A north-to-south tour of Utah’s Canyon Country, from Needles Overlook and Canyonlands north of Monticello, through Monticello, Blanding, the Utah/Colorado border, the country west of Blanding and Bluff, to Mexican Hat and Monument Valley.
The guide at a glance
| Area | Stops |
|---|---|
| North of Monticello | Needles Overlook; Canyonlands National Park, Needles District; Newspaper Rock; Indian Creek, Bears Ears National Monument |
| Monticello | Canyon Country Discovery Center; Hideout Golf Course |
| Blanding | Edge of the Cedars State Park; The Dinosaur Museum |
| Utah/Colorado border | Hovenweep National Monument; Four Corners Monument |
| West of Blanding | Bears Ears National Monument (Shash Jáa); Butler Ruin; Natural Bridges National Monument |
| Bluff | Bluff Fort; San Juan River |
| Near Mexican Hat | Moki Dugway; Valley of the Gods; Goosenecks State Park |
| Monument Valley | Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park |
North of Monticello
Needles Overlook
Sitting on a peninsula of rock 1600 feet above the Needles District of Canyonlands National Park, Needles Overlook offers nearly 360 degree views of the park below. The views are just as spectacular as Island in the Sky and Dead Horse Point State Park, but without the crowds. In fact, it’s likely that you’ll have the whole place to yourself! (No entrance fee)
Canyonlands National Park - Needles
The Needles District of Canyonlands National Park is named for an area of tall, slender sandstone towers which harbor miles of interconnecting trails and stunning scenery. Squaw Flat Campground, Wooden Shoe Arch Overlook, Cave Spring, Roadside Ruin, and Big Spring Canyon Overlook are all found on paved park roads. Short walks, day hikes, and longer backpacking opportunities abound.
Newspaper Rock
Located in the Indian Creek Unit of Bears Ears National Monument, this large petroglyph panel has numerous carvings dating back over 1500 years. The 200-square foot Wingate sandstone panel is covered with more than 650 symbols representing nearly 2,000 years of human history. Images include figures riding horses, animal pelts, and broad shouldered figures with elaborate head decoration. This panel is easily accessible from the parking area and requires only a short walk to view.
Bears Ears National Monument - Indian Creek Unit
Recently designated as Utah’s newest National Monument, Indian Creek has long been renowned for its world class rock climbing, and is considered to have some of the best crack climbing in the world. Follow Scenic Byway 211 as it twists and turns following Indian Creek eventually leading to the entrance of Canyonlands National Park.
Monticello
Canyon Country Discovery Center
The Canyon Country Discovery Center is a science and nature center with indoor and outdoor learning stations. Developed for culturally diverse audiences, the campus allows children and adults to explore and discover the natural history, landscapes, people, places, land use, energy, astronomy, water, and climate of the Colorado Plateau.
Hideout Golf Course
The Hideout was established in 2001, and has consistently made Golfweek Magazine’s ‘Best of’ lists ever since. In 2017 Golfweek named the Hideout the #5 course in Utah, and it has reached as high as #17 on their list of the country’s best municipal courses. The Hideout boasts the highest green in the state (green No. 16 at 7,116 feet!), and even in the peak of summer heat, the temperatures of this high elevation course remain cool and comfortable.
Blanding
Edge of the Cedars State Park
This world-class museum houses the largest collection of Ancestral Puebloan artifacts in the Four Corners region and provides unique ‘visible storage’ which allows viewing of one-of-a-kind artifacts normally kept in closed storage. The museum showcases cultures dating back 11,000 years. Enter a residence built over 700 years ago and delight in the museum’s extensive exhibits of items used daily in the lives of the Ancestral Puebloan people.
The Dinosaur Museum
Open mid-April through mid-October each year, the highlight of The Dinosaur Museum is the 14-foot tall Therizinosaurus, a towering feathered dinosaur with a 20 foot wingspan that dominates the special exhibits room. Visitors may be surprised to discover that the museum also houses an extensive collection of dinosaur movie posters and memorabilia from around the world. The Dinosaur Museum in Blanding is sure to capture the attention and imagination of dinosaur lovers of all ages!
Utah/Colorado border
Hovenweep National Monument
Hovenweep houses structures built by the Ancestral Puebloan people who lived in the area hundreds of years ago. The remaining towers make Hovenweep unique in the Four Corners Region and are the focal point of the monument. Some are square, some circular; all are intriguing. The masonry at the park is as skillful as it is beautiful. Even the cliff dwellings at Mesa Verde National Park are not as carefully constructed.
