Active Pursuits

Biking & Mountain Biking

Bikes of any kind are prohibited on hiking trails or in the backcountry, except on designated two- and four-wheel-drive roads. Road bikes are of little use, except for getting to and from trail heads, viewpoints, visitor centers, and campgrounds in the Island in the Sky and Needles districts.

Mountain bikers will find themselves sharing four-wheel-drive roads with motor vehicles of every size, plus occasional hikers and horseback riders. Because some of the four-wheel-drive roads have deep sand in spots -- which can turn into quicksand when wet -- mountain biking may not be as much fun here as you'd expect, although it certainly is a challenge. It's wise to ask rangers about current conditions on specific roads before setting out. Roads that are popular with mountain bikers include the Elephant Hill and Colorado River Overlook jeep roads, both in the Needles District. The 100-mile White Rim Road, in the Island in the Sky District, also makes a great mountain-bike trip, especially for bikers who can arrange for an accompanying 4X4 vehicle to carry water, food, and camping gear.

Four-Wheeling

Unlike most national parks, where all motor vehicles and mountain bikes must stay on paved roads, Canyonlands has miles of rough four-wheel-drive roads where mechanized transport is king, and jacked-up jeeps with oversize tires rule the day. Four-wheelers must stay on designated 4X4 roads, but keep in mind that the term "road" can mean anything from a graded, well-marked, two-lane gravel byway to a pile of loose rocks with a sign that says "that-a-way." Many of the park's jeep roads are impassable during heavy rains and for a day or two after. Rangers warn that many of the park's 4X4 roads are suitable only for high-clearance four-wheel-drive vehicles. ATVs and nonstreet-legal dirt bikes are not permitted.

The best four-wheel-drive adventure in the Island in the Sky District is the White Rim Road, which winds some 100 miles through the district and affords spectacular views, from broad panoramas of rock and canyon to close-ups of red and orange towers and buttes. A high-clearance 4X4 is necessary. Expect the journey to be slow, taking 2 to 3 days, although with the appropriate vehicle, it isn't really difficult. There are primitive campgrounds along the way, but reservations and backcountry permits are needed. Mountain bikers also enjoy this trail, especially when accompanying a four-wheel-drive vehicle that can carry supplies and equipment.

Four-wheeling in the Needles District can be an end in itself, with a variety of exciting routes, or simply a means to get to some of the more interesting and remote hiking trails and camping spots. Four-wheel-drive fans will find an ultimate challenge on the Elephant Hill road, which begins at a well-marked turnoff near Squaw Flat Campground. Although most of the 10-mile trail is only moderately difficult, the stretch over Elephant Hill itself (near the beginning of the drive) can be a nightmare, with steep, rough slickrock, drifting sand, loose rock, and treacherous ledges. Coming down the hill, one switchback requires you to back to the edge of a steep cliff. This road is also a favorite of mountain bikers, although bikes will have to be walked on some stretches because of the abundance of sand and rocks. The route offers views of numerous rock formations, from striped needles to balanced rocks, plus panoramas of steep cliffs and rock "stairs"; side trips can add another 30 miles. Allow from 8 hours to 3 days. Backcountry permits are needed for overnight trips.

For a spectacular view of the Colorado River, the Colorado Overlook road can't be beat. This 14-mile round-trip is popular with four-wheelers, backpackers, and mountain bikers. Considered among the park's easiest 4X4 roads, the first part is very easy indeed, accessible by high-clearance two-wheel-drives, but the second half has rough and rocky sections that require four-wheel-drive. Starting at the Needles Visitor Center parking lot, the road takes you past numerous panoramic vistas to a spectacular 360-degree view of the park and the Colorado River, some 1,000 feet below.

Hiking

With little shade, no reliable water sources, and temperatures soaring to 100°F (38°C) in summer, it can get hot in Canyonlands. Rangers strongly advise that hikers carry at least a gallon of water per person per day, along with sunscreen, a hat, and all the usual hiking and emergency equipment. If you expect to do some serious hiking, try to plan your trip for the spring or fall, when conditions are much more hospitable. Because some of the trails may be confusing, hikers attempting the longer ones should carry good topographic maps, available at park visitor centers and at stores in Moab. Although the park offers dozens of hiking possibilities, the few below are highlighted for their variety of ability requirements, and are listed by district.

Horseshoe Canyon -- This detached section of the park was added to Canyonlands in 1971 mainly because of its Great Gallery, an 80-foot-long rock art panel with larger-than-life human figures, believed to be at least several thousand years old. Only one road leads into the Horseshoe Canyon Unit, and you'll have to drive some 120 miles (one-way) from Moab and then hike 6.5 miles (round-trip) to see the rock art. To get to the area by two-wheel-drive vehicle, take I-70 west from Green River about 11 miles to U.S. 24, go south about 24 miles to the Horseshoe Canyon turnoff (near the WATCH FOR SAND DRIFTS sign), turn left, and follow this maintained dirt road for about 30 miles to the canyon's west rim, where you can park. From here, it's a 1.5-mile hike down an 800-foot slope to the canyon floor, where you turn right and go 1.75 miles to the Great Gallery. There's no camping in Horseshoe Canyon, but primitive camping is available on BLM property on the rim just outside the park boundary.

