Island In The Sky: 360° Guide
Grand View Point • Mesa Arch • Shafer Canyon
Adventure at a Glance
- Location: Island in the Sky, Canyonlands National Park, Utah
- Shauna's Rating: 💎 💎 💎 💎 💎 (5 out of 5 Diamonds!)
- Best Time: Sunrise (Mesa Arch) or Sunset (Grand View Point)
- The Route: Grand View Point (2 mi) & Mesa Arch (0.5 mi)
Welcome to the amazing Island in the Sky. Standing here, it feels like a scene straight out of a famous Japanese anime movie—a floating world high above the clouds. You are walking along cliff edges with sheer drops, watching birds fly underneath your feet. It is truly an epic experience.
Walking the Edge of the World
It is perfectly named "Island in the Sky," for that truly is what it feels like. The nice thing about this hike is that it is not that hard. It is pretty flat, and only a mile in and a mile out. I saw many older people tackling this hike and loving it.
Taking a moment to sit near the edge and soak in the silence.
You know, I didn't dare sit on the edge and dangle my feet over—it is a crazy drop! I felt really brave just walking along the edge holding my camera. I was expecting lots of wind and updrafts, but it was surprisingly quiet and peaceful the day I was here.
360° Trailer: Grand View Point
Interactive Maps
While official Street View had already been here, I took the trail closer to the edge! The blue line below is actually two lines: Google's trail, and my "edge of the world" trail.
The Famous Mesa Arch
While Grand View Point is amazing, you cannot visit Island in the Sky without seeing the famous Mesa Arch. It is a fabulous hike year-round, and unlike most places, winter just makes this place prettier.
Let Your Light Shine
The cool thing about Mesa Arch is that as the sun comes up, you are so high in the sky that it lightens up the bottom part of this arch, making it a glorious sight.
If you as a person let God's Goodness Light you up, you too will be AMAZING. Let your light shine with love and kindness.
Here is a 360 Video of me as I walk up to the arch. Make sure you look around so you can find the arch and see it as I walk up to it!
The full scale of the sunrise at Mesa Arch is breathtaking.
The Drive Down: Shafer Canyon Road
Looking down from the Island in the Sky is one thing, but driving down into it is another beast entirely! In the video at the top of this post, you can see where we went down into the valley below via the epic Shafer Canyon Road.
Nearby Gem: Dead Horse Point
Not far from here is the lovely Dead Horse Point State Park. It is extremely beautiful at sunrise or sunset when the shadows get long. It features the beautiful Colorado River winding in a horseshoe shape through the deep red cliffs.
Secret Season: The Turkey Boogie
Thanksgiving Secret 🦃
Here is an amazing secret: around Thanksgiving, if you head down to the Mineral Bottom Boat Ramp, you might catch the Turkey Boogie. This is where daredevil base jumpers gather to leap off the sheer cliff walls!
The Viral VR Backflip
Watch closely for the daredevil doing a backflip off the cliff as he base jumps! I held my 360 camera right over the edge to capture the "crazy cool" perspective.
A Different Perspective: The Needles District
If you want the complete Canyonlands experience, you have to see it from the other side! There is a trail in the Canyonlands Needles District where you can hike to a spot that looks directly back over this valley toward Island in the Sky.
🎒 What's in My Backpack?
Being prepared is key to enjoying these remote adventures. Here is what I always carry for a day in Canyonlands:
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