Four Corners Monument
Visit the only place in the USA where four states share a single point on the compass. Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, and Colorado meet at this point. The monument and vendor stalls are open year-round, with local, Native American artists selling handmade items such as jewelry, arts & crafts, pottery, sand paintings, and more. Traditional Navajo food is also available to purchase.
West of Blanding
Bears Ears National Monument - Shash Jáa Unit
The Shash Jáa Unit of Bears Ears National Monument is brimming with archaeological sites and scenic overlooks just waiting to be explored! Butler Ruin, Mule Canyon Ruins, Cave Tower Ruins, and Arch Canyon Overlook, to name a few. From quick stops along the highway to multi-day backpacking trips, there is sure to be something to fit into any itinerary.
Butler Ruin
A spectacular cliff dwelling located on the east side of Comb Ridge was built and occupied by the Ancestral Puebloans around A.D. 1200. While parts of the site have been stabilized and reconstructed, most of it is still how it was found in the 1800s. The site includes habitation, storage, and ceremonial structures, including four kivas.
Natural Bridges National Monument
Natural Bridges, the first International Dark Sky Park, shelters three of the world’s largest natural stone bridges. Sipapu Bridge is tall enough to rise above our nation’s capitol building in Washington D.C. The bridges were formed by stream action in the bottom of White Canyon. Each bridge is accessible by foot and a day hike follows a trail through the canyon bottom reaching all three bridges. Late spring through early fall, Natural Bridges holds regularly scheduled, ranger-led night sky programs.
Bluff
Bluff Fort
Bluff Fort visitors can see ruins of the original fort built in the late 1800s, replica pioneer cabins representing many of the families who were part of the San Juan Mission Expedition (Hole-in-the-Rock Expedition), and a replica Co-op Store Building that houses the visitor center, gift shop, and event space. Activities for kids include wagons & handcarts, pioneer dress-up clothing, wooden roping cows & horses, and gold panning.
San Juan River
A float trip on the San Juan River in southeast Utah provides boaters with access to spectacular canyons rich in scenery, archaeology, history, remarkable geographic features, and desert wildlife. Book a trip with Wild Expeditions and sit back and enjoy the scenery and Class II & III rapids while your guide expertly navigates the river. Enjoy several stops at archaeological sites such as River House Ruin and the Butler Petroglyph Panel.
Near Mexican Hat
Moki Dugway
Constructed in the 1950’s to transport uranium, the Moki Dugway is an unpaved, 3-mile section of Hwy 261 comprised of switchbacks carved into the face of the cliff edge. The road, which can be treacherous in rain or snow, winds 1,200 feet from Cedar Mesa to the valley floor near Valley of the Gods. Not for the faint of heart (or those with a fear of heights), this route provides breathtaking views of some of Utah’s most beautiful landscapes such as Monument Valley and Valley of the Gods.
Valley of the Gods
Often referred to as a ‘miniature Monument Valley,’ Valley of the Gods is home to stunning free-standing monoliths, delicate spires of sandstone, and long rock fins. Visitors can drive the 17-mile loop through the valley, stopping along the way for short hikes, or to find a remote, dispersed camping site. A night spent under the stars in Valley of the Gods is sure to top anyone’s list of one of the most beautiful, peaceful, and remote camping spots you’ll ever experience.
Goosenecks State Park
The San Juan River twists and turns through sinuous ‘goosenecks’ as it flows toward Lake Powell traveling over 6 miles, while it advances to the west only 1 mile. The Great Goosenecks of the San Juan River is the largest entrenched river meander in North America. Within the 1,000 feet between the park and the river, 300 million years of geology is revealed in the layers exposed by erosion.
Monument Valley
Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park
Sweeping across the border between Utah and Arizona, Monument Valley is one of the most photographed places on earth. The classic western scenery, unsurpassed beauty, and stunning red rock formations are best seen in the morning and evening when the sun drapes intense color over the rocks and desert. Take a jeep or horseback tour with a Navajo guide, shop for authentic native art, and view ‘Among the Monuments’, ‘Earth Spirit’, and a variety of John Wayne films shown regularly at Goulding’s Lodge. Visit the museums at the lodge and park headquarters.
Questions about planning your trip? Call 800-574-4386 or 435-587-3235.