her and her husband before flying back home the next day.
Saturday, 05/01/2021: Flew to Salt Lake City
United flight at 2:10pm to arrive in Denver at 4:54pm
Sunday, 05/02/2021: Park City
Brunch at Ice Haus
Spent the day at Park City
Wandered around the historic downtown area
Stopped at No Name Saloon for a drink
Monday, 05/03/2021: Salt Lake City
Walked around Salt Lake City stopping at the following places:
Washington Square Park
Gateway Plaza
City Creek Center
Temple Square
Utah State Capitol
Memory Grove Park
Took a Lyft to the Ensign Peak Trailhead to hike to the top of Ensign Peak
Walked from the Ensign Peak Trailhead to Whiskey Street to meet up with Heidi and her husband for a beer
Gracie’s for a drink
Dinner at Takashi
Tuesday, 05/04/2021: Salt Lake City
Hiked the Living Room Trail
Walked around Red Butte Garden
Took a Lyft to Liberty Park to wander around the park and check out the Tracy Aviary
Wednesday, 05/05/2021: Salt Lake City
Visited the following parks:
Fairmont Park
Parleys Park
Canyon Rim Park
Lunch at Roots Cafe
Thursday, 05/06/2021: Fish Creek and drove to Torrey
Picked up the rental car to drive towards Torrey
Stopped in Fish Creek to hike some of the Fish Creek Lake Trail and the Fish Creek Cove Trail
Drove to Thousand Lakes RV Park to check into our place there
Friday, 05/07/2021: Capitol Reef National Park
Drove through the Cathedral Valley Loop of Capitol Reef National Park
Hiked the Upper Cathedral Valley Overlook trail
Hiked the Jailhouse Rock and Temple Rock Route trail
Saturday, 05/08/2021: Lower Calf Creek Falls and Kodachrome Basin State Park
Drove on Highway 12 towards Tropic
Stopped for sunrise photos
Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument
Hiked Lower Calf Creek Falls
Kodachrome Basin State Park
Hiked the Panorama Trail
Checked into our hotel at the Stone Canyon Inn
Dinner at Stone Hearth Grille at Bryce Canyon
Sunday, 05/09/2021: Bryce National Park and driving from Bryce to Springdale
Hiked the Navajo Loop and Queen Garden’s Trail and Bryce Canyon National Park
Heidi headed back home, while I continued on
Drove Bryce Canyon Scenic Drive
Drove to Springdale to check into Zion Park Motel
Dinner at Oscar’s Cafe
Monday, 05/10/2021: Zion National Park
Hiked the Angel’s Landing Trail
Stopped at Scout’s Lookout
Hiked the Narrows
Stopped just before Wall Street
Hiked the Emerald Pools Trail
Tuesday, 05/11/2021: Zion National Park
Took the shuttle to Big Bend stop - stop 8 and walked along the river to the Grotto stop - stop 6
Left the park to drive to the East Mesa Trailhead
Hiked the East Mesa Trail to Observation Point
Hiked the Canyon Overlook Trail
Went back into the park
Hiked the Watchman Trail hike to watch the sunset
Wednesday, 05/12/2021: Drove from Springdale to Moab
Checked out of Zion Park Motel
Drove to Moab
Hiked Corona Arch before checking into the hotel
Checked into Adventure Inn
Thursday, 05/13/2021: Arches National Park
Arrived at the park around 3:30am to get photos of the night sky from the Window section
Watched the sunrise from the Windows section
Drove to Balanced Rock Viewpoint and Trail to get photos of Balanced Rock
Hiked the Devil’s Garden Trail
Hiked the Sand Dune Arch to Broken Arch Loop trail
Drove to Park Avenue and Courthouse Towers
Hiked Delicate Arch trail for sunset
Friday, 05/14/2021: Canyonlands National Park and Dead Horse Point State Park
Mesa Arch Trail
Grand View Point Trail
Green River Overlook
Candlestick Tower Overlook
Murphy Point Overlook Trail
Orange Cliffs Overlook
Buck Canyon Overlook
White Rim Overlook Trail
Aztec Butte
Shafer Trail Viewpoint
Drove to Dead Horse Point State Park to watch the sunset
Drove back into Canyonlands to the Mesa Arch trailhead
Night sky photos at Mesa Arch
Saturday, 05/15/2021: Drove from Moab to Salt Lake City
Checked out of Adventure Inn
Drove from Adventure Inn to Millcreek Enterprise Rent-A-Center to drop off the car
Met back up with Heidi and her husband for the day
Sunday, 05/16/2021: Flight home
United flight at 12:15pm from Salt Lake City back to Chicago
