Islands in the Sky

mesas
Islands in the Sky is one of the two sections of Canyonlands National Park accessible with a standard vehicle. It has nice views and good easy hiking options.

We stopped off to view the Monitor and the Merrimac. (We saw an actual ironclad in Vicksburg.)

Monitor and the Merrimac
The Monitor and the Merrimac. See Civil War history if you don't get it.

Mesa Arch

  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Elevation Change: None
  • Length: 0.5 miles round trip

On the Mesa Arch hike we saw this crazy chick dressed for cocktails. We hope it was some kind of photoshoot. This was a good warm-up hike, with very nice views.

Upheaval Dome

  • Difficulty: Moderate
  • Elevation Change: 150 feet
  • Length: 2 miles round trip

Then we headed for Upheaval Dome, where we hiked to the second overlook. Meteorite? Salt crust heave? It’s a mystery what caused the dome.

We hit the scenic overlooks on our way to Grand View, stopping at the picnic area, which was full.

Grandview Point

  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Elevation Change: None
  • Length: 2 miles round trip

We did the Grand View hike to the end. It felt longer than one mile each way and nice to be up on the plateau. There were lots of overlooks. We saw this river further north at Dinosaur National Monument. The bright green blob in the last photo (you’ll have to zoom) is a 4-wheel drive vehicle. There are 4×4 roads in the park.