Located in southeastern Utah, Canyonlands National Park is defined by a dramatic desert landscape carved by the Colorado River. Since it is only 26 miles (roughly a 30-minute drive) from Arches National Park, we headed there immediately after our morning at Arches. As Utah’s largest national park, Canyonlands spans 337,598 acres divided by the Green and Colorado rivers into three distinct districts: Island in the Sky, The Needles, and The Maze.
- Island in the Sky is a massive, flat-topped mesa offering panoramic overlooks.
- The Needles is famous for its towering rock pinnacles.
- The Maze is the most remote, characterized by a rugged labyrinth of red rock canyons.
It is important to note that no roads cross the rivers to connect these districts internally. Although they look close on a map, driving between them takes two to six hours on external roads, making it impractical to visit more than one district in a single day.
峽谷地國家公園位於猶他州東南部，以科羅拉多河沖刷出的壯麗沙漠景觀而聞名。由於它距離拱門國家公園僅 26 英里（約 30 分鐘車程），我們在遊覽拱門國家公園後便立即前往峽谷地國家公園。作為猶他州最大的國家公園，峽谷地國家公園佔地 337,598 英畝，被格林河和科羅拉多河分為三個截然不同的區域：天空之島(Island in the Sky)、針峰區(The Needles)和迷宮區(The Maze)。
- 天空之島是一個巨大的、頂部平坦的台地，可以俯瞰全景。
- 針峰區以其高聳的岩石尖峰而聞名。
- 迷宮區是最偏遠的，其特點是崎嶇不平的紅色岩石峽谷迷宮。
值得注意的是，這些區域之間沒有公路跨河連接。雖然地圖上看起來很近，但實際上開車走外部公路需要兩到六個小時，因此想要一天之內遊覽多個區域並不實際。
Park Map
Click here for Interactive Park Map from National Park Service
Island in the Sky 天空之島
We focused our trip on Island in the Sky (home to the northern visitor center), which is the most accessible area for a shorter visit. This district features a paved scenic drive, hikes of varying lengths, and the famous White Rim Road for four-wheel driving. The mesa rests on sheer sandstone cliffs that drop over 1,000 feet, providing incredible depth to the views. Our first stop near the visitor center was the breathtaking Shafer Canyon Viewpoint.
我們的行程主要集中在天空之島（北部遊客中心所在地），這裡是短程旅行最方便到達的區域。這區域有鋪好的風景公路、長短不一的健行路線，以及著名的白緣公路（White Rim Road），適合四輪傳動車駕駛。台地坐落在陡峭的砂岩懸崖之上，落差超過 1000 英尺，為景色增添了令人驚嘆的層次感。我們在遊客中心附近的第一站是雄偉的沙弗峽谷觀景點（Shafer Canyon Viewpoint）。
Green River Overlook 格林河觀景台
From the Green River Overlook, you can gaze down at the Green River, which winds through the Soda Springs Basin more than 2,000 feet (610 m) below. I was genuinely surprised to see that the Green River lives up to its name—the water really does look green!
Beyond the river, this vantage point offers clear views of The Maze district and the famous White Rim Road tracing the basin floor 1,000 feet above the water. Because of its west-facing orientation, the Green River Overlook is widely considered the premier spot in the Island in the Sky district to watch the sunset.
從格林河觀景台可以俯瞰格林河，它蜿蜒流經下方 610 公尺（2000 英尺）深的蘇打泉盆地。我真的非常驚訝，格林河(綠河)名副其實——河水真的是綠色的！
從這個觀景點可以清楚地看到河對岸的迷宮區和著名的白緣公路，這條公路蜿蜒於盆地底部，高出水面 1000 英尺。由於其朝西的方位，格林河觀景台被公認為是天空之島區觀賞日落的最佳地點。
Whale Rock Trail 鯨魚岩步道
Whale Rock is part of the large outer ring of sandstone surrounding the nearby Upheaval Dome. The trail is a 0.8-mile (1.3 km) roundtrip hike that ascends the side of the massive sandstone dome, ending with broad views of the Island in the Sky district. Because the hike involves climbing directly on the surface, it is a great option for kids who love to scramble on rocks.
鯨魚岩是環繞附近隆起穹丘的大型外環砂岩的一部分。這條步道全長 1.3 公里（0.8 英里），往返於巨大的砂岩穹丘側面，最終可以飽覽天空之島的壯麗景色。由於健行路線需要直接攀爬岩面，所以對喜歡在岩石上攀爬的孩子來說，這是一個絕佳的選擇。
Upheaval Dome overlooks 劇變圓丘觀景點
Just down the road from Whale Rock lies the park's most puzzling geological feature: Upheaval Dome. The trail is known as a moderate hike that involves fun scrambling up slickrock and climbing stone stairs to reach two stopping points.
The First Overlook (0.6 miles roundtrip) offers a view into the bizarre, three-mile-wide crater, while the Second Overlook provides a broader perspective but requires hiking an additional mile. However, since the trail is fully exposed to the sun and the heat can be draining, we decided to skip both viewpoints and proceed to the next stop.
從鯨魚岩沿路不遠，就能看到公園裡最令人費解的地質奇觀：劇變圓丘。這條步道難度適中，需要攀爬光滑的岩石，並攀登石階，才能到達兩個休息點。
第一個觀景點（往返 0.6 英里）可以俯瞰這個奇特的、寬達三英里的火山口，而第二個觀景點視野更開闊，但需要額外徒步一英里。然而，由於步道完全暴露在陽光下，酷熱難耐，我們決定放棄這兩個觀景點，直接前往下一個目的地。
Grand View Point 壯麗視野點
Our final stop was Grand View Point, located at the southernmost tip of the Island in the Sky mesa, about a 15-minute drive from the visitor center. As the name suggests, the scenery here is arguably the most spectacular in the entire park. Standing at the edge of the cliff at 6,080 feet, you get a panoramic view of the White Rim Road, The Needles, and the distant Maze district. It truly feels like standing on an island floating in the sky.
我們的最後一站是位於天空之島台地最南端的壯麗視野點，距離遊客中心約 15 分鐘車程。顧名思義，這裡的景色堪稱整個公園最壯觀的。站在海拔 6080 英尺的懸崖邊，您可以飽覽白緣公路、針峰區以及遠處迷宮區的全景。那種感覺真的就像站在一座漂浮在空中的島嶼上。
Wildflowers 野花
There is so much more unique scenery and rugged, remote trails to enjoy in Canyonlands National Park, but we were simply too tired to explore further.
For our accommodation, we stayed at the Holiday Inn Express & Suites Green River on May 17 and 18, 2021. The hotel felt brand new, and we really enjoyed our stay there. We also had a great dinner of tacos from a nearby food truck.
峽谷地國家公園還有許多獨特的風景和崎嶇偏僻的步道值得探索，但我們實在太累了，無法繼續玩下去。
2021年 5 月 17 日及 18 日，我們入住的是格林河假日快捷飯店及套房。飯店感覺很新，我們住得很愉快。我們還在附近的快餐車上吃了一頓美味的墨西哥捲餅晚餐。
Flashback 回顧 1999.07.11
World Through My Eyes (Photographs) Posts/我鏡頭裏的世(視)界帖子
Travel/Point of Interest Posts 旅遊景點帖子
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