ISLAND IN THE SKY Must See Viewpoints | Canyonlands National Park | UTAH
HTML-код
- Опубликовано: 25 июн 2024
- Canyonlands National Park in Utah has unbeatable views that should put it on anyone's bucket list. While viewing the canyons from above is beautiful, one should descend into the canyons for the best perspective - and we know just the road to do it!
Canyonlands National Park consists of three distinct districts - Island in the Sky, the Mazes, and the Needles.
Island in the Sky is one of the easiest areas to reach and experience in the park, with promising views of sheer sandstone cliffs and deep canyon walls.
Visitors will find plenty of awe-inspiring stops that don't require much walking to enjoy (though opportunities to stretch legs are certainly available as well)! Near the visitor center, is Shafer Canyon Overlook which allows for views of Shafer Road twisting and turning, descending down to the canyon floor. For those brave enough and with a higher clearance vehicle, they can make this drive. It's not for the faint of heart!
Canyonlands also boasts arches for itself. Mesa Arch has one of the most panoramic views one can find in the park - it perfectly frames the far-off landscape as though it were created on purpose.
For views that seem to come from another world, Green River Overlook and Grand View Overlook are must-stops - some of our most recommended places in the park.
VIDEO FILMED: 07/27/2022
▬▬ R E L A T E D V I D E O S ▬▬
⚪ Salt Creek Pupfish, Harmony Borax Works & Artists Palette | Death Valley, CA - • Salt Creek Pupfish, Ha...
▬▬ L O C A T I O N I N F O ▬▬
⚪ ISLAND IN THE SKY | CANYONLANDS NPS - www.nps.gov/cany/planyourvisi...
⚪ Directions to ISLAND IN THE SKY | CANYONLANDS NPS - goo.gl/maps/58rAHAWxPCfqLxdk7
▬▬ T I M E S T A M P S ▬▬
00:00 Canyon Overlook
02:18 Island in the Sky Visitor Center
04:11 Views from the Road
05:30 Upheaval Dome
11:54 Green River Overlook
13:57 Grand View Overlook
20:53 Mesa Arch
24:10 Shafer Canyon Road
▬▬ L I N K S ▬▬
⚪ Gear we use - www.amazon.com/shop/thecactus...
⚪ See where we've been - www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mi...
⚪ Music from Epidemic Sound - www.epidemicsound.com/referra...
(As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.)
_____________________________________________________________
✅ Find us on Instagram, Twitter & Facebook - @cactusatlas.
✅ Check out our website - cactusatlas.com
Welcome to the Cactus Atlas! We are Glenn and Amy and invite you to join us as we visit all sorts of locations across the American West. We tour both natural and man-made attractions.
Our base of operations is in the Phoenix, AZ area. We do a lot of hiking and day trips as well as campground reviews and hope that we will be a great resource if you are planning a trip to the American West. We also hope to delight you with our exciting adventures!
I literally had anxiety flood my body just from you looking over the edge. I'm like you in that I lose my balance when it hits so it's safe to get out of that comfort zone.
It's not for the faint of heart for sure! 😅
We drove on that scary road 60 years ago. We were living in Farmington NM at the time and wandered around on weekends. I would not want to drive that road again but the scenery was awesome.
It's a little nerve-racking but we are so curious to see what lies beyond where we stopped. Something to do in the future so I suppose another trek down is in store for us. 😂
Yes, the downhill vehicle must yeild to the uphill vehicle. But, for me that rule is one of momentum. You may lose traction if you stop. But the actual reasoning for this rule is this language: The car traveling downhill is in a better position to pull over than the one traveling uphill. The driver going downhill can see farther, has a better vantage point to see where there is a safe spot to pull over, and will be able to pull back safely onto the roadway.
