Southeast of Arches National Park, Canyonlands National Park preserves 337,570 acres in the heart of the Colorado Plateau. Here, two great canyons carved by the Green and Colorado rivers reveal hundreds of colorful mesas, buttes, fins, arches and spires.

Here we see the panoramic view from the Shafer Canyon Overlook in the extreme northeast corner of the park. Our initial view looks east up Shafer Trail Road leading into Shafer Canyon. As the view turns left (north) we are looking toward the Island in the Sky Visitor Center, then west toward Neck Spring. Coming full circle, we return to the view of Shafer Trail Road, originally a cattle trail, then later a road for uranium hunters. Today it is a well-traveled 4-wheel-drive route that wind's down the island's edge.