How to have the trip of a lifetime to the Canyonlands National Park without the stress and hassle.
You’re here because you’re looking for ideas on how to plan your trip to Canyonlands National Park.
Planning a trip to Canyonlands can be overwhelming. I get it…
✅ You want to plan your trip yourself. ❌ You don’t want to be stressed by the whole planning thing.
✅ You want to see the highlights. ❌ You don’t want to miss out on the best parts.
✅ You want to maximize – and enjoy – your time in the park. ❌ You don’t want to wait in line to get in or waste part of your day driving around looking for a parking space.
✅ You want to use your time as efficiently as possible. ❌ You don’t want to waste time backtracking or figuring out where to go.
✅ You want to do the best hikes. ❌ You don’t want to get to a popular hike when absolutely everyone else in the country is on the same trail (or at least it seems like it).
✅ You want to have an amazing trip. ❌ You don’t want to worry that you missed something amazing.
Well, you’re in the right place.
I’ve used all my years of experience planning and traveling to create an itinerary and mini travel guide for Canyonlands National Park
You’ll know exactly how to spend each day – what to do, where to be, when to go for the best views, the best hikes, and when to do it all.
You probably came here looking for a free itinerary. Why should you pay for one?
Well, itinerary blog posts are invariably pretty general. My itineraries are completely different from a typical blog post. They include a mini-guide book with all the practical information you need as well as an itinerary with timings and key information, so that you can use it to guide your whole trip.
They’re a lot of work to create and keep updated. Which is why I can’t give them away for free.
What’s the difference between this itinerary and a guidebook?
Blog itineraries have little detail. Guidebooks, on the other hand, have LOTS of details. But for some things they have too much information and for others, not the information you need.
They provide information about every place to stay and place to eat and lots of things to do. However, they don’t curate all that information into a workable itinerary. You need to do that yourself, and with so much information to digest, it can be hard to know exactly the best things to do / see and when.
On the other hand, they also lack really helpful information such as timings and hike details.
My itinerary has done all the heavy lifting for you. I’ve sifted through all the information you’d find in guidebooks (from my personal experience) to create a step-by-step schedule – and added in all the practical information you need to know when you get there.
WHAT THE BASIC ITINERARY INCLUDES
📅 A daily schedule with timings for each activity:
📋 Day 1: Island in The Sky
📋 Day 2: The Needles
🗺️ Park Map
📄 Park Overview
👍Essential tips for visiting the park
🗒️ When the itinerary is best for
🏞️The best time to visit
💵 Entrance fees
✈️ How to get there
🚗 How to get around
🎒 Things to pack
🛏️ Where to stay
⚠️ Tips for visiting
🎫 Permits
🚫 Possible Closures
🕙 Time Zones
📷 Avoiding Crowds
🦌 Wildlife
🥾 Hike details
🚗 Drive times and directions
📝 Travel insurance
🔗 Useful links for booking your
GET THE CANYONLANDS NATIONAL PARK BASIC ITINERARY
$6.99
HOW IT WORKS
>> Buy the itinerary
>> Get instant access to a downloadable PDF
>> Save the PDF to your computer then upload it to your phone or print it out for your trip. [Note: this is NOT a physical product mailed to you- it’s a PDF that you can download and print.]
>> Have an awesome trip to Canyonlands National Park!
A SNEAK PEAK OF THE CANYONLANDS ITINERARY
FAQS
What happens if my plans change and I can’t use the itinerary this year?
This itinerary is specifically designed so you can use it any year. You’ll get access to an exclusive section of my website with major updates that may affect the itinerary. So, you can use it this year, next year or in five years’ time, and still have access to any current updates that might affect your trip.
What happens if I’m not sure how long I’ll spend there?
The itinerary includes activities for one day or two days, so you can easily adapt it for however long you have.
What if I’ve already started to plan my trip? Is this helpful?
Yes. You can check your self-planned trip against this itinerary. You are bound to pick up some extra tips and get some extra ideas for when and where to go.
What if I want to go for longer than 2 days?
Two days is generally long enough to experience the two most accessible parts of Canyonlands National Park. However, if you want to spend longer, you can use the itinerary to know what to do and then slow it down to suit your own pace.