Island in the Sky -- The Mesa Arch Trail provides the casual visitor with an easy .5-mile (round-trip) self-guided nature walk through an area forested with piñon and juniper trees, mountain mahogany, cactus, and a plant called Mormon tea, from which Mormon pioneers made a tealike beverage. The loop trail's main scenic attraction is an arch, made of Navajo sandstone, that hangs precariously on the edge of a cliff, framing a spectacular view of nearby mountains. Allow about a half-hour.

Another half-hour hike, although a bit steeper and moderately strenuous, leads to the Upheaval Dome Overlook. Upheaval Dome doesn't fit with the rest of the Canyonlands terrain -- it's obviously not the result of gradual erosion like the rest of the park, but rather a dramatic deformity in which rocks have been pushed into a domelike structure. At one time, it was believed that the dome was formed by a hidden volcano, but a more recent theory suggests that a meteorite may have struck the earth here some 60 million years ago. This hike is about 1 mile round-trip; a second overlook adds about .5 mile and 15 minutes.

An easy 2-mile hike, especially scenic at sunset, is the Grand View Point Trail, which follows the canyon rim from Grand View Point and shows off numerous canyons and rock formations, the Colorado River, and distant mountains. Allow about 1 1/2 hours.

Those looking for a real challenge can explore the Lathrop Canyon Trail, which meanders some 5 miles down into the canyon to the White Rim Road, affording beautiful views as you descend. Allow 5 to 7 hours for this strenuous hike over steep terrain and loose rock, remembering that it's another 5 miles back. It's possible to continue down to the Colorado River from here (another 4 miles each way), but check with rangers about the feasibility of this overnight trip before attempting it.

The Maze -- Getting to the trail heads in the Maze District involves rugged four-wheel-drive roads; rangers can help you with directions.

The 3-mile Maze Overlook Trail is not for beginning hikers or anyone with a fear of heights. It is quite steep in places, requiring the use of your hands for safety. At the trail head, you get a fine view of the many narrow canyons that inspired this district's name; the trail then descends 600 feet to the canyon bottom. The 12-mile Harvest Scene Loop is a 7- to 10-hour hike (or an overnight) that leads over slickrock and along canyon washes -- watch for the cairns to be sure you don't wander off the trail -- to a magnificent example of rock art.

Needles -- Trails here are generally not too tough, but keep in mind that slickrock can live up to its name, and that this area has little shade. One relatively easy hike is the Roadside Ruin Trail, a short (.3-mile), self-guided nature walk that takes about a half-hour round-trip and leads to a prehistoric granary, probably used by the Ancestral Puebloans some 700 to 1,000 years ago to store corn, nuts, and other foods. Although easy, this trail can be muddy when wet.

For a bit more of a challenge, try the Slickrock Trail, a 2.4-mile loop that leads to several viewpoints and takes 2 or 3 hours. Slickrock -- a general term for any bare rock surface -- can be slippery, especially when wet. Viewpoints show off the stair-step topography of the area, from its colorful canyons and cliffs to its flat mesas and striped needles.

From Elephant Hill Trailhead, you can follow several interconnecting trails into the backcountry. The road to the trail head is gravel, but is graded and drivable in most two-wheel-drive passenger cars; those in large vehicles such as motor homes, however, will want to avoid it. The 11-mile round-trip Elephant Canyon-Druid Arch hike can be accomplished in 4 to 6 hours and is moderately difficult, with some steep drop-offs and quite a bit of slickrock. But the views are well worth it, as you hike through narrow rock canyons, past colorful spires and pinnacles, and on to the huge Druid Arch, its dark rock somewhat resembling the stone structures at Stonehenge.

The Confluence Overlook Trail, an 11-mile round-trip day or overnight hike, leads to a spectacular bird's-eye view of the confluence of the Green and Colorado rivers and the 1,000-foot-deep gorges they've carved. The hike is moderately difficult, with steep drop-offs and little shade, but it splendidly reveals the many colors of the Needles District, as well as views into the Maze District of the park. Allow 4 to 6 hours.

For those staying at Squaw Flat Campground, the Big Spring to Squaw Canyon Trail is a convenient, moderately difficult 7.5-mile loop over steep slickrock. This trail can be hiked in 3 to 4 hours. The trail winds through woodlands of piñon and juniper, and offers views of nearby cliffs and mesas as well as distant mountains. Watch for wildflowers from late spring through summer.