Camping in the Island in the Sky of Canyonlands

Canyonlands National Park sign.
Park entrance. 

This national park is divided into three unconnected areas: Island in the Sky, The Needles, and The Maze - discounting the rivers. They are somehow different.

Canyon view from the Green River Overlook.
View from the Green River Overlook. 

Island in the Sky is the most visited and accessible. It's a big mesa surrounded by the Colorado and the Green River - they join and become one river inside this park. 

View of the Colorado River in Canyonlands.
The Colorado River before joining the Green River. 

View of the Green River in Canyonlands.
The Green River through Canyonlands.

We got four days in the campground of Island in the Sky to explore this section. 

Island in the Sky campground.
We got a nice site. 

The camp is small with only 12 sites. No water or trash dumpster, but nice covered picnic tables. 

Picnic table.
Time for some planning. 

Raven on the roof.
Daily visitor. 

In the afternoon, we went to the visitor center. 

There we watched a short video about the Canyonlands and refilled our portable tanks with potable water. 

Shaffer Canyon.
Shaffer Canyon across the visitor center. 

Off road trail in. Shaffer Canyon.
Off-road trail - No, thank you!

Old photo of the trail in Shaffer Canyon.
Sheeps being moved through this dangerous trail in the old times. 

Dirt road at the bottom.
The dirt road down there.

Later, we visited some overviews and hiked to the White Rim overview - 1.8 miles roundtrip.

Hike to the White Rim Overlook.
C on the trail. 

White Rim in Canyonlands.
The White Rim. 

Wildlife footprints in Canyonlands.
We found many footprints. Longhorn sheeps?

Also scouted the beginning of the Gooseberry Trail that goes to the bottom of the Canyon. 

Trailhead sign in Canyonlands.
Sign in the trailhead. 

Kind of hard to find the start of this trail by the cliff. 

C was all over hiking the Gooseberry Trail, but I played chicken. It didn't feel well-marked and it's pretty steep.

Beginning of the Gooseberry Trail.
Confusing in this part 
 
Gooseberry Trail in Canyonlands.
The trail drop by the canyon wall. 

We changed plans and forgot about this trail. 

No point in taking unneeded risks.  Especially if something doesn't feel good. 

Know yourself. Some stuff may be too much. 

(Posted from the phone.)

Check this page to license our photos.

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