2021 Spring Tour of the Southwest, 3.31.21 - 4.14.21, Part 8 of 11, White Rim Overlook/Grandview Point
After a fine morning of hiking around the Gemini Bridges area we met Mike and Sandy back at camp for a little rest and relaxation. The plan was to watch the sun go down at Grandview Point in Canyonlands National Park so we left around 4PM and drove down into the park (love those Senior Passes!). Our first stop was the trailhead that leads out to the White Rim Overlook. This is a 1.8 mile out and back trail. I don’t know if it was because it was cocktail hour or what but the trail was empty. We passed one couple coming out just as we were starting the hike and one couple going in just as we were almost back to the car. In between we had the entire hike and the overlook completely to ourselves. And what a hike it was! The trail meandered over slickrock out to a rocky point facing east and southeast. We could easily see the La Sals towering over the mesas in the foreground and straight below us we could see the White Rim Trail and Monument Basin.
The White Rim Trail is a hundred mile long biking and jeeping trail that runs along the canyon rims from one side of the Island In The Sky to the other. Canyonlands National Park in its simplest form is a three tiered park. On top you have the tops of the mesas. Far below you have the huge flat shelves of the canyon rims and then you have the deep canyons carved mainly by the Green River and the Colorado River. The Green comes down from the northwest and the Colorado comes down from the northeast and they merge at the confluence. The west side of the confluence is the Maze District, the east side is the Needles District. The top portion between the two rivers is the Island In The Sky District which is where we were.
We hung around at the White River Overlook for quite awhile. The light was so good and the views were so incredible it was hard to leave. But Grandview Point was still on the docket so we hiked back to the car and drove to the very tip of the Island In The Sky to the Grandview Point Trailhead.
Sandy, Mike and Bridgit
Canyonlands!
Monument Basin and the White Rim Trail
Bridgit near White Rim Overlook
Not sure what canyon this is
The trail out to Grandview Point from the end of the road is one mile each way. We had lingered a little too long at the White Rim Overlook so I practically ran out to Grandview Point while the others hiked at a normal pace to get out there. I wanted to be there before the shadows covered the pillars of Monument Basin and I made it just in time.
I expected Grandview Point to be a fancy park viewing platform with rails and signs but much to my pleasure, it was simply the end of the trail and you are free to roam around anywhere on the point. I started by facing east to catch the last rays of the sun on Monument Basin from further west than our view from the White Rim Overlook.
Monument Basin from Grandview Point
Closeup of Monument Basin
Once the shadows covered the basin I moved over to the west side of the point to watch the sun go down. The last light of the day lit up the gnarled twisty trees and gave the cliff walls a beautiful orange glow.
Looking north from the west rim of Grandview Point
Looking south at the actual high point of Grandview Point
Sun setting by Cleopatra’s Chair
Stay tuned for part 9...