Auto Touring

Road Descriptions

Though the four districts of the park seem close on the map, no direct roads connect them. Getting from one district to another can take 2–6 hours by car. All districts of the park are remote with limited cell-phone service. There is no food, gas, or accommodations available in the park.

Paved Roads

Island in the Sky District Scenic Drive

• Island in the Sky is the most visited area of Canyonlands, offering many pullouts with spectacular views along the paved scenic drive. The 34-mile round-trip scenic drive on the mesa top offers various overlooks and trailheads. Driving round trip along the scenic drive can take about 2-3 hours, depending on how many stops you make.

The Needles District Scenic Drive

• Drive time from Moab to The Needles is approximately 1.5 hours and passes through extensive remote and beautiful roads that offer limited to no services. Once inside the park, the 13-mile round-trip scenic drive takes visitors through stunning geologic views and offers access to several short hiking trails, picnic areas, viewpoints, and the campground.

Unpaved Roads

There are hundreds of miles of unpaved roads in Canyonlands, providing access to campsites, trailheads, and viewpoints in the park's backcountry. Most roads require a high-clearance, low-range four-wheel-drive vehicle. These roads range in difficulty from easy to technical. Research your route thoroughly before attempting these roads as some of them require day-use permits.

Island in the Sky District

Shafer Trail Road (Easy) - No Permit Required

Potash Road (Easy) - No Permit Required

Once you descend from the Shafer switchbacks, take a left at the junction to access the Potash Road (Utah State Route 279). From here, the unpaved route follows the Colorado River, winding past towering sandstone cliffs, passing the Potash Ponds, then closer to Moab the road becomes fully paved. This stretch is incredibly scenic and provides a striking contrast between desert terrain and river views.

The entire drive from the top of Shafer Trail to Moab via the Potash Road is approximately 35 to 40 miles. Allow 3 hours or more to complete the trip if you plan to stop for photos, hikes, or scenic overlooks.

White Rim Road (Intermediate)- Permit Required

The 100-mile White Rim Road loops around and below the Island in the Sky mesa top and provides expansive views of the surrounding area. Four-wheel-drive vehicles, motorbikes, and bicycles (including e-bikes) are allowed on the White Rim Road. ATVs, UTVs, and OHVs are not permitted.

Driving the entire loop in one day is not advised, as it entails many hours of 15-mph-or-less, very bumpy travel. Most visitors spend two to three days to complete a full loop by 4WD vehicle or bike, depending on pace and stops. For an enjoyable day trip, drive a couple of hours in—from either the Shafer Trail or Potash Road access points—and then turn around. This still provides incredible views, access to features like Musselman Arch, and a sense of the terrain without committing to the full multi-day loop.

The Needles District

Elephant Hill Access Road (Easy)- No Permit Required

The Elephant Hill Access Road is a 6-mile round trip unpaved two-wheel drive road that leads to a Needles viewpoint, the Elephant Hill Trailhead, parking area, picnic tables, and vault toilets. A permit is not required for the two-wheel drive section of this road, but be aware, vehicles that exceed a total length of 21ft are not permitted on this road.

Cave Spring Access Road (Easy)- No Permit Required

The Cave Spring Access Road is a 2-mile round trip unpaved two-wheel drive road that leads to the parking area for the Cave Spring trailhead, Split Top Group Campsite, and the entry gate for Salt Creek and Horse Canyon. Vehicles that exceed a total length of 21ft may experience difficulty on this road due to a limited turnaround. You must have a high-clearance, low range four-wheel-drive vehicle for the following Needles backcountry unpaved roads.

Elephant Hill (Technical) - Permit Required

One of the most technical four-wheel-drive roads in the park, Elephant Hill presents drivers and mountain bikers with steep grades, loose rock, stair-step drops, tight turns, and tricky backing. Only three vehicles per group are permitted on this road and each group must begin travel at least 30 minutes a part. Once over the hill, the road follows a one-way route taking drivers through equally challenging segments that lead to various trailheads, campsites, and features within the park. A segment of the road exits the park to the southwest towards Beef Basin and BLM lands. Maximum vehicle length, including racks and trailers, is 21 feet and the maximum width is 85”. There is no water at any of the campsites, but primitive toilets are available at all camping areas except New Bates Wilson. Groups camping at New Bates Wilson must bring their own toilet and pack out all solid waste.

Colorado River Overlook (Moderate) - No Permit Required

This moderate road is good for mountain bikers and drivers interested in less technical terrain. The road is 7 miles one way and features open landscapes and relatively level terrain for the first segment. The last 1.5 miles features large rocks and stair-step drops. Visitors are permitted to park on the road before this section and walk the remainder of the road to the overlook.(Be sure to leave room for other vehicles to pass and do not create new parking areas) The end of the road features an unprotected overlook of the Colorado River – use extreme caution around cliff edges.

Salt Creek (Peekaboo)/Horse Canyon (Moderate) - Permit Required

This moderately challenging road features dense vegetation, deep sand, standing water, and quicksand. After periods of intense rain, parts of the road may become impassible due to flash flood damage. From the road, visitors can access several arches, cultural sites, and two vehicle campsites. The vehicle campsites at Peekaboo do not have access to a primitive toilet, so visitors must pack out all solid waste. Vehicles may not drive into Salt Creek Canyon nor are they permitted to use the vehicle campsites as day use parking. Horse Canyon road leads to several short hiking trails to arches and cultural sites.

Lavender Canyon (Moderate) - Permit Required

The entry gate to this route is accessible via BLM roads located outside of park boundaries. This moderately challenging road forks into two paths that each follow a canyon bottom where deep sand, dense vegetation, deep water, and quicksand are common. The roads feature views of arches, natural bridges, and cultural sites, and can be paired with a drive to Davis Canyon for a full day trip. There are two major creek crossings with steep banks, and these often get washed out during monsoon season. Visitors are advised to check weather conditions before driving out to this location.

The Maze District (Extremely Technical) - Permits Required

Four-wheel-drive roads in The Maze are extremely remote, very difficult, present considerable risk of vehicle damage, and should not be attempted by inexperienced drivers. Visitors must be prepared for self-sufficiency and have the proper equipment and knowledge for self-rescue.