Whale Rock Trail

Whale Rock is a short 1-mile hike in the Island in the Sky section of Canyonlands National Park near the more well-known attraction, Upheaval Dome. The trail is named after a natural sandstone rock formation that resembles a whale.

Because much of the hike is on rock, there isn't a beaten path, but it's easy to find well-placed cairns, many of which are cemented to the stone in order to stay in place. To start, the trail wraps around the back of Whale Rock and begins to ascend a steep section before leveling off. Kids can scramble on the rock and other nearby rock formations without the worry of steep drop-offs or long falls. Atop the rock formation are beautiful, unobstructed views of nearby Upheaval Dome to the west and breathtaking canyon views to the south.