Part I of the Canyonlands Backcountry Series
In this article:
Introducing Canyonlands National Park
Utah’s canyonlands - quoting America’s most prestigious writer, Edward Abbey, it is the “most weird, wonderful, magical place on earth - there is nothing else like it anywhere”. And if that is not the most fitting description of this region then what is? Canyonlands National Park protects a vast area of the Colorado Plateau high desert - a drainage basin of several mountain ranges to its east and south, with the confluence of the Green and Colorado rivers at its center. Carving their way through various layers of sandstone, these two rivers are driving a continuous process of erosion on a massive scale. This has created a dense and colorful collection of canyons, badlands, basins, arches, pinnacles, mesas, buttes, plateaus, and valleys on multiple levels and escarpments that fan out for miles and miles and climb
higher and higher the farther away you get from the rivers at the bottom of the canyons. An area that defies our comprehension with its vast distances, strange and colorful landscapes, and extremely remote and inaccessible sections. There is no distinct feature that defines the Canyonlands. Each corner of this rugged labyrinth has its very own unique character.
Canyonlands National Park is situated in Utah’s remote, and sparsely developed Southeast. And with only two paved roads leading in and out of the park, much of the Canyonlands backcountry remains one of the most remote and least accessible regions of the United States to this day. At the center of it all are the four districts that make up Canyonlands National Park. The Island in the Sky and Needles districts are the two most visited districts and can each be easily reached via a roughly one hour drive from the nearest highway. The River and Maze districts on the other hand are both located in the remote backcountry and can only be reached via difficult trails or by boat - a pristine wilderness that hasn’t changed much over the more than 150 years since the first Europeans traveled through here!
Preparing the journey into Terra Incognita
The Canyonlands backcountry of the Island in the Sky, the Maze, and the Needles districts has captivated me and sparked my imagination ever since I first stood on the very edge of the Needles Overlook on one of my first road trips through southeastern Utah several years ago. Standing there on top of the canyon rim overlooking this vast and barren landscape I couldn’t believe my eyes. I was overwhelmed by how small and insignificant this all made me feel. I couldn’t make out anything in particular, let alone fully comprehend what I was looking at. It was just incredibly beautiful, and I knew one thing for sure - one day I’d venture into this seemingly forbidding country! And eventually, on my fourth visit in the fall of 2024, I did just that - a solo-backcountry adventure exploring the White Rim Road of the Island in the Sky, the Flint Trail going into the Maze, and the Elephant Hill Road of the Needles!
To get started with my adventure, I first had to get a rough idea of when this trip should take place, which routes I’d be traveling, and what type of journey I’d be looking for - four-wheel driving, mountain biking, backpacking, or kayaking. Since there is a permit system for all types of backcountry activities in place, all of these details had to be known before making any reservations. And due to the fact that these backcountry permits are quite popular, it was important to plan well ahead and make my reservation sooner rather than later. In this case, the first time I actually started making precise travel plans for my fall 2024 solo-backcountry adventure was in the winter of 2023/24, when I happened to read about the Maze. Seeing pictures of this stunningly beautiful place I knew right away that I’ll have to see that in
person. I just started researching right away and soon after that - by March of 2024 - I had my whole route planned and ready: two days of four wheel driving the roughly 150 km around the Island in the Sky along the White Rim Road, two days of four wheel driving 230 km to the Maze Overlook and back via the Flint Trail, and one full-day hike through the Needles backcountry visiting the Confluence, Elephant Hill, and Devils Kitchen.
All in all I have planned for a full week of traveling and exploring, allowing me to spend enough time at each of these locations while at the same time being able to comfortably cover the large distances between each of the districts. This is an important fact that you should keep in mind when planning your visit to Canyonlands National Park. Allow for at least an extra day to comfortably travel between each of the districts as you will have to exit the National Park and take long detours every time you are going from one district to another due to the difficult terrain within the park. In my case since I had to travel from the Island in the Sky to the Maze and from there to the Needles which meant two out of my seven days just for traveling between the districts. To put this into perspective: traveling from the Hans Flat Ranger Station just outside the Maze District and the western boundary of the park to Big Spring Canyon in the Needles District - two points that are roughly 30 km apart as the crow flies - takes more than 5 hours and over 320 km to drive. So plan accordingly!
With the rough travel route and travel dates in mind the next step is to look for the right backcountry campsites. Along the White Rim Road I would be staying at the Gooseberry and Potato Bottom backcountry campsites and inside the Maze District I’d be staying at the remote yet beautifully situated Maze Overlook backcountry campsite. For every reservation it is key to act quick. In the case of backcountry campsites you will get to make a reservation for one night each which will then allow you to retrieve the actual backcountry permit. Each year there is a fixed time and date when all backcountry campsites are being unlocked in the reservation system recreation.gov for a certain time period later that year. For reservations in the fall season all campsites are usually made available for reservation starting in May the same year. Mark the specific time and date in your calendar as you will have to be quick - especially with those popular sites along the White Rim! Also keep in mind that you will have to provide detailed information about your travel plans including the number of people in your group and where you will be entering and leaving the park’s backcountry area.
Once you have all your reservations the hard part is over. All that’s left for you is to make sure you have the appropriate high-clearance (!) 4x4 vehicle with 4Lo (!) capability and to know your way around them as some parts of the park’s backcountry trails are extremely technical - especially in the Maze and Needles districts. There are a number of excellent outfitters in Moab where you will be able to rent just the right vehicle for your specific adventure - in my case, I got myself a Wrangler Rubicon. Note that regular rental cars are NOT permitted on any backcountry trails - you most likely won't get them out of there in one piece anyway. Also, get your camping equipment ready and use all the material available to you to familiarize yourself with all the potential hazards of the Canyonlands backcountry. There is tons of video and reading material on that on nps.gov. And last but not least, retrieving your backcountry permit: besides the backcountry permits for the White Rim Road which will be sent to you via email a couple of days before your trip starts, you will have to get your permits for the Maze district in person either at the backcountry office in Moab or at the Hans Flat Ranger Station at the beginning of the Flint Trail outside the western boundary of the park. Here you will have to confirm that you have read and understood all the park’s backcountry rules and regulations. After that you are finally ready to head into the backcountry of Canyonlands National Park!
For a visual guide check out my video below. For more detailed information feel free to continue reading through the next parts of this series at the bottom of this page.
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