Canyonlands National Park

Seven Weeks Across America

Canyonlands National Park was next on our itinerary.  It is comprised of three sections, all adjacent but each accessed by a different road, several hours apart.  The closest was Island in the Sky, which is the most visited.  There are amazing views just across from the visitor's center, and at several overlooks.  It's amazing you can walk right to the edge (and off the edge if you aren't careful).  It was really beautiful.

The next day we decided to drive over to the next section over, called The Needles, after the pointy rock formations found there.  We stopped at the Visitor's Center, as we always do, and were well rewarded.  My daughter has been doing the Junior Ranger booklets at each national park to earn a badge.  I think that perhaps not too many children come through The Needles Visitor's Center, because the rangers there took so much time with her, and were the first ones to offer her the loaner backpack full of cool things like binoculars and plant id guides.  She was happy as a clam using all those goodies as we drove to the end of the road.  There is literally a barricade so you know to stop, and perched atop was a raven.