We planned our full day at Canyonlands NP around a bunch of shorter hikes because of the heat, and…read morethis one was perfect for that list. At approx 1.2 miles roundtrip to hit both the first and second overlooks at Upheaval Dome, it took us about 1 hour to complete including time spent at the overlooks. Located in Island in the Sky district, the access point to this hike is on paved road and easily accessible without an offroad vehicle. There is a parking lot nearby, but it gets full easily so just plan ahead. Beautiful views of the geographical wonder that is Upheaval Dome with surprisingly different views at each overlook. More of a moderate hike, it's more difficult between the first and second overlook than at the beginning. But I found that portion to be a more enjoyable hike than the first second. Go figure. There is next to zero shade cover on this trail (especially when hiking from the first to second overlook), so make sure to bring your hat and wear sunscreen. And it gets so incredibly hot, so bring lots of water. The hike is shorter, but with that sun glaring down, you will get hot, thirsty, and tired quickly. Overall, a good hiking choice to introduce yourself to Canyonlands National Park.

Loved this short little hike up to Upheaval Dome! There are so many wonderful little hikes that you…read morecan do while in Canyonlands National Park. Instead of doing one longer hike, I decided to switch it up a bit and do several smaller hikes to really take in the diversity and different scenery of the trails here. Upheaval Dome is just one of many shorter hikes located within the Island in the Sky district of Canyonlands National Park. It's not too far of a drive from the Island in the Sky visitor's center, and it provides an incredible view of the Upheaval Dome Crater and beautiful geographic landscapes between the Colorado and Green Rivers. The trail is moderate and only about 1.3 miles long in total. Its' rocky terrain, steepish inclines, and hot weather is what pushes this hike rating from easy to moderate. The trail starts off inclining up several steps until you reach the first overlook of the Upheaval Dome Crater. It's so amazing to see this crater up close. Scientists have predicted that it got here from either a meteorite or from a salt dome uplift. Either way, the geologic features of this crater are very unique and really fun to view. From here, you can continue for another .5 miles until you reach the second overlook. The terrain changes a bit from rocky to slick rock here. In fact, there are some pretty gnarly parts of the trail where you'll be doing some light rock climbing up slick rocks. Had to get on my bum to get down some of these slick rocks, but it wasn't too bad. I'd still recommend it with caution of course. After you make it to the second overlook, you'll be rewarded with sweeping views of the many canyons, mesas, and colorful buttes in the distance. The views are truly amazing up there! One thing to note is that although this is a short hike, you shouldn't underestimate the amount of water that you'll need to bring. It gets so HAWT out there, and there are no water stations in the park (with the exception of the visitor's center). Make sure to pack enough water and some food while you're at it as there are no amenities here except for restrooms. And of course, lather up on the sunscreen and bring sunglasses and a hat because you're gonna need it. Hiking shoes with good ankle support would be best and will also work for the majority of the other hikes in this park. If you're planning on hiking Upheaval Dome, I'd also recommend the short hike at Whale Rock as it's located right on the same street right before this stop. Upheaval Dome is also the start of the strenuous 8 mile Syncline Loop Trail. Parking is limited, but since this is a shorter hike, people don't tend to stay here for very long. I'd say this was my favorite mini hike within the Island in the Sky District of Canyonlands National Park. I'd highly recommend it for the views and quick workout.

This is one of the more underrated hikes in Canyonlands National Park. Mesa Arch and Grand View…read morePoint draw all of the crowds. But I think Whale Rock Trail is just as cool. It is a short hike and there are very few people on the trail. The trail climbs about 100 to 140 feet from its base. I like that you get great panoramic views of the park once you are on top of the dome. It is less than a mile round trip from the parking lot to Whale Rock. They call it Whale Rock because this long sandstone dome resembles the back of a whale from afar. You want to wear shoes with good traction if you want to walk up the side of the dome. It is a steep drop-off if you slip. We came up here before sunset and enjoyed the view of the surrounding canyons and the cool breeze. There is a lot of room to walk around and explore while on top of this mesa. The Upheaval Dome Trail is a short drive from here if you want to check out another part of the park. Whale Rock is part of a large outer ring of sandstone that surrounds the Upheaval Dome formation.

Absolutely stunning views of the valley from the top of Whale Rock! Although this trail is right…read moredown the road from Upheaval Dome, it doesn't seem to get as many visitors. I basically had this entire trail all to myself and literally only passed 2 people (one on my way up and another on my way back). The trail itself is super short at just one mile long roundtrip and features some of the most picturesque views of the Green River Valley and its' incredible geologic landscapes. The trail starts of pretty easy via a flat path through dry terrain and desert foliage. Soon after, the trail switches from a flat paved path to a scramble up slick rocks. The trail actually becomes a little harder to follow at this point, but there are several cairns that will help lead the way. You'll basically scale up the large rock until you reach a dead end. This dead end is what provides the 360 degree views of the most stunning mesas, buttes, and canyons in the park. The views are just simply breathtaking here! What makes it even more enjoyable is that there aren't many people on this trail. Like, at ALL. Mesa Arch and Upheaval Dome are a lot more popular, but this baby deserves some praise as well. Aside from the amazing views of the valley, the view of Whale Rock itself ain't too shabby. It gets its' name because the long curving spine of this rock resembles that of a whale. At first I couldn't really see it, but then it started to grow on me. It is reminiscent of a whale. It's a super short hike, but it gets really hot up there! Make sure to bring water with you as there aren't any water stations in the park aside from the visitor's center. Since this trail is far less trafficked, parking is pretty must a breeze! There isn't a restroom at this trailhead, but if you need to use one, there are some just up the street at Upheaval Dome. If you're planning on hiking Upheaval Dome, this is a great mini hike to add either before or after since it's so close. Definitely worth a stop for the views and solidarity.

