Shafer Canyon Overlook
Shafer Canyon Overlook sits at mile 1 of 28 along the Dead Horse Point Mesa Scenic Byway, at an elevation of 5,759 feet. The terrain drops 1,057 feet within 600 meters of the overlook, and the view faces 270°, directly toward the sunset. From this point, Bird's View Butte & Crow's Head Spires Overlook is visible to the northwest at 1.5 miles (5,892 ft), Gooseneck Overlook lies south-southwest at 1.9 miles (4,848 ft), and a second Shafer Canyon Overlook viewpoint appears west-southwest at 4.1 miles (5,759 ft). Shafer Trail Viewpoint is also visible to the west-southwest at 4.4 miles (5,862 ft), and Whitbeck Rock rises to the west-northwest at 4.6 miles (6,162 ft). Moab lies 12.8 miles east-northeast, Castle Valley is 21.5 miles east-northeast, and Green River is 42.0 miles north-northwest. Sunset times vary by season, from 17:02 at the December solstice to 20:47 at the June solstice, affecting how light falls across the facing direction. The previous stop on the byway is Meander Overlook, and the next is Basin Overlook.
![500px provided description: Una mezcla de matices multicolores ataviando la naturaleza [#landscape ,#color ,#nature ,#river ,#travel ,#mountain ,#outdoors ,#scenic ,#no person ,#Colorado Cannyon]](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/87/Ca%C3%B1%C3%B3n_De_Colorado_%28188030339%29.jpeg/1920px-Ca%C3%B1%C3%B3n_De_Colorado_%28188030339%29.jpeg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
What you’re looking at
Named terrain inside the view from this overlook, nearest first.
- Bird's View Butte & Crow's Head Spires Overlook5,892 ftnorthwest · 1.5 mi
- Gooseneck Overlook4,848 ftsouth-southwest · 1.9 mi
- Shafer Canyon Overlook5,759 ftwest-southwest · 4.1 mi
- Shafer Trail Viewpoint5,862 ftwest-southwest · 4.4 mi
- Whitbeck Rock6,162 ftwest-northwest · 4.6 mi
Light
This overlook faces sunset — 0° off square to it.
| Date | Sunrise | Sunset | Golden hour |
|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox | 07:23 | 19:31 | 18:56 |
| June solstice | 05:56 | 20:47 | 20:07 |
| September equinox | 07:07 | 19:18 | 18:43 |
| December solstice | 07:34 | 17:02 | 16:20 |
Local time (America/Denver). Computed for this exact position.
Where it is
Mile 1 of 28 along Dead Horse Point Mesa Scenic Byway.
- Moab12.8 mi east-northeast
- Castle Valley21.5 mi east-northeast
- Green River42.0 mi north-northwest
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How high is Shafer Canyon Overlook?
Shafer Canyon Overlook sits at about 5,759 feet (1,755 m).
What can you see from Shafer Canyon Overlook?
From Shafer Canyon Overlook: Bird's View Butte & Crow's Head Spires Overlook (NW, 1.5 mi); Gooseneck Overlook (SSW, 1.9 mi); Shafer Canyon Overlook (WSW, 4.1 mi); Shafer Trail Viewpoint (WSW, 4.4 mi).
Is Shafer Canyon Overlook better at sunrise or sunset?
Sunset. The land falls away from Shafer Canyon Overlook toward the sunset, so at sunrise the light is behind you. Exact times shift through the year; the page shows the current window.
What is the nearest town to Shafer Canyon Overlook?
Moab, 13 miles ENE of Shafer Canyon Overlook.
What is the next lookout after Shafer Canyon Overlook?
Basin Overlook is the next surfaced lookout along the same route after Shafer Canyon Overlook.
Drive to Shafer Canyon Overlook with Byway
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Byways with this lookout
Day trips start here
- Arches National Park · 19 mi
- Canyonlands National Park · 22 mi
Locals make it Verified.
Shafer Canyon Overlook — confirmed, rated, and photographed by people who actually pulled over. A local confirmation is what upgrades a lookout from Discovered to Verified. Zero hallucinations.
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