There are four different districts within Canyonlands National Park in Utah: Island in the Sky, The Needles, The Maze, and The Rivers. The Colorado and Green rivers are not so much an official district as they are ribbons of water winding through the other three districts. None of these districts are connected to each other by any roads. How you get to this national park depends upon which district you wish to visit.

Canyonlands National Park map / NPS

Flying

There are three airports from which to fly in, then rent a vehicle to get to any or all Canyonlands’ districts.

• Canyonlands Field (CNY) (16 miles / 25.75 kilometers from Moab)
• Grand Junction Regional Airport (GJT) in Colorado (113 miles / 182 kilometers from Moab)
• Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC) (237 miles / 381 kilometers from Moab)

The closest airport to Moab is also the smallest, with two airlines serving the area and limited flights. The largest airport with the most airline choices and flights will be the Salt Lake City International Airport, but it is also the furthest from any of the Canyonlands districts.

Driving

GPS apps on your phone and vehicle are not advised due to their unreliability when it comes to getting to some of these districts. It’s a good idea to carry a paper map with you.

• From US 191 north of Moab, UT 313 leads to Island in the Sky.
• From US 191 south of Moab, UT 211 leads to The Needles.

• The Hans Flat Ranger Station in The Maze is 2.5 hours from Green River, Utah. From I-70, take UT 24 south for 24 miles. A left hand turn just beyond the turnoff to Goblin Valley State Park will take you along a two-wheel-drive dirt road 46 miles (76 km) southeast to the ranger station. From the ranger station, the canyons of The Maze are another 3 to 6 hours by high-clearance, four-wheel-drive vehicle (more if traveling by foot). Another four-wheel-drive road leads into The Maze north from UT 95 near Hite Marina (driving time is 3+ hours to the park boundary). Check backcountry road conditions for updates.

• Often hidden from view by the complex contours of the canyons, the rivers are not easy to get to. Launch locations on the Green River include Green River State Park, Ruby Ranch or Mineral Bottom. On the Colorado, boaters typically use the Potash or Moab ramps. There is no vehicle access to the rivers near the Confluence or in Cataract Canyon.

Bus

Greyhound travels along Interstate 70, making stops at Grand Junction, Colorado, and Green River, Utah. Commercial vans/shuttles operate between Moab and Salt Lake City as well as Grand Junction.

Train

Amtrak stops at Grand Junction, Colorado, and Green River, Utah. Commercial van services operate between Grand Junction and Moab.

Public Transportation

There is no public transportation into Canyonlands.

Map of towns closest to the districts in Canyonlands National Park / Google Maps screenshot

Monticello, Utah (population 1,729 as of 2023) is the closest town to the Needles District (49 miles / 78.9 kilometers) offering lodging, dining, groceries, gasoline, and EV charging stations.

Moab, Utah (population 5,221 as of 2023) is the closest town to the Island in the Sky District (32.4 miles / 52.1 kilometers) offering lodging, dining, groceries, gasoline, and EV charging stations.

Green River, Utah (population 881 as of 2023) and Hanksville, Utah (population 170 as of 2023) are the two closest towns to The Maze District. While both are between 1.5 – 2.5 hours’ drive from the Hans Flat Ranger Station, they are the nearest source of supplies, fuel, and charging stations.