I’m planning to go to Canyonlands in winter. Can I use this itinerary?
Yes. The national park is open all year. However, some roads may be closed temporarily for snow – always check with the National Park Service.
This is not my first trip to Canyonlands National Park. Will this itinerary be helpful for me?
This itinerary is designed for first timers to the park. If you’ve been before, you’ll probably pick up some new tips, but overall, it may not be the best option for you.
I don’t like being stuck with a really rigid plan. Is this itinerary for me?
Yes, it’s easy to adapt the itinerary. The suggested length of time is included for each step of the itinerary, so you can cut parts out and add other parts in from another day to customize your itinerary.
I don’t like to hike. Does this itinerary have options for me?
Yes. There are plenty of viewpoints you can see with no or minimal hiking.
I like to hike and want to do some long hikes. Will this itinerary be useful for me?
Yes. Day 2 has an optional long hike. If you like to do some longer hikes, consider adding an extra day and using the itinerary as your guide, but adding some extra hikes in.
How long do I need to see Canyonlands National Park?
I recommend 2 days. The two districts covered in this itinerary – Island in The Sky and The Needles are very different from each other and are both worth seeing.
Why should I pay for this? There are lots of blogs with free itineraries and even ai.
While that’s true, itinerary and ai-generated blog posts are invariably pretty general and not always correct. This itinerary is completely different from a typical blog post. It has a detailed breakdown of what to do with timings, so that you can use it to guide your whole trip. It also includes driving information, hike details, and a mini-guide with links you can use to book your whole trip. It’s a one-stop planning shop.
What the difference between this and a guide book?
Guidebooks provide information about every place to stay and place to eat and lots of things to do. However, they don’t curate all that information into a workable itinerary. You need to do that yourself, and with so much information to try and digest, it can be hard to know exactly the best things to do / see and when.
At the same time, they also lack really helpful information such as detailed driving directions from each point in your itinerary to the next, and detailed hike descriptions.
My itineraries have done all the heavy lifting for you. I have sifted through all the information you’d find in guidebooks (from my personal experience) to create a step-by-step schedule – and added in all the practical information you need to know when you get there.
Will this really help me avoid crowds and ensure they I see all the highlights?
The itinerary includes all the highlights of the two most accessible areas in Canyonlands National Park – Island in The Sky and The Needles.
While it’s impossible for me – or anyone – to guarantee you won’t encounter crowds, if you get an early starts and follow the order of each day’s schedule, you’ll have the greatest possibility of minimizing any impact from other visitors to the park. It’s impossible to avoid the crowds completely, but traveling at shoulder season will also help.
What happens if I have technical problems accessing the itinerary?
It’s generally very easy to download the PDF at the time of purchase. However, technical problems may occasionally happen. If you have any trouble downloading the itinerary you purchased, just email me james@parkscollecting.com and I’ll email you a link to your itinerary.
What’s the difference between this and the “Deluxe” Itineraries I see on your website?
I created Basic Itineraries for parks that are easier to plan and have fewer options. They are all you need, so I don’t charge extra.
The Deluxe Itineraries are for parks that I find to be more complicated to plan for. They have more options and include more information, alternatives for different interest and activity levels, more detailed driving instructions and maps, exact timings throughout the day, instructions on how to adjust the scheduled timings for different places to stay, Bonus Extras, and more. They have everything you need for the ‘more complicated’ parks.
The Basic Itineraries include all the essential information you need to plan your trip, links you can use to book your trip, and a schedule for each day. They include how long each activity takes, but not exact times of the day, so you can start them any time you like without needing to adjust them. They have everything you need for the ‘simpler’ parks.
WHO AM I?
I’m James and I totally get how stressful planning a trip to the national parks can be. You want to have the trip of a lifetime, but it’s hard to know exactly how to plan it all.
I’ve traveled to most of the US national parks (and 82 countries, all 7 continents, and most of the states in the US).
Through all those travels, I’ve learned exactly how to best plan a vacation. And in my travels, I’ve discovered Canyonlands’ hidden secrets, the best trails, and where the best views are.
And I’m sharing all this with you in this itinerary.
GET THE CANYONLANDS NATIONAL PARK BASIC ITINERARY
$6.99