Mesa Arch is the Canyonlands view you’ve probably already seen in photographs, and the short hike to reach it delivers an outsized reward for the effort. The sandy loop leads right to the arch at the canyon rim, framing the mesas and canyons beyond. We’ve done it at sunrise and midday, and you’ll need patience for a photo either way—everyone wants the shot.

Grand View Point sits at the end of the Island in the Sky road, with a huge panorama across the canyons and White Rim below. We recommend everyone stop at the overlook itself, and from there an easy trail continues along the exposed rim, adding more perspectives as it follows the canyon edge.

Upheaval Dome is one of the strangest formations in Canyonlands, a circular crater of broken and tilted rock that looks like it wandered in from a different park. Scientists are still debating what created it! The first overlook is only 0.6 miles round trip, taking you to the rim for a look straight down into the jumble of rock at its center. We recommend heading out to the second overlook for a better view of the crater.

White Rim Overlook is easy to miss among Island in the Sky’s better-known stops, but the short trail leads to a huge view over Monument Basin, the White Rim, Colorado River, and La Sal Mountains. At just 1.8 miles with little climbing, it’s one of the easier ways to leave the crowds behind and get a quieter view across the district. Parking at the trailhead is very limited, so have a backup plan if the few spaces are full.

Aztec Butte is a great hike for anyone interested in ancient ruins and the history of the Canyonlands. The trail splits between a relatively easy walk up to two Ancestral Puebloan granaries, and a steep scramble up to the top of Aztec Butte. Some people skip this one because they don’t want to do the scramble to the top of Aztec Butte, but you can visit the granaries without climbing the butte to make this a shorter trail.

Whale Rock is a short, fun scramble up a giant sandstone dome, and a great choice for kids who like climbing on rocks. The trail climbs directly onto the slickrock and follows it to the top, with broad views across Island in the Sky along the way. The slickrock gets steep in places and can feel trickier coming back down, so good traction and some comfort scrambling on rock are important.

Hiking to Chesler Park Viewpoint takes you into the heart of the Needles, winding through sandstone spires and narrow passages before reaching a pass overlooking Chesler Park. The scenery unfolds throughout the hike, with the viewpoint offering more of a good turn around point. Bring paper maps and lots of water for this trail, as GPS devices don’t always work among the spires. For the truly adventurous and backpackers, the trail continues on for a lollipop loop for a total of 10.6 miles.

Druid Arch is one of the Needles’ big adventure hikes, following the trail from Elephant Hill through sandstone spires and narrow passages before dropping into Elephant Canyon for the long approach to the arch. The canyon gets rough and steep near the end, with a ladder and hands-on scrambling leading to the massive Druid Arch and views back across the Needles. This is best done as an overnight backpacking trip, as it’s a challenging route up to the Arch.

Cave Spring fits a surprising amount into a 0.6-mile loop: a historic cowboy camp, prehistoric rock markings, a spring tucked beneath a sandstone overhang, two ladder climbs, and views across the Needles from the slickrock above. It’s a particularly good short hike for families, with the ladders giving kids something more interesting to do than simply follow a trail. If ladders or heights give you pause, you can reach the cowboy camp, spring, and rock markings without climbing the ladders.

Slickrock Trail gives you the wide-open views and bare-rock hiking of the Needles in a relatively easy loop. The 2.4-mile route crosses rolling slickrock to four viewpoints over Big Spring and Little Spring Canyons, with the Needles and distant mountains across the horizon. The sandstone is uneven, you’ll follow cairns, the overlooks are exposed, and there’s almost no shade, but the fourth viewpoint over Big Spring Canyon is worth the walk.