Mesa Arch
A stone arch perched on the canyon rim. At sunrise the underside glows red, with the canyon and La Sal Mountains framed beneath it. A must for photographers.
Mesa Arch sits in the Island in the Sky district of Canyonlands National Park. The round trip from the parking lot is only about 0.8 km on a gentle, easy trail. Photographers begin claiming spots half an hour before sunrise, so arrive early. It is still worth visiting during the day when crowds thin. Behind the arch lies a cliff several hundred meters deep, so never climb on the arch. Entry to Canyonlands is charged per vehicle, and the America the Beautiful annual pass is valid.
Opening hours
All day
Nearby sights
- Green River Overlook
- Grand View Point Overlook
- Upheaval Dome
- Island in the Sky
- Shafer Trail
- Dead Horse Point State Park
- Needles District
- Potash Road Petroglyphs & Dinosaur Tracks