Canyon Callings

There are lovers of winter and lovers of summer, but for that awkward transition between the two seasons, there is the desert. Canyonlands National Park, a 21⁄2-hour drive from Durango, offers 337,598 acres of red desert solace, sun and plenty of outdoor adventuring when our mountain playgrounds are still caked in mud. The park, which was designated in 1964, caters to outdoor lovers with a plethora of options for hiking, biking, back-packing, camping and just getting re-centered from the chaos of everyday life. Which is something to be grateful for, even after pampering the first sunburn of the season.

Climbers are already flocking to the worldclass crags of Indian Creek, which lies just outside Canyonlands.

Walking over the barren moonscape makes us all thankful for cairns.

What would a trip to the desert be without a sighting of the local wildlife? 

A hike through the redrock landscape is great for putting it all in perspective.

The view from Canyonlands features the classic Moab skyline.