I went to that area in October of 1979 or 1980. At the time I was driving either a 1969 VW Karmann Ghia or a 1968 VW bug (memory has faded as to which of those two I owned at the time). I first went down the Mineral Bottom road to the Green River, and drove the White Rim road as far as Hardscrable hill, camping a couple of nights along the Green River just outside the park on BLM land, then I went up to Island In the Sky and went to most of the overlooks in the video, then drove the Shafer Trail road out to Potash and Moab. The old air-cooled VW's were actually decent off-road vehicles, with pretty good ground clearance, though not geared low enough to handle roads that were both steep and rough, which is why I turned around at Hardscrabble Hill. Back then, all the roads in Island In the Sky area were gravel, and Moab was a sleepy little Mormon town.
I can't imagine Moab as anything other than what it is now. 😅 Sounds like you had some good times there!
Been everywhere you show on this video and drove the Shafer trail all the way back to Moab past where you stopped. My wife is scared of heights and totally surprised me when she agreed to drive down this road when we saw it from above. She freaked out at the hairpin turn when the void was on her side all of a sudden, but she was a trooper, and we made it all the way down. This is some of the most amazing scenery you can find. I will never forget it.
I can identify with your wife - Glenn's not as bothered by drop offs as I am and I most certainly would have been freaking out. 😅 Glad you both had a good time though!
It's not even close to the scariest shelf road in UT. They drive heavy equipment down there.
I would just pass out and fly off the edge of the road 😅. Great video. I often wondered about that road. Now i know.
Hahah! Thankfully no worry about flying off the road with RUclips. 😊
That was amazing. I'm adding that to the list. I'm not sure I can make that drive down and up again. I was terrified just watching you do it, lol.
It's a wee bit nerve-wracking mostly because it's hard to see over the hood, but overall, it's not TERRIBLE. 😅
Welcome to Norway!
I us.ed to live in Moab. Moved from there in 1982. All the roads and trails mentioned brought back many memories. Thank you
Shafer Canyon Road looks like a really fun drive. Those drop offs though are something. In some of your shots I even felt a tingling in my legs on them.
A very neck tingling road indeed. Some of those corners you just can't see over the hood of the car so we'll.
he barely went in. Even better jaw-dropping sites down the trail
We drove the entire White Rim Trail in 2021 on Island in the Sky. Spent 3 nights. Fantastic
Oh, how fun! I bet that was a memorable time. 😄👍
😂Hey, I have the same hat, ha ha, but it's a beautiful place. I love this one, damn Canyonlands😍👍
Awesome! Nice choice in headwear! 😅
Hi Cactus. I just wanted to tell you how much I enjoy your channel! I love history and all that entails. I love the fact you give the information and facts about the history of the towns you visit!!! I’m just recently retired so I like watching You Tube for channels like yours!!! Keep up the great work!!!
Wow, thank you! So happy to hear that you like our videos. 😄
Wooooow!!!
Absolutely beautiful views! You were brave driving that little road.❤️
Awesomeness
Wow 😮 that road is scary cool 😎 🤠
Totally is both scary and cool. 😂
Canyonlands vastly exceeded my expectations when I went last fall. Dead Horse State Park also has one of the best views of the Colorado.
Agreed! I actually camped at Dead Horse for a couple nights on that same trip and we’ll have a video about that in the near future.
Thanks for video
☆♡☆
Our pleasure! 😊
Wow a place we have never seen in person. Thank you for sharing. 🙏🏻💕👍
Thank you too! 😊
Ideas happening! Thank you for sharing and driving this route! You have added a new bucket list adventure for me! Thank you for sharing!
So glad! Always happy to help and add bucket list items. 😄
Awesome video. I love Canyonlands!
thanks!
Beautiful colors in the scenery! Happy travels!
Many thanks! 😄
Utah is filled with great beauty. Thanks for the video. Been to the parks in Utah and all are spectacular. The geology is amazing. Pay attention to the weather, folks. Flash flooding can happen in these canyons and there is no way to climb these sheer walls through some of these canyons.
Couldn't agree more! And really great advice... some of the floods from storms can do some real damage quite quickly. 👍
Done this road numerous times, up and down. Great scenery!
