The Shafer Trail starts at almost 6000 feet in Canyonlands National Park, and ends less than 20 miles later at 4000 feet near the banks of the Colorado River.

The trail, which begins opposite the Island in the Sky Visitor Center, turns rather quickly into a shelf road. It is cut into the cliff on one side, with staggering drop-offs on the other. Both the switchbacks and the views of the valley below are breathtaking. Although the switchbacks are intimidating, they are fairly easy to drive in good weather. And each turn gives you another view of the Shafer Trail winding out into the distance below you.

After about four miles, you will find yourself inside towering canyon walls thousands of feet high. Then the lower end of the trail moves out toward the Goose Neck section of the park, following the Colorado River for a short way. Several pull off points are easy spots for picnics, and to watch the boat and raft traffic far below you. There are a couple wide sandy washes where it is easy to miss the trail, and heavy rain can make creek crossings impassable.

At the base of the trail you’ll get a rather disappointing view of an active potash...[continued]