The Perfect One Day in Canyonlands with Kids

We took a 5 day trip to go through a couple of Utah’s Mighty 5 National Parks, which included spending one day in Canyonlands with the kids. We had never been to Canyonlands before and weren’t sure what to expect. Each of the parks we visited had been so different than we imagined, so it was exciting to see what Canyonlands would reveal.

Spending one day in Canyonlands with kids is fairly easy and really fun. It’s hard to hit all the big, long hikes in a short time, so we really narrowed down what we wanted to do and the parks best hikes (that are shorter and easier) to keep us entertained, but not worn out.

So after experiencing it, here is how to spend one day in Canyonlands National Park. This is a great guide for when you are ready to plan your trip and can be easily followed!

A Little about Canyonlands

Canyonlands is quite large, measuring 528 square miles. Compare that to Bryce Canyon, where we had just come from, which is only 56 square miles, and all of a sudden it’s a little overwhelming. So here is a quick breakdown of the different areas of Canyonlands.

Island in the Sky

This is the main, more popular area of Canyonlands. It is about a 40 minute drive from Moab and is accessed from the northern part of the park. You’ll get sweeping views, fun hikes, and the year-round Island in the Sky visitor center. I’ll get into this area more in detail below.

Island in the Sky is a great family section of the park since you won’t be in the car too long, and there are plenty of places to get out.

This one day itinerary for Canyonlands with kids focuses on Island in the Sky since it’s so easy to get to.

The Needles

This is the next most popular area of Canyonlands that can be accessed from the south side of the park. From Moab it’ll take around 1-1/2 hours the other direction from where you would go for Island in the sky.

That said, it’s not ideal or practical to try and visit both Island in the Sky and The Needles in one day.

However, if you have an extra day, The Needles is where you’ll find many photo-worthy spires that are often exhibited in marketing for Canyonlands. There is also a seasonal (spring through fall) visitor center.

If you end up in the Needles area with kids, try the Cave Spring (.6 miles) or Pothole Point Trail (.5 miles). For something a little longer, try the Slickrock Trail (2.7 miles). Then take the scenic drive for some great views and overlooks.

The Maze

This does not make an ideal one day in Canyonlands, mainly because you’ll definitely need more than one day. And its not a great one to bring kids to.

The Maze is a more remote area that is accessed from the west side. From Moab, it’s 5.5 hours to get to. You can stay in Hanksville, which is on the West side of the park, but it’s still 68 miles away and the unpaved roads will still take you around 4+ hours to get into the park.

You’ll also need a 4 wheel drive and a lot of prep, as the park recommends 3 days to a week to be able to see The Maze.

The Maze is a more primitive area for exploring and requires experience with topographic maps and navigation.

Needless to say, we didn’t explore this area and I wouldn’t recommend hitting up The Maze with the whole fam for your first trip into Canyonlands.

Map of Different Areas in Canyonlands

This map can show you the different access points into Canyonlands from Moab (Point A is Moab).

How to Spend One Day in Canyonlands with Kids

This 1 day itinerary for Island in the Sky is pretty much how we spent our day, and I feel like it went really well. The kids had fun, we had breaks, and we saw a lot. Hopefully it makes your planning really easy!

Get up at a comfortable time, grab breakfast at your hotel in Moab, and head off on the 40 minute drive to the Island in the Sky entrance.

1. Island in the Sky Visitor Center

I’ve become a big fan of Visitor Centers in the past few years. I use to think they were boring, but now we stop at all Visitor Centers. It’s great to get recommendations from rangers inside, check out a few exhibits, grab a Junior Ranger booklet, and shop for souvenirs (we always get a magnet wherever we go, and sometimes a deck of cards).

There aren’t official/legit bathrooms here, but there are lots of vault toilets outside the visitor center.

2. Shafer Canyon Overlook

You can walk right across the street from the Visitor Center, or you can drive just a stone’s throw down the road for the Shafer Canyon Overlook. This is a great first stop to getting a view of Canyonlands.

3. Mesa Arch

Easy, .6 mile loop

Mesa Arch is an easy hike for kids in Canyonlands. It’s an easy .6 mile loop that takes you to a popular arch.

Many people go here for the perfect sunrise photo, but it’s still pretty stunning even later in the morning.

The trail is easy and made of dirt, occasional small loose rock, and a little bit of slick rock. My kids loved seeing the cactus flowers blooming along the trail and watching for little lizards scurrying around.

4. Whale Rock

Easy to Moderate, .8 miles Roundtrip

To get to the next couple stops, you’ll want to exit Mesa Arch and turn right onto Upheaval Dome Road.

