This Beautiful Canyonlands Trail In Utah Will Take You To The Original Roadside Ruin
Kurt Kragthorpe
Author
It is barely an exaggeration to say that every step toward the Roadside Ruin covers one year of history. The short, easy trail in Utah’s Canyonlands National Park takes you to a masonry feature that’s more than 700 years old. The Puebloan storage granary has remained in remarkably good condition structurally through the centuries. The Roadside Ruin Trail is framed by the hardy juniper trees that thrive in the southeastern Utah desert, adding to the rugged beauty of the landscape.
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The Roadside Ruin Trail is a good starting point for Canyonlands National Park visitors, with the trailhead located along the main access road, just past the Visitor Center. The 0.3-mile loop trail is accessible year-round and accommodates hikers of nearly all ages. For information about the trail, see the official National Park Service (NPS) website for Canyonlands National Park.
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More to Explore
Trail in Canyonlands National Park
How many national parks are in Utah?
Utah’s national parks are popular spots for both locals and visitors, and it’s easy to see why – all five parks offer stunning beauty and tons of recreational opportunities. The Big Five: Zion, Canyonlands, Arches, Bryce Canyon, and Capitol Reef National Parks received more than 10.5 million visitors during 2017, but there’s one park that has way fewer annual guests than the others, and it’s well worth the journey: Canyonlands is the most underrated national park in Utah.
What are some other must-do trails in Canyonlands National Park?
We absolutely adore Canyonlands NP, and one of the best ways to capture the beauty of this national park in Utah is out on the trails. In addition to the Roadside Ruin Trail, here are some of our favorite hikes in Canyonlands National Park:
- Grand View Point Trail: Looking for a jaw-dropping overlook? Look no further! The Grand View Point Trail is essentially broken up into two different sections. Both are quite easy and short, but the second half of the trail is going to challenge you a little more. If you wish to do the entire trail, you will trek approximately 1.8 miles. You’ll want to plan a little over an hour to complete the trail in its entirety. However, give yourself a little longer so you can sit and enjoy the views.
- Upheaval Dome via Crater View Trail: If you take Crater View Trail for about 0.7 miles, you will hit the overlook for Upheaval Dome. Scientists aren’t exactly sure what created the Upheaval Dome, but the two most popular theories was that it was either formed by a meteorite impact or a naturally occurring salt dome. Whatever caused this crazy crater, this short hike is well worth the effort to come to see this crater in the desert!
- Mesa Arch Trail: The Mesa Arch Trail is probably the most famous hike in Canyonlands National Park -- and rightly so. This short loop trail is only 0.7 miles long, but it takes you out to see the famous and breathtaking Mesa Arch. Try to get here during sunrise or sunset for the best views -- but no matter what time of day your arrive at Mesa Arch, the views of the Utah desert landscape through the arch are absolutely incredible!