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+.
Today’s hike was on mountain bike trails overlooking the Colorado River. The 11 mile loop climbed to the top of Amasa Back with the river on both sides far below. Much of the trail was on sandstone slickrock with a variety of arches, fins, pillars, buttes, alcoves, ramps, potholes, strata, and gargoyles along the way. This was a double black …Continue reading…
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.
We arrived late into Moab and decided to hike the Hidden Valley Trail, a 5 mile hike into the hills. The highlights were the numerous petroglyphs along cliff walls in a remote location. This was Day 1 of hiking in Utah for this trip.
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…
On the Island in the Sky Mesa in Canyonlands National Park is an impact crater measuring 5km across. The impact was about 65 million years ago. The area surrounding the dome has horizontal layers of sandstone, but the layers surrounding the crater have been deformed into a syncline and some layers are nearly vertical in orientation. In the center of …Continue reading…
The Syncline Loop Trail is an 8.3 mile loop that goes around Upheaval Dome in Island in the Sky District in Canyonlands National Park. There are no views into Upheaval Dome but there is a short spur trail that goes up to and along the rim that can be done after completing the loop or on another day. We hiked …Continue reading…
Most hikes in the Island in the Sky District in Canyonlands National Park are either short or go steeply down to the bench (White Rim) below, then steeply back up. For hikers looking for a suitable distance with a reasonable grade, the Neck Springs Hike is a very good choice. It is 5 mile loop hike with little elevation gain. …Continue reading…
Arches National Park has over 2000 arches within its boundaries. Many are on the maps and on designated trails, but many are unnamed and are found by accident when exploring the park. The listed trails in Arches are busy ones and there are usually many people clustered around each of the highlighted arches. For these trails, go early in the …Continue reading…
The Fiery Furnace is a labyrinth of slots, dead-ends, slickrock ramps, and surprises in Arches National Park. There is no designated trail, but there is at least one loop route through the fins, passing by arches, and other hidden spots. A permit is needed to enter the area and once started, visitors have to figure out their own route, often …Continue reading…
The Devil’s Garden Trail is the best hike in Arches National Park. It starts at the end of the road and heads north through the fins. Eight arches can be seen along the route. We chose to the Primitive Loop which swung out to the east side across sand dunes and over slickrock to Fin Creek Canyon. Some of the …Continue reading…
This trail is a nice one, but there will be lots of people along the route and at the arch. In Arches National Park, take the Delicate Arch Road and park at the trailhead. The trail climbs up to the top of the hill and back over 3 miles (5km). The upper part goes along a ledge to a slickrock …Continue reading…
We traveled to Moab, Utah and spent 15 days hiking in the area. Three of those days were spent in Arches National Park, completing most of the official hiking trails. From a hiker’s perspective, Arches offers some unique hiking and has much to offer: easy road access (10 minutes from Moab) a well-organized trail system lots to see (2000 arches …Continue reading…
We drove to the entrance to Castle Valley on the Colorado River northwest of Moab and enjoyed the views. The next week we drove up above Moab through Sand Hills Recreation Area (link) to hike the Porcupine Rim Trail. The area is designed for shared use – jeep tracks, mountain bike tracks, and “hiking” routes. We chose one …Continue reading…
The area around Moab, Utah is surrounded by hiking trails and one of the most satisfying is the corona Arch Trail. To get to the trailhead, go north across the Colorado River and turn left onto Highway 279 (the Potash Road). Ten miles along this road is the trailhead parking area across from the Gold Bar Campground. The trail crosses …Continue reading…