Backcountry Travel Planner

Choose Your Adventure

Wondering what you can do in the Canyonlands backcountry? This is the page for you. To have a safe and enjoyable trip, you will need to prepare and plan ahead. Use this page to plan your trip; learn about Leave No Trace, safety, and regulations; and get a permit.

 

On This Page Navigation

 

Canyonlands National Park is an expansive natural landscape that invites exploration. People come from all over the world to explore the canyons, mesas, rivers, and wilderness in the park. The Green and Colorado rivers divide the park into four major districts: Island in the Sky, The Needles, The Maze, and the rivers themselves. Use this backcountry planner and these backcountry & river orientation films to find the best trip for you.

 

Things to Do

 

 

Maps

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  Backcountry Maps

  Plan your backcountry adventure. Find maps of trails and backcountry campsites.

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  Maps, books, and more

  Park Store

  Plan your visit, and learn about the park with books, maps, and guides from the Canyonlands Natural History Association.

 

Who Needs a Permit?

Four-wheel-drive vehicle, bicycle, or motorcycle permits are required for:

• Day-use travel on the White Rim, Elephant Hill, Peekaboo/Horse Canyon, and Lavender Canyon roads.
• All overnight trips.

Backpacking permits are required for:

• All overnight backpacking trips.

Backpackers planning to use a packraft to travel on the rivers may have additional requirements. Read more about packraft requirements.

River permits are required for:

• All overnight river trips.
• Day-use travel through Cataract Canyon.
• Backpackers camping within a half mile of the river, or using a packraft on the river.

 

Regulations

You are responsible for knowing and following these regulations on your backcountry trip.

General Backcountry Regulations

River Regulations

Horse and Pack Regulations

Toilet Requirements for all river trips, all Maze vehicle campsites, New Bates Wilson campsite, Peekaboo campsite

 

Safety

Your safety is important.
Read more about having a safe visit at Canyonlands National Park.

 

 

 

Begin Your Reservation

Make sure you have reviewed information on this page before starting your reservation. When you click the button below, you will enter the permitting website.

Start a Backcountry Reservation