One of our favorite trails (anywhere) is the Peekaboo Springs Trail in the Needles District of Canyonlands National Park. The route from Squaw Flats to the springs in the Salt Creek Canyon and back is about 10.2 miles (16.4 km). The first part of the trail follows the Lost Canyon Trail (another favorite). There are a number of junctions, but …Continue reading…
There are 4 Districts of Canyonlands National Park. The most accessible is Island in the Sky, a 40 minute drive on good roads from Moab, Utah. The drive climbs to the top of a large mesa which just out between Green River and the Colorado River. There are a number of hikes along the Island in the Sky Parkway which …Continue reading…
Island in the Sky is one of four Canyonlands National Park Districts and the easiest one to access from Moab and paved roads. The route to the high mesa is to drive 16 km north of Moab, then 35 km southwest. The road goes through the Park gate then continues on to the edge of the mesa. At …Continue reading…
Horseshoe Canyon is a remote desert canyon on the edge of Canyonlands National Park. It is renowned as a site to observe well-preserved rock art of the Ancestral Puebloans. The 4 panels are estimated to be 1000 to 1500 years old. Although it is a long day to drive the backroads and hike the route, it is a special place, …Continue reading…
False Kiva is a Class 2 archeological site high near the rim on top of Island in the Sky, Canyonlands (Utah). The ceremonial site (kiva) is in a large alcove located under the rim. There is no official trail, so it helps to know where to park and the approximate location of the site. There were a number of …Continue reading…
I have been saying that the Needles District of Canyonlands is the best hiking area anywhere and today we hiked 11 miles to and from Druid Arch, a 450 foot high rock sculpture above the sandstone, within the fins and canyons in a high, remote, quiet location. Just wow+.
Utah Hiking – Day 2 We drove down to Mineral Bottom on the Green River to explore this remote area of the White Rim. From there we went across the top of Island in the Sky (Canyonlands National Park) and hiked first the False Kiva route then along the rim of Upheaval Dome.
In the Needles District of Canyonlands National Park, we can follow the Park road north 6.6 miles from the Visitor’s Center to the end of the road. There are 3 hiking trails off this road in the Needles North area – the Slickrock Foot Trail, Pothole Point, and the Confluence Overlook. The Slickrock Foot Trail is a 2.4 mile …Continue reading…
The best backpack and hike of 2015 was the 4 day hike down Upper Salt Creek Canyon in Canyonlands National Park. The route starts in a remote spot outside the park at Cathedral Butte. The 17 mile backroad to the trailhead is a good one. The parking area is signed and the hike starts at 7000 feet, but drops quickly …Continue reading…
Once you find yourself at the right elevation on the Colorado Plateau, every direction is an outdoor playground. While hiking in the Needles District of Canyonlands National Park, I spent a few nights hiking and camping. The National Park Campground was always full so I found camping spots outside the park. The Lockhart Basin Road is only a few miles …Continue reading…
A year after hiking this trail system in Canyonlands National Park, I returned to hike it again, this time in the opposite direction. In the Needles District of Canyonlands, we can combine a series of trails to make our own loop. I arrived early in the afternoon so I chose to do an 11 mile loop combining Lost Canyon, Big …Continue reading…
The Peekaboo Trail starts at Squaw Flats Trailhead in the Needles District of Canyonlands National Park and works its way over to Peekaboo Camp. An out-and-back hike is 10 miles, well worth a day of hiking in the area. This (along with Upper Salt Creek) was my favorite trail of 2016. The trail follows the same route as the Lost …Continue reading…
The Angel Arch trail is a short trail up a side canyon off the Upper Salt Creek route in Canyonlands National Park, Utah. It starts at the junction of two canyons at the edge of the Salt Creek riparian zone. The faint trail follows the wash southwest for 1.3 miles, climbing a ridge to a viewpoint of the 150′ tall …Continue reading…
The trails of the Needles District in Canyonlands National Park can be combined in many ways to create loops. We chose to follow these trails – Lost Canyon > Squaw Canyon > Big Springs Canyon. To get into or out of any of the canyons, hikers have to climb up over slickrock routes, then descend down into the sandy wash. …Continue reading…
In the maze of trails within the Needles District in Canyonlands National Park is a 2 mile trail worth the effort to get out there (at least 9 miles, depending on your route). We hiked over from the Chesler Loop Trail. From a rugged trail on rock, we dropped down steps into a cleft between cliffs and followed the slot …Continue reading…
The Druid Arch Trail in the Needles District (Canyonlands National Park) may be Kamloops Trails best trail of 2014 (of about 200 outdoor routes completed this year). National Geographic includes it as one of the best 20 hikes in the National Parks. In reality, any one of several trails in Needles could have been chosen, but Druid Arch itself stands …Continue reading…