It sure is! Thanks for watching! 😄
Thanks Glenn - now Shafer Canyon drive is now on my list!
Fantastic! It's a great drive. Hope you enjoy it when you go. 👍
That was amazing. I've got to go sometime. Thanks for taking us along.
Anytime! It's our pleasure. Canyonlands is a stunning park and we only scratched the surface. We feel we have to go back already. 😅
favorite place!!
One of ours too! 😄
Looks great for mountain bike ride,,
It kinda does, doesn't it? 😄
@@CactusAtlas yea,,no traffic,,good downhills,and uphills,,great workout,,clean air,,beautiful mountains
I can visit Utah over and over and over...
We're right there with you. We keep visiting Utah repeatedly as well. Can't get enough! 😅
In Sep 2019 I rode my bike down shafer trail from top to bottom had lunch at chicken corner over looking the colorado river. It was one of my best experience on a mountain bike. Those hair pin switchbacks will definitely tickle the jibbles. Great video Glen thanks for sharing. I need to visit that place again.
Thanks so much! Man, thought going down in the car was one thing but on a bike sounds incredible!
Canyonlands is one of my favorites!! That road is terrifying however! I enjoyed watching it from your lens!
I can’t wait to go back and explore more!
Wow wow wowser! Thank you! Saving people from Cabin Fever one video at a time you are awesome and so is your work great narration
Thank you so very much! 😊
Wow, I hope to see the canyons someday.
It's a fantastic place. We're on board in hoping that you get the opportunity as well. 👍
your videos are amazing! we are headed to Utah next week. I have bookmarked all of your videos for reference.
Awesome! Thank you! Hope you have fun in Utah on your trip! 😊
I love seeing the colors variations and your closer to the edge than I will be able to master😅thank you hoping to go in October
Haha! Glenn is definitely daring when it comes to heights. More so than I am myself. 😅 Hope that October trip happens! Canyonlands is a must visit. 👍
I have been there back in 2021. Canyonlands is just very unique and stunning of its own.
Isn't it though? We definitely need to go back an explore the other areas.
@@CactusAtlas I plan on going back there
Thank you for this video. I concur: Everyone who has the time and the means should visit the National Parks of Utah. There is amazing beauty everywhere you look.
My Daughter lived in Missoula, Montana for 16 years and travelled extensively throughout the State. She described Utah as "where Montanans go when they want better scenery."
Wherever you are, keep track of the weather and beware of the possibility of a flash flood caused by a thunderstorm that happened miles away.
Subscribed.
It is HARD to beat the scenery in Utah. It's also hard to fully see and appreciate all there is to see within the state. So many state parks are incredible as well. Not sure we'll ever feel we've fully explored it all. 😅 Thanks for subscribing and welcome to our channel!
I enjoyed your video. The Shaffer Trail Is one of our favorite rides. We are heading back to Moab this fall to do more trails and make more videos
One of our favorite places. Have fun! 😄
Great videos. Heading to moab in a few months.
Awesome! Hope you have lots of fun! 😊
This was such an amazing video man! I love when you come to my home state, and I love how much you appreciate it! I’ve been to Canyonlands many times, and it never seizes to amaze me! And to your question about Bristlecones- They do not occur in this area due to the hot temperatures, but they can be found in the La Sals and other higher elevation areas fairly close by. You tend to find them on soil made of Limestone. You where totally right.
Honestly, we keep joking about moving to Utah just to be closer to all the parks and scenery we love. 😅 Good to know about the bristlecones! Wasn't sure. Figured it was too warm but wasn't aware if there were any in the nearby region. Appreciate the info!
Canyonlands and Capital Reef are my two favorites in Utah
A friend of mine once said, "All of southern Utah looks like the national parks." Perhaps that's a bit of an exaggeration, but not much. Grand Staircase N. M., Bears Ears N. M., and the San Rafael Swell all have spectacular terrain, and much more besides. There is lots of public land (much of it BLM) and spectacular scenery all over the place.
