We got another early morning start to the Island in the Sky section of Canyonlands National Park. It is about 45 minutes from Moab. Again, since we knew we wanted to hike the trail at Grand View Point out to the viewpoint, we drove directly there.
Grand View Point lies at the southernmost point of the Island in the Sky scenic drive. From this mesa top you can see the White Rim, features in The Maze and The Needles sections of the Park (all far away), and distant mountains. A short, paved sidewalk leads to a spectacular viewpoint. From there you can hike the additional mile to a second spectacular viewpoint. A stunning out-and-back trail, this walk showcases breathtaking panoramic views as it follows the canyon edge. That canyon edge really made Peter nervous, as it is over 1,000 feet high, with no guard rails. In fact, the trail was over level rock (for the most part) that was really quite wide (for the most part). Definitely well worth it.
On the way back, we stopped at the White Rim overlook, the Buck Canyon Overlook, the Green River Overlook, and then hiked the 1 mile round trip to the Mesa Arch. The Green River viewpoint overlooked the mesa that the Green River cut into, leaving this incredible slit in the earth. Mesa Arch 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. We then stopped at the Schaffer Trail viewpoint. All of these views were amazing. You are up so high, and can see so far. And you are awed by the beauty that Mother Nature has created over the eons. You can also see the 4 wheel drive, back-country road that zig-zags steeply downhill to the canyon bottom. This park is famous for its back country roads and hikes. Not for us.
We were going to go to the last section, Upheaval Dome, but noticed that our gas tank fuel light had come on, saying GET TO THE GAS STATION. So, we ended up heading back into Moab.
Grand View Point hike photos:
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| there were jeeps driving this road down |
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