Very scenic and fun hike. You can hike through the Jeep Arch. Total 4 miles with 800 feet elevation…read morechange. Trail is easy to follow. It is close to Corona arch but much less crowded. I liked the multiple ways of seeing the Arch. First, the arch view from the distance then massive view at the below then enjoyed again the view from other side. Not only arch, but also the entire hike was quite nice view. Highly recommended.

Easy hike, just 2.3 miles. The arch is really unique and amazing. The arch is combined consecutive…read morearches. You can go under the arch and can see the canyon in front of it. Great view. When we did this hike in the evening, there was nobody else. The solitude in the orange evening light with the vast Utah view was surreal. There is dispersed campsite at the lot. Priceless time.

This is a great hike. Longbow Arch is impressive! Not only the arch. This hike includes very big…read morepetroglyph panel! Also dinosaur track can be seen. Short hike with not much elevation gain. Much less crowded compared to Corona Arch in the same area. Recommended.

This hike is a hidden gem within the Moab area. The hike begins as rocky and incoproates steep…read moreinclines (but no equipment required). Then, the hike becomes desert-like; flat and sandy. Then, the hike becomes jungle-like; humid and full of trees until you reach the arch. We saw no one on the way up and only a few people on the way back (in mid-afternoon). If you want to avoid the massive crowds at other hikes, check out this trail!

This is a campground just up from slick rock bike trail. It has both group sites that are…read morereservation only and also has individual campsites as well. We stayed in a groupsite with 10 people and it's $60 a night. It has a covered area with picnic tables and a bathroom pit toilet style that was very clean. This is a great launch site it you want to ride porcupine rim, slick rock or falcon flow bike trails. It is also super close to fins and things and some other jeep trails.

This trail was a fun introduction to Arches National Park. Park Avenue Trail is one of the first…read moremajor attractions that you pass by after entering Arches National Park. It is a one-mile trail that follows the bottom of a canyon where you find yourself at the feet of some of the park's largest and well-known monoliths. The Three Gossips, Courthouse Towers, The Organ and the Tower of Babel are all visible from the road. They are an amazing site to see as you drive through the main road through the park. There is a large difference in experiencing these giants when you actually hike through them. I have hiked a portion of the trail on a couple of occasions. All of these natural wonders are famous and are often photographed. The lower trailhead is located on Arches Entrance Road about 2 miles from the visitor center. There is a paved walkway with a viewpoint that is a few hundred feet from the parking lot. From there, you can continue on the trail that heads down Park Avenue and towards the Courthouse Towers Parking Lot.

Bottom Line: A fun "moderate" hike between two towering canyon walls that are said to be…read morereminiscent of walking down Park Avenue in New York City. For our last hike in Moab my husband and I decided to hike the Park Avenue Trail. We decided to hike Park Avenue because we thought the scenery would be very different than the arches we'd seen all day. So at 5pm we set out to do the two-mile roundtrip hike on the Park Avenue trail and we had a lot of fun checking out the formations. The late-afternoon lighting created spotlights on some formations and put others in the shadows so it made for some great photos. I am glad we did this hike late in the day.

The climb is located eastern rib ( 38°16'30.37"N 109°24'11.85"W). Extremely fun, and easy climb…read more Just as stated, 3 pitches to the summit, and accurate information. All solid bolts with the exception of the second bolt on the second pitch are slightly loose but unfortunately didn't have the equipment to fix. Just bolts on third pitch anchors, no chains or rings. A 60m rope runout on a double rap on the third pitch, but it's walkable to pitch 2 anchors --make sure you close the system. Climbed on 06-22-2018. Didn't see any rattlers on this climb --though their holes are everywhere.

We decided to check out Looking Glass Arch for a quickie climb before we headed back to CO. I had…read moreread about an easy 3-pitch bolted route (Regular Route) that tops out on the summit followed by an ~115 ft free hanging rappel. We were a bit thrashed from climbing Honeymoon Chimney the day prior in nasty winds and my climbing partner was sick, so this seemed like the perfect objective. The amphitheater/arch are quite spectacular and it's worth the short hike even if you don't want to climb. We were there on a Sunday and it wasn't a zoo like some areas in Arches. The arch is ~5 min from the parking lot. No water/bathrooms so plan ahead. DIRECTIONS The easiest way to get to the arch is to turn right on Looking Glass Road (23 miles from central Moab on Hwy 191 south). If you hit Wilson Arch you've gone too far. Once on Looking Glass Road the side road to Looking Glass Rock is signed. The road is passable with 2WD or low clearance vehicles.