A Land of Canyons

2018-09-24
Canyonlands National Park, UT

Today I headed for Canyonlands. I did some research online to pick my hikes, and found out that Canyonlands is really separated into three areas: Island in the Sky, Needles, and the Maze. Nobody talks about the Maze. Unlike Roosevelt, the three areas are in one contiguous park. However to get to each section you need to take a completely different road from outside the park. At least there are different roads for Island and Needles; no one talks about the Maze. To get from one Visitors Center to the other is around two hours of driving. So really, you get to choose one area or the other for a day. I chose Islands in the Sky because I was more in the mood for shorter hikes and scenic views than one long hike. Yesterday I drank a gallon of water but I was still feeling a bit dehydrated this morning. I needed more salt I think.

Looking back at the pictures, I hate most of them. I tried, but between sun glare and haze most of them are garbage. It really is a lot prettier in person; the vistas are spectacular. It's a shame I can't really share them, but try to extrapolate from what I was able to take.

Close desertscapes, on the other hand, look pretty good
Close desertscapes, on the other hand, look pretty good

I started the day at the Grand View. That was a two mile hike along the edge of a cliff looking in two different directions. One was right into the sun of course; that was the direction with stuff close enough that it might have come out. The other direction at the point was also very colorful.

It wants to be seen in a better light.
It wants to be seen in a better light.

I was beginning to understand that it's more of a plateau than an island in the sky, but the view in every direction were awesome. I also realized that I didn't want to do any of the into-the-valley hikes. Usually we hike to the top of something to get a view, or go down into a valley for a waterfall or other feature. This sounded like going into a valley just to realize the view was better at the top, and then have to climb back up. Anything that is in the least bit hazy is too far to walk to.

Desert floor that I am not walking to
Desert floor that I am not walking to

So off to Murphy's Point, a four mile hike to another point with great views. They were different than the previous views, but not more amazing. Pretty much any outlook or point will be awesome here.

On the way to Murphy's point
On the way to Murphy's point
This is what Murphy woke up to. That's the Green River in the right center.
This is what Murphy woke up to. That's the Green River in the right center.
Unless he got up on the wrong side of the bed and had this view
Unless he got up on the wrong side of the bed and had this view

I stopped at various overlooks in between the hikes as they presented themselves. All were very scenic and I kept trying for pictures.

Scenic I tell you!
Scenic I tell you!
The road snakes from the top of the mesa down. It's pretty impressive engineering to hang it on the cliff. It was used for uranium mining.
The road snakes from the top of the mesa down. It's pretty impressive engineering to hang it on the cliff. It was used for uranium mining.

Finally I hiked Upheaval Dome for two miles. This is a cool crater that may have been created when a sea dried up leaving a pile of salt which subsequently got buried. Then the salt expanded to break through the surface and eventually eroded away. Or it could just be a meteor strike. They haven't found enough evidence to narrow it down yet.

Maybe it was a salt meteor?
Maybe it was a salt meteor?

Apparently they have so many arches in Utah that they just leave them by the side of the highway. This was on my way to my campground in the afternoon. As arches go, I thought it looked pretty good.

They really do have arches to spare
They really do have arches to spare

I called an audible for sleeping arrangements and went to a campground south of Moab despite booking in at Green River for three nights. I discovered that Mesa Verde only sells tour tickets at the park office and I want to be sure to get some. Gaining two hours of travel time will help. It was a very windy evening and a storm blew through while I was tented up for the evening.

Hiking Distance: 8 miles

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