I wish I did Shaffer road. I was in a rental and didn't know if the road was safe. We encountered hail but drove out of it into nice weather. Wonderful place islands in the sky
I hear you. It's always dicey when in a rental and considering taking it off road even just a bit. Been there. 😅
WOW that Green River Overlook was amazing!!! Not that the others weren’t but that was stunning 🤩 It would be tough not to continuously go back until you explored every inch of that place!
One day we're hoping to accomplish that! So many other areas of the park to explore and it's just such a captivating park with those views. 😄
We’ve just driven down the Schafer Trail in a Dodge Ram, OMG, never ever will I do this trail again. Sheer nerve shredding fear going around those tight hairpins. Ps we adore America 🇺🇸❤️🏴
You'll likely be remembering that experience a while. 😅 It's seeing over the hood that makes things feel so sketchy, I think.
@@CactusAtlas we will never forget, the Ram is a little too long. Next time…
That's one thing I like about Utah, not that many guardrails. Approach at your own risk.
From what I have seen in books and other videos (I am planning a trip to Utah), there are some spectacular views of Canyonlands from nearby Dead Horse Point State Park. There is a hiking trail that goes to 8 different viewpoints from roughly 2000 feet above the Colorado River.
There are indeed fantastic views! (And Dead Horse Point State Park might be showcased next week here. 😉)
Beautiful Chemtrails in the sky,,☠
Maybe the light wasn't perfect but that view sure looked like a painterly landscape to me. 🏜️
It is almost surreal. The Grand Canyon sometimes has that effect too where you just can't quite believe your eyes. 😊
Watch out for roadrunners and coyotes on those mountain roads.😊❤❤
I was speechless from the amazing views UNTIL you just had to hold the camera over the the edge.
People going Uphill Need to keep up their Momentum which helps to get over possible obstacles.
Ah. You know, that makes sense. Sometimes hard to think about with views like that as well as the fear of the drop off. Haha!
Can't imagine what you go through when Glenn does cliffs like that @@CactusAtlas . Doing your editing then Glenn does the Edge thingy has to get to ya Amy being his other half. Don't get me wrong the views are amazing & Really do Appreciate a Scare from time to time. It's just Another thing that makes your channel so much better than others.
I find this place more visually impressive than the Grand Canyon by far... AND, you can drive down into it. Don't forget Dead Horse Point state park.
In many ways I agree with you - the views feel a lot of expansive and being able to drive down into it offroad (something we plan on doing more of now that we have an offroad truck) is incredibly enticing. We actually hit up Dead Horse Point State Park on this trip too. Camped in the park. A great park as well!
the road to Moab is not really bad at all. A few rough places, but doable if you go slow.
I don't think we'd have any reservations about making the drive these days. We were just a tad hesitant to continue in a vehicle we didn't own at that time. Always leaves a good reason to go back. Kinda our thing. 😅
👍
In the 1950’s my dad hauled tanker trucks of water for the uranium mines. Imagine a tanker truck on the Shafer Trail! He said that some of the switchbacks would require half a dozen back-and-forth maneuvers to negotiate.
😮 I cannot even imagine the patience and grit it would take to haul a tanker truck through those switchbacks. Absolutely impressive!
Dad was a truck driver all his life and could put an 18 wheeler anywhere he wanted it to go. He had over 5 million accident free miles.
Awesome video. Would you be allowed to drive this road in a side by side?
Hmm. Not entirely sure. The trail is inside Canyonlands park so calling might give the best information. I wouldn't want to say anything incorrect.
The absolute classic photo op at Mesa Arch is to arrive pre-dawn, spring or fall, and catch the sunrising over the La Salle mountains and under the arch. Plan ahead and get there very early, like 3 a.m., because a hundred other people are planning to get the same classic shot. And I am not exaggerating! Stake out our ideal location with your tripod and camera and don't leave it because it will be snatched up instantly. Been there, done that. It is one awesome view.
