Suggested Activities at the Island

Overlook talk at Grand View Point

NPS Photo by Neal Herbert

 

1 Hour
Drive to Grand View Point and enjoy a broad view of the entire park. If time permits, visit Buck or Shafer Canyon overlooks along the way.

2 Hours
Visit Grand View Point and Green River overlooks, and hike the 0.5 mile loop nature trail to Mesa Arch.

4 Hours
Visit the overlooks at Grand View Point and Green River, hike Mesa Arch, and hike to the first overlook at Upheaval Dome (0.8 mi roundtrip).

Half day
Visit all of the above and enjoy many of the other short, mesa top nature trails to features like Whale Rock or Aztec Butte. Attend a ranger-led program. Visitors with four-wheel-drive may consider returning to Moab via the Shafer Trail and Potash roads.

Full day
Hike several of the mesa top trails or one of the longer trails like Syncline or Murphy loops. With four-wheel-drive, explore the White Rim Road as far as Musselman Arch or travel to the Colorado River via Lathrop.

Many days
Use the Willow Flat Campground as a base camp and explore the district on foot or in a vehicle. Backpack into Taylor Canyon for a night, or to the Colorado River via Lathrop Canyon. Consider a multi-day, four-wheel-drive or mountain bike trip along the White Rim Road (reservations recommended).