hiking the rim
We weren’t sure what would top these views, but after driving a few more miles we entered Island in the Sky, which certainly lives up to its name. In this area of Utah, the Colorado Plateau has pushed itself up particularly high, leaving visitors on a figurative “island” that is almost inaccessible from the vast canyonlands below. As you enter the park, you drive across a narrow neck of the plateau with sheer dropoffs on either side. The land then widens out, and the roads take you to a wide variety of overlooks, many of which have good rim hikes associated with them. The day became a succession of short drives and interesting walks to see the attractions on all sides of the “island,” places like Mesa Arch, where the drop off was over 1000 feet, Grand View Point, which provides a view to the South and East over most of Canyonlands, and the Upheaval Dome, a strange, circular depression that some believe may be an ancient meteor crater. Here are some highlights:
