Canyonlands

I wasn’t super familiar with Canyonlands National Park before my trip to Moab, UT in February. Even though I was a bit short on time, I had to pay a quick visit on the Sunday morning after the Red Hot 55K before I headed back home. In short, I was blown away.

In the park is the confluence of the Colorado River and the Green River. The two rivers form deep canyons that, with no bridges within the park’s boundaries, separate the park into three separate districts that are quite a long drive apart from each other. So I just visited the Island in the Sky District closest to Moab.

I drove the entire length of the road in that district, stopping at every overlook to stretch my sore legs and take in the scenery.

The 3 miles I hiked did wonders for my legs after the race and before the long drive home. What should have been a 6 hour drive turned into 11 as I got caught in a whiteout blizzard crossing the Rockies before I even reached the weekend ski traffic that was all headed back to Denver at the same time. So my afternoon and evening weren’t nearly as pleasant as my morning.

Anyway, I anticipate returning to Canyonlands at some point in the future. With a bit more time I’d love to see the other two districts of the park as well.