Jump into Spring

Dramatic contrasts at Canyonlands National Park

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Utah
The Colorado Plateau sits right where the Green River joins the Colorado from the east. This region is called Islands in the Sky of Canyonlands National Park. The eroded towers of sedimentary rock remind many of layer cakes. The White Rim Trail follows the top of one of these plateau layers, the sediment from a long-vanished sea, now a vast and arid wilderness. At night there are no lights for 100 miles in every direction: You can really see the stars. According to Ashley Korenblat, a guide with Western Spirit Cycling, "The best part is your cell phone doesn't work!"

Plants must be tough to survive in this extreme environment. But for all their toughness, prickly pear and globe mallow bloom as brilliant and lovely as any cottage garden treasure. Faunal treats include bighorn sheep, desert birds, and lizards "doing push-ups." During the spring, Canyonlands has beautiful days, cooler nights. Now and then a storm will come through, but it quickly passes, leaving some extra oomph for the wildflowers and a little bit of added excitement in your day.

Read Biking the Maze at Canyonlands