We visited Canyonlands, Island in the Sky Area on September 29, 2020 and our first stop was Mesa Arch.
About Canyonlands
Canyonlands National Park is in Utah and divided into four districts. They are, Island in the Sky, The Needles, The Maze, and The Rivers. On a map the districts look like they are connected and close to each other, but there is no easy or short way to get from one district to the other and each area is unique and showcases different recreational activities and geological formations.
Island in the Sky
Island in the Sky is the easiest to get to from the town of Moab, Utah. It is also the easiest to explore with many well marked trails of various length and skill level. There is also a 4×4 road to drive called White Rim Road which takes you into the canyon.
In one day we were able to hike 4 trails and travel on the White Rim Road so it is possible to see and do a lot here in one day.
Mesa Arch
Mesa Arch is one of the most popular sites in Canyonlands because of its accessibility and beauty. We went there first to avoid the crowds. It was just after sunrise and so beautiful.
Location
From the Canyonlands entrance follow the main road for 8.3 miles and parking will be on the left. You can’t miss the trailhead, follow it to the right and you will come upon Mesa Arch in about a quarter of a mile.
Trail
The trail continues as a loop and totals 0.6 miles, or you can follow the same route back. The trail is a fairly easy dirt trail with a few rocks.
Mesa Arch is quite majestic and overlooks the canyon below. It is a natural arch and known for beautiful sunrises. Even though we missed the sunrise, the early morning sun still created a nice glow on the arch.
I absolutely love the light on these formations — in fact, it would be fun to see both sunrise and sunset just to see the different views of the light. Thanks for posting these pretty pictures. I’d love to be there now.
It would have been great to see the sunset there as well!!
What an interesting landscape. I love it in the morning light. Looking forward to the rest of your posts from this trip. Maggie
It was really interesting!! We are doing a 2 week trip so there will be a lot of posts!! Lol
some beautiful views, and you captured them so well…
Thank you!
I’ve heard of Mesa Arch before, but I foolishly conflated it with Mesa Verde in Colorado…all the same, it’s a gorgeous arch that appears to be less-touristy than those in Arches National Park, and it’d make for a worthwhile visit while in Utah! Thanks for sharing. 🙂
We enjoyed it! We were there early enough to avoid too many people!!
We were there in early September and there was terrible smoke from California fires. So no views at all like what you show. Glad your visit was great!
We are on Zion now and a bit hazy from the fires but not terrible.
Beautiful rock formations. Great captures. Always good when you can get there in the right lighting conditions. Thanks for sharing. Allan
I agree, Allan, always great when the light lines up! Thanks for reading! Lori
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