Canyonlands National Park

 The first park we visited while staying in Moab, Utah was Canyonlands National Park.  

Canyonlands National Park preserves 337,598 acres of colorful canyons, mesas, buttes, fins, arches, and spires in the heart of southeast Utah's high desert. Water and gravity have been the prime architects of this land, sculpting layers of rock into the rugged landscape..

Canyonlands preserves the natural beauty and human history throughout its four districts, which are divided by the Green and Colorado rivers. While the districts share a primitive desert atmosphere, each retains its own character and offers different opportunities for exploration and adventure.

Though they appear close on a map, there are no roads that directly link the districts. Traveling between them requires two to six hours by car as there are few places to cross the rivers. Most people find it impractical to visit more than one area in a single trip.

We visited the Island in the Sky district. 

 

We were not the only ones with this idea as we had about a 30 minute wait to enter the park!

 Once we made it into the park, our first stop was to see Mesa Arch.

Our next stop was Grand View Point.
 

Totem Pole
This spire of eroded sandstone stands 305 feet high, making it the tallest feature in Monument Basin.

Our last stop of the day was at Upheaval Dome.  We walked the trails to the First and Second overlooks.

A Mystery
Upheaval Dome is a mystery.  The rock layers are fractured and tilted, forming a circular depression more than two miles wide.  How did it form?  Scientists propose two potential causes:  a salt dome that cracked and tilted the rock over time, or a violent meteorite impact that instantly fractured the rock.  Recent findings support the meteorite hypothesis, but questions remain.  

 

Another day we came back to Canyonlands to drive Shafer Trail. 

The Shafer Trail at the Island in the Sky district of Canyonlands National Park is an iconic road that descends 1,500 feet (457 m) through a colorful, massive sandstone cliff. Its function has changed through the years; from a route made by Native Americans to access resources on the mesa top, to a trail for sheep herders moving flocks to better foraging in winter time, and then a road for trucks moving loads of uranium from the backcountry to market. 

Today, the Shafer Trail is a challenging, unpaved backcountry road for recreational users seeking the experience of a lifetime.

The entrance to Shafer Trail is not far from the entrance to the park.

Photo courtesy of the National Park Service

Shafer Trail History

The Shafer Trail is named after the Shafer family, who were Mormon pioneer settlers. Starting in 1916, John “Sog” Shafer, used this trail to move cattle from summer pastures on the mesa top to winter ground on the White Rim sandstone, several rock layers down into the canyon. John Shafer is credited for improving the trail and making access into the canyon easier. Many other trails at Island in the Sky also bear names for the families who worked them.

Expanding upon the work of Sog Shafer, the Atomic Energy Commission widened Shafer Trail and extended it to the White Rim Road to accommodate trucks moving loads of uranium-bearing rock from the backcountry and down to Moab for processing. Many backcountry roads in the Moab area used for recreation today were improved by the Atomic Energy Commission.

After Canyonlands was established in 1964, ranchers were granted a ten-year extension of ranching in the park.

We will go all the way down there

A photo from the viewpoint before heading down

Two hands on the steering wheel!

Making our way towards the switchbacks

Tight turn!

Ahhhhhh.....down on the straight and flat section of the road.

We made a left turn at this intersection to Potash Road that goes to Moab (32 more miles).  To continue straight on White Rim Road, it was necessary to get a permit. 

Finally we arrived at a bend in the Colorado River.  This area was visible from Dead Horse Point State Park which we visited another day.  Today we were getting a closer view.

People enjoying the river

 

 

A boat and some people rafting.

After we ate our picnic lunch by the river bend, we drove back up the switchbacks of Shafer Canyon Road.  

WARNING
Steep, Narrow Road Ahead
4 Wheel Drive
High Clearance Vehicles Recommended

Uh oh, opposing vehicle coming.....

Eyes on the Road!

We have to get all the way up there to get out!

Some photos looking back down on the portions of the road we've already driven up.

This is not a hiking trail!  Our truck made it around that hairpin turn!

Almost to the top

Photos from the overlook area looking down onto the straight away section and the left turn we made.

Al relaxing at the overlook after driving Shafer Canyon Road!

That was our experiences at Canyonlands on the two days we visited the park and I completed another Junior Ranger badge.

Next will be our visit to Dead Horse Point State Park.