Hiking in Canyonlands National Park

Utah's largest park, Canyonlands National Park provides ample hiking opportunities. From sheer cliffs in The Island in the Sky district to Elephant Hill, hikers may enjoy the beautiful sandstone landscape of Utah throughout the park's hiking trails. But a word of warning, the three districts are large within themselves and do not have connecting roads. Hiking trails in all three districts within a short amount of time is impossible.

Island in the Sky

The Island in the Sky district is a mesa resting on sheer cliffs. It is the easiest and most accessible area of the park. Along the main scenic drive, shorter trails highlight natural and cultural aspects of the park. Longer hikes are found throughout the district and marked with cairns (small piles of rocks). For short hikes, trail guides may be available. Backpacking trails are available and most are ideal for single-night trips, but are very challenging. River water is silty and hard to purify. Trails. Area Map.

Needles

Named for the colorful spires at Cedar Mesa, the Needles district offers more than 60 miles of short, long and backpacking trails that are interconnected. Needles is also the most popular backpacking district in Canyonlands, with accessibility for two-wheel-drive vehicles. Many of the longer trails are primitive, traversing across slickrock benches and sandy washes. Drop-offs, narrow spots and ladders characterize the longer trails. For shorter trails, trail guides are available Trails. Area Map

The Maze

The Maze district's backcountry trails are primitive and somewhat inaccessible. The trails lead to various canyons and viewpoints. Routes are normally unmarked and generally require basic climbing maneuvers, due to steep slickrock and pour offs. It is recommended that hikers carry a 25-foot long rope to raise and lower backpacks in difficult spots. Also, canyons are very similar and hard to identify without a map. At times, routes are very narrow and may cause discomfort for those with claustrophobia. Most trails begin from four-wheel-drive roads. Parking for 2-wheel drive vehicles is available at the Hans Flat Ranger Station. Reservations are recommended for high season, but permits are required for all overnight trips. The Maze has various springs along its trails. Check with the ranger station for status of the springs. Backcountry regulations apply. Area Map

Island District

Trails	Miles/km	Avg. Time	Difficulty	Description
Aztec Butte Trail	2 mi/ 3 km	1.5 hours	Easy	Slickrock view/Ancestral granary
Grand View Point	2 mi/ 3 km	1 hour	Easy	Panoramic View
Mesa Arch	.5 mi/ 8 km	30 min	Easy	Arch, Sunrise hike
Murphy Loop	1.3 mi/ 1.9 km	1 hour	Easy	Panoramic View
White Rim Overlook	1.5 mi/ 3 km	1 hour	Easy	View of White Rim Formations
Gooseneck	1 mi/ 1.5 km	30 min	Easy	View of Taylor Canyon
Moses and Zues	1 mi/ 1.5 km	1 hour	Easy	View of Taylor Canyon
Upheaval Dome Overlook	1 mi/ 1.5km	30 min	Moderate	Crater, Upheaval Canyon
Upheaval Dome Second Overlook	2 mi/ 3 km	45 min	Moderate	Upheaval dome area
Whale Rock Trail	1 mi/ 1.5 km	1 hour	Moderate	Upheaval dome area
Neck Spring	5 mi/ 8 km	3-4 hours	Moderate	Springs
Fort Bottom Ruin	4 mi/4 km	2 hours	Moderate	Tower ruin of ancient times
Lathrop Canyon to Colorado River	17 mi/ 27 km	Overnight	Strenuous	River Access, Cottonwoods
Lathrop Canyon to White Rim Road	10 mi/ 16 km	5-7 hours	Strenuous	View of Colorado River and La Sal Mountains
Syncline Loop	8 mi/ 13 km	5-7 hours	Strenuous	Mesa
Syncline Loop Upheaval Canyon	3 mi/ 4 km	2 hours	Strenuous	Scenic
Syncline Loop Upheaval Crater	6 mi/ 10 km	2-3 hours	Strenuous	Scenic
Murphy Loop	9 mi/14 km	5-7 hours	Strenuous	View of White Rim formations
Taylor Canyon	20 mi/32 km	Overnight	Strenuous	Scenic
Gooseberry	6 mi/ 10 km	4-6 hours	Strenuous	View of cliffs and La Sal Mountains
Alcove Spring	10 mi/ 16 km	6-7 hours	Strenuous	View of Taylor Canyon

Needles District

Trails	Miles/km	Avg. Time	Difficulty	Description
Roadside Ruin	.3 mi/ .5km	20 min	Easy	Pleubloan granary
Cave Spring	.6 mi/ 1km	45 min	Easy	Historic cowboy camp, pictographs
Pothole Point	.6 mi/ 1km	45 min	Easy	Slickrock, panoramic view
Elephant Hill Chesler Viewpoint	6 mi/10km	3-4 hours	Moderate	Scenic overlook, sandstone spires
Elephant Hill Chesler Loop	11 mi/18 km	5+ hours	Strenuous	Needles formations
Confluence Overlook	11 mi/18 km	5-7 hours	Strenuous	Overlooking Colorado and Green Rivers
Druid Arch	11 mi/18 km	5+ hours	Strenuous	Arch
Big Spring-Squaw	7.5 mi/12 km	3-4 hours	Moderate	Routes between canyons
Big Spring-Elephant	10.8 mi/ 17km	4-6 hours	Strenuous	Slickrock, mesa, rock formations
Squaw-Lost	8.7 mi/ 14km	4-6 hours	Moderate	Scenic, plentiful wildlife
Peekaboo	10 mi/ 16.5km	5-6 hours	Strenuous	Scenic views, petroglyphs
Lower Lake Red Canyon	18.8 mi/ 30km	Overnight	Strenuous	Elephant Hill, Colorado River
Salt Creek Canyon	45 mi/ 68km	Overnight	Strenuous	Cathedral Butte, arches
Slickrock Trail	2.4 mi/ 4 km	2-3 hours	Easy	Slickrock, panoramic view

General Tips:

1. Always carry a topographical map
2. Small rock piles called cairns mark the trails.
3. Remote trails may not be well marked or maintained.
4. Pets are NOT allowed along any trails .
5. Bring plenty of water. Water is only available at the visitor's center.
6. Trail guides may be available. Check with the visitor's center.
7. Permits are required for back country or overnight hiking.

** Due to remoteness, many of The Mazes trails are considered backcountry and require permits.

Backcountry Regulations:

1. Permits required for overnight trips.
2. Wood fires are prohibited, but charcoal fires are allowed at designated sites. A fire pan must be used and all unburned charcoal and fire debris must be removed.
3. Camping must be within designated areas. Camping is prohibited one mile from road, or within 300 feet of a water source. River corridor camping does not apply.
4. Disturbing, entering or camping within 300 feet of an archaeological or historical site is prohibited
5. Hunting, feeding or disturbing wildlife is prohibited.
6. Disturbing or collecting natural features or artifacts are prohibited.
7. For human waste disposal, use vault toilets where provided. Portable toilets are required for all visitors using designated campsites in the Maze District and at the New Bates Wilson site in the Needles. Backpackers should dig a 4" to 6" deep "cat hole," at least 300 feet from water sources and campsites. Pack out toilet paper.
8. Pets, weapons and littering are prohibited. Pack out all garbage.
9. Possession or operation of a bicycle or motor vehicle off a designated road is prohibited. ATVs are not permitted.

Utah.com has some great hiking trip packages. Provided by some of Utah's best hiking guides. Don't wait, click here to find out more detail about our trip packages..

Additional Information...

For more information about the surrounding area: Canyonlands National Park, Moab 84532, 435-719-2313