Canyonlands National Park

Next up, is Canyonlands National Park, a mere 30-minute drive from Arches, at least to one of its three sections.  Canyonlands’ three districts cover over 337,598 acres of South Eastern Utah.  They are Island in the Sky, Needles and The Maze.  Island in the sky is the most visited and easily accessible section, located between the Green and Colorado Rivers.  The Needles district is just south of Island in the Sky, and is named for the red and white sandstone spires that dominate the landscape.  The Maze is to the west of the rivers and is the most remote section of the Park.  It can only be accessed by an unpaved road which becomes significantly more rugged and difficult to traverse as it goes.  The Maze is considered one of the most remote regions in the lower 48.  If you are to really experience all Canyonlands has to offer, you would need at least a week.  The Needles and Maze districts are geared toward multi-day backpacking trips as opposed to day-hikes.  Due to time and distance, we only visited Island in the Sky.  We considered making the drive down to the Needles district to see the meeting of the Green and Colorado Rivers at the Confluence Overlook, but decided the 10-mile hike was not conducive to our plans or endurance at the time.

Mesa Arch

View from the Mesa Arch

We discovered quickly Island in the Sky is much less about the actual hiking and more about the stunning vistas and overlooks found throughout.  We hiked a quick half mile loop up to the breathtaking Mesa Arch.  The opening of the arch creates a perfect frame overlooking the vast canyons off in the distance, saying you can see for miles is an understatement.  The Green River Overlook is less than a minute’s walk from the car. The view from the 6,000-foot elevation showcases the Green River and how it has carved through the surrounding landscape over millions of years.  The Grand View Point trail is a two-mile hike providing incredible panoramic views of Canyonlands, ending at the overlook of the Colorado River on the opposite side of this Island in the Sky.

Green River Overlook

The Mesa Arch, Green River Overlook and Grand View Point are the ‘must-dos’ of Island in the Sky, but if you have time check out the Upheaval Dome as well.  It is a 1.8 mile moderately strenuous hike to two overlooks in the park.  The Upheaval Dome is believed to be the result of a meteorite striking the Earth around 60 million years ago.  Again, if you have the time I recommend checking out Dead Horse Point State Park, about a fifteen-minute drive north of Canyonlands.  Although not actually a part of the National Park, it delivers some more breathtaking and awe-inspiring views of the surrounding lands.  

National Park Ratings

1. Arches National Park

2. Canyonlands National Park

3. Shenandoah Valley National Park

Arches National Park

After Shenandoah, it was official John and I had been bit by the National Park bug.  We planned our next trip to Utah, the home of five U.S. National Parks. We decided to stick to the Eastern half of the state, as we only had eight days.  It would have been possible to see all 5 Utah Parks in one trip, but not entirely enjoyable in our opinion. 

We flew into Salt Lake City late on Friday night and immediately went to bed at a local hotel.  We woke up early the next morning, stepped out on the balcony of our room and caught our first glimpses of the surrounding mountains.  Driving from the airport the night before we had no idea they were surrounding us on almost all sides.  We went to see the Mormon Tabernacle in the morning, quite an impressive piece of architecture. Then we began the four-hour drive from Salt Lake City to Moab.

The only way I can think to describe this drive is as other-worldly.  It honestly felt like we were driving around Mars. It is bare and desolate with no buildings, telephone poles or even electrical wires on the side of the road.  Coming from the overcrowded East Coast, it was nothing either of us had ever seen before.  Four hours later we arrived in the small desert town of Moab, Utah.  The one main road in Moab had a few different hotels, some restaurants and lots of little shops.  The town is definitely geared toward tourists based on its proximity to both Arches and Canyonlands National Parks, but in a tasteful way, not too gaudy or over the top.  Our trip was at the end of August but surprisingly, it was not super-hot. The temperature hovered around during our four day stay in Moab.

Our introduction to Arches National Park was the Park Avenue Trail.  It is a one-mile hike through the bottom of a canyon, surrounded by red rock monoliths (upright blocks of stone).  From this trail, the Courthouse Towers, the Organ and the tower of Babel are all visible.  John and I were about halfway through the trail when we looked to our left and spotted two deer watching us from the canyon wall.  They could not have been more than 50 yards away, but were clearly not phased by our presence.  It was an incredible sight!

