Canyonlands National Park Off The Beaten Path Tips by goodfish Top 5 Page for this destination

Dead Horse Point State Park

Situated 2000 feet above the Colorado River, the legend goes that cowboys once rounded up wild mustangs and herded them onto what is now called Dead Horse Point Overlook. After choosing the horses they wanted to keep, they somehow forgot about the rest and, trapped on that waterless point far above the river, the poor things died of thirst.

Sad as the story is, the panorama from this overlook is stunning. From here you can see a hairpin turn of the Colorado River (in my pix above), a little of the Green River off to the southwest, and across miles and miles of Canyonlands N.P.

I don't know if this is really an "off the beaten" as it was pretty lively but it's on the way to Canyonlands NP Island in the Sky district - take 191N. for 10 miles out of Moab, then southwest on 313 for 14 miles to the turnoff. Turn left and continue another 7 miles to the Visitor Center. Fee is $10 per vehicle, $5 for seniors, and the park has a campground ($20 per site) with electrical hookups, tent pads, covered shelter, charcoal grates and bathrooms. No showers. There's one (short) paved walking trail and several primitive hiking trails.

See the park website for visitor center/concession hours and more information.

Phone: Rsrv. campsites - 1-800-322-3770

Website: http://stateparks.utah.gov/parks/dead-horse