Canyonlands National Park

Canyonlands is the Southwest's best-kept secret - more remote than Zion, less crowded than Arches, and absolutely spectacular. The Needles District offers serious backpacking through red rock canyons, slot passages, and wide-open desert. Water is scarce - you plan routes around springs. Navigation is by cairns and terrain features. The silence is profound. This trip teaches desert skills: heat management, water conservation, and moving efficiently through technical terrain. The night skies are incredible - you see the Milky Way like a glowing river. This is Utah backpacking for crews ready to handle real desert wilderness.