Deer sighting on Park Avenue Trail

Most of Arches attractions are easily accessible and a short walk from the road.  For example, Balanced Rock, Sand Dune Arch, and Double Arch are all less than a half-mile from the designated parking areas.  Delicate Arch is by far the most famous site in Arches (it can be found on the Utah license plate) and it definitely lives up to all the hype.  The 1.5-mile hike to the arch is pretty strenuous, as you are basically hiking straight up a large rock face, but it is absolutely worth the effort.  We made the trek up for sunset (and were not the only one’s with that plan), but I am so happy we did.  The massive arch is breathtaking on it’s own and adding the orange glow of the setting sun is only icing on the cake.  We got some amazing pictures and unforgettable views.

Landscape Arch
 (the largest arch on the planet!)

Delicate Arch

Another “must do” in Arches National Park would be to take a ranger-guided hike through the Fiery Furnace.  It is not a difficult hike but requires a fair amount of scrambling, squeezing through narrow spaces and pulling yourself over, crawling under and through numerous rock formations.  It’s like a natural obstacle course or maze in the middle of the Utah desert.  I am glad we chose to the ranger guided tour as opposed to paying for a permit and going on our own.  The guide pointed out formations and characteristics we never would have noticed and gave us tips on the easiest and safest ways to make it through the trail.  It was an awesome and unique experience!

National Park Ratings

1. Arches National Park

2. Shenandoah Valley National Park

Shenandoah National Park

In May of 2015, my husband John and I shared our first real outdoor experience and went to Shenandoah National Park. Prior to visiting John’s sister in D.C, we had discovered our love for the outdoors and decided to make the trek two hours west on I-64. We booked a cabin room for two nights at the Skyland Resort inside the Park which turned out to be one of the most life changing decisions we’d ever made. The lodge is centrally located within the park boundaries and is only a short drive away from the majority of the attractions. Upon arrival, we checked into our cabin which was a welcome break from the downtown crowds of D.C. Our deck was situated perfectly in a clearing between the trees which overlooked the Shenandoah River Valley. A short walk away, we discovered the Mountain Taproom and Polluck Dining Room which are welcome sights after a long day of hiking (don’t miss the Mile High Blackberry Ice Cream Pie). 

The view from our cabin deck at the Skyland Resort in Shenandoah National Park.

During our time in the park, we hiked three trails which totaled 10 miles.  Our favorite by far, was the Stony Man Nature Trail.  It was a surprisingly easy climb (about 1.5 mi each way) which led to a stunning overlook of the Shenandoah Valley below.  Out of all the trails we have hiked in the National Park system, we consider it to have one of the best effort to reward ratios.  Meaning, there is minimal effort required for a tremendous payout at the trail’s conclusion.  John and I sat silently on the boulders at the top for at least 30 minutes taking in the vastness of the land surrounding us.  The Stony Man Overlook is the second highest point in the park at 4,011 feet. The highest point in the park can be found at the summit of Hawksbill Mountain.  The hike to the summit of Hawksbill is around two miles and includes some minor rock scrambling through dense wilderness. The view at the summit was definitely worth it however in our opinion, due to surrounding mountains the view of the valley from Hawksbill was obstructed and thus less impressive than Stonyman.

Stony Man Overlook

Perhaps the most popular trail in Shenandoah is the 1.5 mile hike to Dark Hollow Falls. The steep trek down was fantastic. The hike back up; not so much.  However, I will say the Falls were absolutely worth the agony.  The sound can be heard from the moment you step on the trail; growing louder and louder as you continue down, finally turning a corner and getting a first glimpse of the falls.  There is still a ways to go, but the view only improves as you descend on the trail.  When you reached the bottom and turn around to view the falls, it is mesmerizing.

Dark Hollow Falls

 On another note, if you decide to visit Shenandoah National Park I absolutely recommend taking the short drive down into the valley to the Luray Caverns.  The caves are not in the park boundaries but are like nothing you've ever seen before.  Taking the steps down into the cold, damp, darkness is how I imagine it feels entering the Upside Down (Stranger Things anyone?!).  The rock formations are quite intriguing, continuously dripping from the ceiling and rising up from the ground.  

Luray Caverns

Shenandoah will always have a special place in our hearts, as it is the first National Park we visited and it was the inspiration for our lifetime goal of visiting all 60 U.S. Parks.  At the time, that goal had not yet come to fruition and looking back, we may have done the trip a bit differently. For one thing, we definitely would have hiked the 5.4 mile Old Rag trail.  It is one of the most revered and challenging trails in the park, which includes numerous rock scrambles on the way up to the 3,268 foot summit.  We also would have tried to see a bit more of the park itself.  Shenandoah is very narrow and lengthy (100 miles to be exact) making it difficult to see the whole park in one weekend.  I guess it just gives us an excuse to plan a trip back!