Wow. That sounds somewhat intense! 😅 Not sure we're up to that task but I imagine it's worth it to get that shot. I've seen photos of that image and they're spectacular.👍
I want to go there, but not sure about riding my big harley there.
We don't have any experience with motorcycles so can't really advise there, but I imagine most high-clearance vehicles can at least make the Shafer Trail at least as far as we went. 👍
For me personally, I prefer Canyonlands over the Grand Canyon. And the best way to see it is on the White Rim trail. (High clearance 4WD required)
Canyonlands is a super place. We still need to explore more of the park like the Needles district and such. Looks like we might be adding the White Rim Road to that list too! 😅
@@CactusAtlas It's slow going and a little rough at times but worth the views. Just make sure the whole road is open when you go (try to go in the fall) because when I went it was early June and the Green River was still overflowing it's banks which closed the trail about 3/4 of the way around (Clockwise) from the visitors center. My camp site was near where it was closed, so I had to go 3/4 of the way in, and then turn around and do the same trip out. It was a long 2 days.
Excellent advice. We're appreciative of it! Will certainly look into this. Thanks so much! 👍
I believe Canyonlands is the best kept secret in the US. There is supposed to be a way to get to the Maze via a chartered river boat out of Moab. I would love to visit the Dollhouse that way.
Oh that sounds AWESOME. We'll have to look into that. But yes, Canyonlands is absolutely stunning. Just wish there was more time to explore the other districts.
Tex's in Moab can take you there or boat down yourself in a kayak/canoe. Dollhouse is one of many amazing sites
@@martinginsburg7222 You're going to need Tex's to haul you back upstream in any case, unless you want to run the class 5 stuff in Cataract Canyon.
Shaffer is not the scariest shelf road in UT. They drive heavy equipment down there.
Oh, no doubt. I'm sure there's plenty of worse roads. But you know... thumbnails. 😅
Comb Ridge. Now that's sketchy.
Looks like it from what I'm seeing! Also looks really awesome. To be fair though, anything can be sketchy when you're driving a car you don't own. 😅
@@CactusAtlas True. We used to drive that to get to Powell. 1960's
There is a much scarier road you obviously missed in Utah. It’s called Moki Dugway. Way worse, way scarier, way harder! It makes Shafer Trail kids play! Ha! The remoteness alone makes you wonder if it’s safe? Do not take a RV or trailer! It’s got many switchbacks.
We actually have driven it several times and have a video of it, too. 😄
Have done both…don’t think Dugway is scarier. Focus on road, not edge.
I don't think that is a meteor impact, looks more like a salt intrusion, which are prevalent in Utah. I'm not a geogolgist but meteor impact I would bet against. Really enjoy your channel Cactus, great material, sir!
Comparing it to Meteor Crater here in Arizona it doesn't appear anything similar. It's always interesting what the signs say in parks. We've come across a sign or two in our travels that didn't seem accurate.
right on salty it is
There is some scientific controversy as to whether it's an impact feature or an eroded salt dome. Salt dome was the predominant hypothesis for a long time ,but there is some decent evidence that supports the impact hypothesis.
@@CactusAtlas It's way older than the Meteor Crater and has eroded significantly. In any case, there are still some geologists (last time I dug into it anyway) that favor the salt dome hypothesis.
Is no one else going to explain to him that 0.8 mile is NOT an "eighth" of a mile , but eight tenths of a mile ? Big difference. I can let go 0.3 mile is about a third. @6:08
What's the deal with the heavyweight bandana?
It's lightweight and practical for sun and sand.
Ha,ha ... not a ONE LANE road at al.
Only allowing AWD or 4x4 vehicles now. What a shame ... 99 out of a hundred passenger cars can do this drive . Ferrari and other really LOW cars can not . If you've got 4 to 6 inches of clearance then your vehicle can do this. Just be careful at sand washes ... they are deeper than you think.
It seems like it is a fairly well maintained road. 🤔 Then again, there's some people who might attempt that really shouldn't. 🤷♀️