Canyonlands is really a fantastic National Park, but it's not all that great if you don't hike. The views from the roads are nice, Mesa Arch is really worth a sunrise visit, but you really have to hike. The National Park is divided into two sections, the Mesa, and the Needles. The Mesa is called "Island in the Sky," which is a very nice and inspirational name. Island is about 45 minutes away from Moab to the North, and The Needles is a out an hour and a half southward from Moab. The only way to travel between the two other than this drive is by backpacking. Personally, I find the Needles to be much more spectacular and much less visited. En route, you will have the opportunity to visit Newspaper Rock, a very nice collection of petroglyphs.
Upon arrival, drop by the visitor center for your last chance to fill your water bottles and use a restroom. The rangers at this center tend to be very knowledgeable about trails (not as common when you go to more mainstream parks). They are very good at advising which trails based upon your skill level and amount of free time.
The hike I want to cover in this post is the Druid Arch trail. This is approximately 11 miles round trip on the shortest trail. Overall, the trail itself is not too strenuous for most of the journey, but there are a few sections that require some scrambling skills and some upper body strength. The most dangerous part is that there is no potable water on the trail, and in a dry season, the little creeks may not even offer much to purify with a filter. In moderate heat, I drank about two liters on the trail, with more before and after. The area you will be hiking in is called Elephant Canyon. It's got lots of side trails to vary your route a bit if you are camping on the way (there are many campsites along the way) or if you have extra time and energy. The best light on the arch would be before noon, so, if you are departing from Moab, you would want to leave before dawn. If you can backpack in for a night and get an early start in the morning, even better. Most of the hike will be in sandy river beds or on rock. The final section is the most technical, as it is a bit like scree and a little treacherous, but when you come around the corner and see a 450 foot arch, you will be rewarded. For comparison, the Delicate Arch is 60 feet. No photo will do this Arch justice, so you may have to make this journey to see it yourself. I love how it is reminiscent of Stonehenge, paying homage back to the days of the druids in the UK. Such a spectacular place. Until next time!
