You'd be hard pressed to find a more epic road trip destination than Utah. A drive through the state’s five surreally beautiful national parks, collectively nicknamed the Mighty Five, unfolds as a progression of theatrical cliffs, otherworldly sandstone formations and neverending panoramas.
Photographer Sean Pollock takes us on a journey to two of the lesser-visited Mighty Five parks. We begin in Canyonlands, Utah’s largest national park, which is divided into four separate districts by the picturesque Colorado River and its tributaries. From there, we head down the road to Arches, a more accessible park known for its 2,000 sandstone arches, to discover even more dreamlike landscapes.
Located in Utah’s Canyonlands National Park, the dramatic Shafer Trail twists and turns down canyon walls for almost 30 kilometres.
The Green River Overlook offers an eye-popping view of the same-named river which, together with the Colorado River, has carved most of Canyonlands’ distinctive rock formations and gorges over millennia.
Reaching 14 metres high and almost 10 metres wide, the Delicate Arch is Utah’s unofficial state symbol and the largest free-standing arch in Arches National Park.
The Shafer Trail is named for Frank and John Shafer, ranchers who used the route to drive cattle into the canyon at the beginning of the 20th century; however, it’s very likely that the trail was first navigated by Native Americans much earlier.
Getting There
Canyonlands and Arches national parks are best explored by car. Delta offers nonstop, 4-hour flights from Toronto to Salt Lake City. From there, it’s a 3.5-hour drive to Moab, the gateway to the two parks. It’s also possible to fly directly to Moab but rates are typically higher compared to flights into Salt Lake City.
