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mushroom rock formations

this is located at the end of the road with a few parking spots. nice overview of the canyon and... read more

Reviewed June 29, 2022
koabug
,
Honolulu, Hawaii
Nice drive to view the Needles region

This is a nice paved road to the Overlook. the overlook provides a nice view of the periphery of... read more

Reviewed May 27, 2017
TravelingDeacon
,
Dothan, Alabama
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Reviewed February 3, 2016 via mobile

The Canyonlands Park visit was one of the best experiences I've had across several continents.

The canyons were one of the greater views throughout the park, but frankly, so was everything else! Sunrise to sunset, we explored the trails and climbed, walked, ran, and posed near most of them.

Would definitely return...

Date of experience: October 2015
Thank Sully S
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Reviewed September 11, 2015

At the end of the road in The Needles portion of Canyonlands. Pleasant place to easily walk around the stone formations and see the the small canyon. Lots of opportunities for great pictures. Near the trailhead for the Slickrock hike.

Date of experience: September 2015
1  Thank Chris A
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Reviewed August 16, 2015 via mobile

This is a beautiful area and definitely worth the time to take a look at if you want a really pretty panoramic view. If you are a photographer you will really enjoy this area. Bring lots of water if it's during the summer time it gets ridiculously hot.

Date of experience: August 2015
1  Thank 973spencerv
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Reviewed May 8, 2012

I visited the 'Big Spring Canyon Overlook' during my multi-day visit to the magical Canyonlands NP, as part of my month-long tour of the Utah/Arizona natural attractions last year. I have posted separate reviews for several individual trails/overlooks, plus an 'introductory' review for the 2 main areas within the NP ('Island in the Sky' and the 'Needles') and the NP as a whole under the TA webpage (incorrectly) entitled 'Canyonland' (sic).

This overlook is easily the most-accessible significant viewpoint in the 'Needles' district as it's directly at the northern tip of the western end of the scenic drive within the NP; in fact, you can't really miss it as the parking area forms a circular 'U-Turn' on that road ! It is also the parking area for various nearby trailheads....

Along with 'Elephant Hill' (see my review) which is situated near the southern 'tip' of the scenic drive, I think that these 2 overlooks form the 'core' of what most non-hiking visitors in hire/2WD/low-clearance vehicles will be able to realistically view at the western-most end of the scenic drive. Yes, there are some others (eg 'Wooden Shoe Arch'), but without hiking or 'jeeping' these are the most viable destinations...

When I prepared to write this review I was amazed to find that a dedicated TA webpage for it didn't exist. So, post my request for one to be generated this should be the inaugural review !

I have compiled an extensive Trip Advisor 'Trip List' for my tour, which includes 'extra' attractions and also has links to the other individual TA reviews I've contributed for the accommodation/attractions I visited - it has been made a Trip Advisor 'Itinerary'; I hope it is of interest and use to you - I plan to add visitor information sections/viewable media sections..... The most direct way to access it is by clicking my review-count below my profile name to the left of this review text. Alternatively, see after my review below the dashed line...

Along with a link at the end of this review, you can also access my other Canyonlands reviews that way...

After my drive to and viewing of 'EH' I proceeded to this 'BSCO' viewing area. Again, the panoramic scene that you are presented here is quite beautiful, but it is not as colourful as that at EH since the rock is almost uniformly tinted and the layered 'banding' is largely absent; however, what this panorama offers that EH doesn't so much is a wider variety of rock formations and 'shapes', plus a much more interesting canyon area spreading out in front of your eyes.

The rock formations are rather similar to what you can see at (for me, the far less impressive) 'Canyonlands Lite' - sorry, 'Arches' NP. They comprise not only the 'bulbous' type of rock accumulations but also some of the 'stacked' variety, where the tops of the pillars are often larger than the 'stem' - rather like what a flathead rivet looks like, except these are MUCH bigger ! The ridgeline formations feature far less of the 'castled' type you can see at EH.

As well as accessibility, the other connection between this viewpoint and EH is that the tremendous panoramas can be difficult to capture due to their immense width. So, whilst individual 'snaps' can include notable features, your camera really needs to have the ability to take 'wide' views by compiling 2 or more photos together.

My camera allows me to do that so, along with EH, I took such photos - unfortunately, almost every time I add such a photo to my TA reviews they fail to be posted, I think because they are too wide for the TA photo 'system' (although my wide photo of the superb 'Muley Point' got through OK...). I'll try again this time, but don't hold your breath - if that happens, I'll add them to my online photo album linked from my TA Trip List mentioned earlier. so at best you'll have the 'snaps' I took (which don't really do things justice....).

Of course, the other way to get the whole view in one sweep is with video, but for some inexplicable reason I took none that day in the 'Needles' - something to do next time !

I think that this viewpoint offers an impressive panorama with a wide variety of differently shaped rock formations.. Along with the contrasting views from the southerly 'Elephant Hill' (which I preferred), at the other end of the central scenic road, it forms the foundation of what normal 2WD drivers can see without the need for significant hiking - they complement the views you get on the approach into the area very well....

I will add any relevant photos/videos after this review is posted by TA.

----------------------------

As well as the method described near the start of this review my TA 'Trip List' can also be accessed from the 'Utah Itineraries' link on the right of the Utah Forum page. Or the direct link is :

http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/GoListDetail-i24850-Las_Vegas_to_Zion_Bryce_and_other.html

Alternatively, to search via TA, it is entitled 'Las Vegas to Zion, Bryce and other SUtah Natl Parks + Monument Valley-May 2011'.

Please feel free to send me messages with any questions.

Date of experience: June 2011
8  Thank LPWilliams
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Reviewed March 30, 2016
Google Translation

Date of experience: April 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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