This was probably my and my kids’ favorite easy hiking trail in Canyonlands. They always enjoy when a trail is unique, but short. This one was both.

Whale Rock is pretty easy, but you’ll need some grip on your shoes to get to the top. After you complete the sandy dirt section of the trail, you’ll end up climbing up a steep hump of slickrock. This is where you’ve encountered the whale!

This part was very fun for the kids. They also liked navigating the trail for us, which was done by watching for cairns (the stacked rock piles), as sometimes it’s hard to know where to go. Just look for the next cairn. There are plenty of them to guide you.

The top of the whale was amazing. Not only was it fun to be so high up, but the views were 360.

I know I already said it, but this hike was really fun, and at less than a mile it was very kid-friendly.

5. Upheaval Dome

Easy to Moderate (because of lots of stairs), .7 miles roundtrip to 1st overlook

Hiking just to the first overlook of Upheaval Dome was easy, but also included a lot of stairs to get up. Once you are at the top, it’s pretty incredible though.

The top of the trail takes you to the first lookout area. Here you’ll find a sign that explains what you’re looking at, because it’s cool but a little random.

When you look down into the canyon ahead, you’ll see many white, pyramid-shaped features coming up from the floor. The sign explains their existence via 2 theories:

• salt and sediment over thousands of years coming to the surface after the water evaporated
• a meteorite

Whatever the reason, it’s a really cool feature with a minimal hike to get to.

You can continue on to the second overlook, but it double the hiking distance. And to be honest, we could see the people at the second overlook and it looked like they had the same view, only farther. So we just did the first overlook.

6. Lunch at White Rim Overlook

Head out of the Upheaval Dome area and go back to the main park road to access the next few stops.

Drive to White Rim Overlook where there are covered picnic tables around a paved loop. This is a great time to take a break with a packed lunch and get some shade and rest.

There is a bathroom on the loop as well.

At the back of the loop is an overlook for White Rim plus a trail under 2 miles if you’d like to see the Colorado River, Monument Basin, and LaSalle Mountains. We did not do this hike, as we took this as a rest from our earlier hiking.

No, I do not pose them for pictures ❤️

7. Grand View Point and trail

Easy, 1.8 miles roundtrip OR just a viewpoint

After lunch, continue on to the end of the road where you’ll find Grand View Point. This is a popular area, so be patient as you find parking.

You can get great panoramic views of Monument Basin at this lookout point, or you can opt to take the out-and-back trail (1.8 miles roundtrip) to more viewpoints.

8. Aztec Butte (optional add on)

Easy to Moderate, 1.4 miles

I listed this as optional for if the kids have any gas left in their tank. You’ll need to go back onto the Upheaval Dome Road, but it’s not far down this road, making it a very minor detour on your way out.

The Aztec Butte is a fairly short trail that takes you up to some indigenous structures. This is nice as something different for the kids to see.

The mileage here is if you are inclined to take both forks in the road. The one to the right takes you to some great views, where the one to the left is where you’ll find the structures. If you only do the left fork to the structures, then the hike will be around .8 miles round trip.

👉🏼 Like seeing historic structures like this? You’ll Love Mesa Verde National Park’s cliff dwellings!

What to Bring for Your Day in Canyonlands

Here are a few things that will make your day in Canyonlands a little easier:

• Hat and Sunglasses
• Sunscreen
• Water and Snacks
• Packed Lunch
• Shoes with good grip
• Hand Sanitizer (just in case the toilets are out)
• Toilet Paper (same reason as above)
• Day Hiking Pack to put everything in
• Layers (you’ll be roughly 2000 feet above Moab, so the temps can change!)

👉🏼 If you’re heading to Canyonlands with toddlers or a baby, check out the best hiking child carriers to bring them along in!

Where to Stay When Visiting Canyonlands

The best place to stay when visiting Island in the Sky (or Needles, for that matter) is in Moab, Utah. This is a GREAT town with a lot to do, a large grocery store, gas stations, shops, food trucks, restaurants, and plenty of hotels.

We’ve stayed at quite a few places down there, though the coolest place to stay is at the Fairfield Inn and Suites, mainly because it has a really awesome outdoor pool. My kids drool every time we would drive by this hotel.

Note: the pool is also part of the Springhill Suites, so if the Fairfield is booked, try that one, too.

🏠 Book The Fairfield Inn and Suites

One Day in Canyonlands with Kids

Hopefully this has given you an exact 1 day itinerary, or at least some really great ideas for how to spend one day in Canyonlands with kids. It’s full of easy stops, easy and short hikes, and some incredible views for the whole family.

So pack your lunch, pack your day pack, and get ready to take in some of the incredible sights of Canyonlands National Park with the family!