Rockfall closes section of road in Canyonlands National Park

Jonathon Sharp
·1 min read
2

MOAB, Utah (ABC4) — A rockfall over the weekend in Canyonlands National Park dropped large boulders on a stretch of road in the northwest corner of the park.

The National Park Service said the rockfall damaged a section of White Rim Road, in the Island in the Sky district, north of the Labyrinth campsites.

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A photo of the aftermath shows several large boulders embedded into the dirt road, which winds along the Green River to the west and the Colorado River to the east in one of Utah’s Mighty Five national parks.

(Courtesy of the National Parks Service)
(Courtesy of the National Parks Service)

According to the park service, White Rim Road was closed to all traffic (including bicyclists and hikers) between the park boundary at Mineral Bottom and the Labyrinth campsites.

The closure is set to remain in effect until park staff can remove the boulders and repair the road.

Last week’s wet weather, combined with the freeze-thaw dynamic that occurs this time of year in the southern Utah desert, triggered the rockfall, the park service said.

The park service said travelers should check the Canyonlands road condition page for updates on closures.

During the winter, freezing temperatures and precipitation can often lead to closures on roads and four-wheel-drive trails in the park, officials said.

Canyonlands is located in southeastern Utah, roughly 30 miles southwest of Moab.

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