This Island In Utah Isn’t What You’d Expect – It’s Even Better

Utah isn't well-known for its islands. Every Utahn knows about Antelope Island in the Great Salt Lake, and of course many of our other lakes and rivers have small islands. Today, we're featuring a different kind of "island" - one that is every bit as beautiful, but much more unique than an ocean island.

Canyonlands National Park covers 337,598 acres and includes some very diverse scenery. The park is divided into four districts: The Rivers, The Maze, The Needles and Island In The Sky. Island In The Sky is the most accessible to visitors.

Island in the Sky is a mesa that towers 1,000 feet above the valley floor below.

The views here seem endless.

You'll find 14 hiking trails in this district. One of the easiest is the Grand View Point Trail - a two-mile hike that provides panoramic views.

Mesa Arch is located here, and a short, easy half-mile hike will give you this view. You can see Buck Canyon on the other side of the arch.

Mesa Arch is one of the most popular spots in the states for photography, and you'll often find hoards of photographers here before sunrise...

...but persistence pays off when you capture a photo like this!

Another easy hike to take in the Island in the Sky District is the Murphy Point trail. The hike is two miles long, and takes you past an old corral...

...before providing you with this stunning view.

Upheaval Dome is a unique rock formation that you can reach with a more moderately-challenging one-mile hike.

For more information about all the hikes in the Island in the Sky District, click here.

Who needs a Caribbean island, when Canyonland's Island In The Sky offers scenery like this?

You'll find Canyonlands National Park south of Moab.

Click here for the interactive map, and to get directions.

Visit the Canyonlands National Park website for more information about this beautiful place.