Mesa Arch: Canyonlands National Park’s Iconic View

Our trip to Mesa Arch in Canyonlands National Park began on a freezing end-of-November day. It was 4:30 in the morning, and neither my wife nor I were moving particularly fast, getting out of our warm sleeping bags and breaking down camp. We’d spent the night at Kenyata Campground in Dead Horse Point State Park and were set to spend the day exploring Canyonlands.

Our first stop was to catch the sunrise at Mesa Arch. The iconic view is a favorite amongst park visitors and photographers and is up there with some of the best views in the entire National Park System.

Mesa Arch is 27 feet long and sits perched on the edge of you, as you likely guessed… a mesa. It frames sweeping views of the canyon far below and the La Sal Mountains far off in the distance.

Best time to visit Mesa Arch

Sunrise is by far the best time to visit Mesa Arch. When the sun crests, it illuminates the arch’s underside.

After breaking down camp and enjoying a much-needed cup of hot coffee, we took off and headed towards the trailhead. Sunrise was not until about 7:15, and we were parked by 6. I was surprised it was already busy. The parking lot was about a third of the way full. Late November is considered past the most popular time to visit in the fall.

It was still dark, and headlamps were needed. The loop trail is only 0.6 miles. The short spur to the arch is about halfway through the arch. The sun was starting to warm the sky when we arrived at the arch, but the sunrise was still a ways away. “Please tell me you brought the stove! I am freezing and would kill for some hot tea.” Said my wife. “I most certainly did,” I responded, pulling out the JetBoil from my backpack. “I also have coffee or cocoa if you like.” “Tea, please.”

Expect crowds at the arch during sunrise.

We sat nearby and waited while enjoying our hot drinks. About a dozen photographers were waiting, and more were arriving here and there. As sunrise approached, I joined the horde and set up my tripod. If you are expecting solitude this is not right spot, expect crowds.

About ten minutes later, the voices of chatting folks were quickly replaced with the rapid-fire sound of camera shutters, myself included. “This might be the prettiest thing I have ever seen,” I overheard a young woman telling her companion. She was not wrong; the view was truly tremendous. The sandstone glows a fantastic bright orange, kissed by the sun. Mesa Arch is one of the first things to catch sun in the morning. So, the framing with the glowing arch and the cool softness of the canyon below and mountains in the background are things words can adequately describe.

I was chatting with some folks there. “Where are you from?” I’d ask. “Germany.” “West Virginia.” “Spain.” “Texas.” National Parks have a way of bringing people together.

We spent about half an hour at sunrise enjoying the view and snapping photos before returning to the car. If you are in the Moab area, make time for Mesa Arch at sunrise. You will not regret it.

Where to stay at Canyonlands National Park

Island in the Sky Campground, also called Willow Flat, has 12 first-come, first-served sites and is open year-round.

Horsethief Campground is just outside of the park on Bureau of Land Management land.

Kayenta Campground in Dead Horse Point State Park, where we stayed during our visit, is about a 30-minute away. I recommend this place; it was awesome.

Devil’s Garden Campground in Arches National Park is about 52 miles away.

If camping is not your thing, no worries; there are plenty of hotels nearby in Moab.