Island in the Sky is a thousand foot high mesa in the isthmus between the Green and Colorado Rivers that forms one of Canyonlands National Park’s four distinct districts. There is excellent hiking on each side of the mesa, including this trail on the west side that circumnavigates Upheaval Dome. Once thought to be a collapsed salt dome, new geologic evidence appears to indicate an impact crater — either from a comet or meteor. This quite strenuous trek will test your mettle as you scramble up ledges, clamber over boulders and negotiate steep slickrock. As it loops around the dome crater, you will descend steeply down rugged Upheaval Canyon, then come back through The Breach on the other side via a beautiful and challenging route up the Syncline Valley. My brother Dave and I tackled this tester on Tuesday, April 28, 2015 from 7:00AM to 4:00PM. Our plan was to take the Syncline Loop in a clockwise direction, descending Upheaval Canyon and ascending Syncline Valley. We would also explore the crater spur trail at the midway point.

Island in the Sky is a massive mesa with overlooks that peer into the Green and Colorado River canyons from 2,000 feet above, and trails that drop off the mesa. This made the third year in a row we have visited, thoroughly enjoying it each and every time. I’d seen the Upheaval Dome Overlook many years before, but this would be my first time into the canyon.

When you hit the trailhead for Syncline Loop you can’t help but notice all the warning signs. Warnings that this is a primitive trail and that more hikers get lost here than anywhere else in Canyonlands. Warnings that this hike is hard, that it is strenuous, that you better be in good shape. Warnings to take plenty of water — however much you think you may need, take more. Warnings that it isn’t a good idea to do this hike in summer. It is, after all, the desert.

So, you are forewarned. If none of that scares you off, then you are ready for some of the most unusual, remote, silent, adventuring in all of the American Southwest. Upheaval Dome is a wilderness of rock.

The trail begins with a brief climb to the rim of the dome, and after a few minutes, your first view of canyon country. On a clear day in Canyonlands, you can see for 50 miles, or more. The area is surrounded by mesas and buttes, by snow capped mountains, and deep, dark canyons. The canyon you are about to enter is Upheaval Canyon, and if you have a backcountry permit, you can follow it all the way to the Green River. For Syncline Loop, though, no permit required. You can complete the loop in a day hike.

As seen in this satellite view, the rim of Upheaval Dome is 3 miles across and over 1,000 feet above the core floor. The central peak in the core is 3,000 feet in diameter and rises 750 feet from the floor. Since the late 1990s, the origin of the Upheaval Dome structure has been considered to be either a pinched-off salt dome or a complex meteorite impact crater. In 2007, German scientists reported finding quartz crystals that were “shocked” by the high pressure of a meteorite impact. Many geologists now consider the mystery of Upheaval Dome’s origin to be solved.

As we dove headlong into the canyon, we passed primrose and desert clover greeting the light of a new day. Starting just past dawn, the canyon was a sea of contrast. The west face along the Steer Mesa wall was awash in bright sunshine, while the rocky descent on our side of the canyon was still shadow cast. Oh that rocky descent. The trail here loses more than a thousand feet of elevation in slightly less than a mile. The trail gradiant is 22%. Remember that when you’re huffin’ and puffin’ on the longer, but more gradual ascent on the other side of the loop.

After about a mile and a half of knee-wrecking, switchbacking descent, you’ll come to a small plateau in the syncline that I came to know as “the gap.” The photo at the top of this post was taken there. Click it for a larger image, and look for Dave standing on the edge of the next descent. We paused here for a snack and to rest our weary legs. Another hiking duo passed us here, the first we had seen so far.

Make use of your rest, because the other side of the gap is more of the same, this time dropping through a rocky talus field. After another 20 minutes you will finally reach the level of the wash. While it is still down for awhile longer, at least it’s manageable. Unfortunately, now you get the other nemesis of desert hiking… soft sand. And, as with any hiking in desert washes, always be aware of the weather surrounding you. If you get caught in a flash flood, scurry to higher ground as fast as you can.

Despite the softness of the sand in the wash, it was quite the relief on the lungs and legs. There was even the occasional small trickle of water, albeit covered in a thick layer of bright green algae. There is more vegetation here — cottonwoods, and tall wispy desert grass. Watch the geology change as you follow the wash from red sandstone to grey. During the meteor impact, the shale and rim sandstone were injected and pushed upward in a chaotic jumble.

At the 3.1 mile mark, the wash comes to a junction of canyons, and of trails. On your left is Steer Mesa and on your right Bighorn Mesa. They disappear to the west, engulfing Upheaval Canyon. You can take the trail in that direction another seven round trip miles to the White Rim Road and the Green River Overlook. If you do so, this is where you might be thinking about that backcountry permit because you’re going to be adding several hours to your day.

For this hike, though, take the right fork to stay on the Upheaval Canyon Trail and continue another 0.3 mile to the junction with the other half of the Syncline Loop. There is a bit of a climb here, up a series of well-built steps that someone spent a lot of time working on. Beware of a false trail at the top of the stairs that goes to your left. We got off track for a few hundred feet. At the top of the stairs you want to continue going up and over, and into another wide, sandy wash that worms its way between two tall columns standing guard over the entrance to Upheaval Crater. The backcountry campsite is here as well.

They picked a remarkable spot for the lone backcountry campsite. Near the mouth of Upheaval Dome, it offers a magnificent view of the the sandstone walls that surround the crater. The spur trail inside the crater is a mere hundred yards from the campsite, enabling an evening exploration after you have your tent setup. My brother has camped here, and he tells me the stars are uncanny, and the silence makes you feel like you are totally alone in the world.

We stopped at this picturesque location for lunch. Other hikers began to arrive from Syncline Valley, having chosen to take the loop in the opposite direction. There were flowering barrel and claret cup cactus scattered all about, their shades of red and pink treating us to a desert bouquet. The stream bed near the campsite actually had some water, something Dave said he had not seen in his two previous trips to this spot.

We took inventory of our energy level, trying to determine how far within the crater to proceed. We still had the entire outward climb ahead of us, so saving miles became an important priority. We decided to take the crater spur trail about ½ mile in, perhaps half of its total length. Inside the crater, you will see an abundance of white powder along the edge of the wash. That’s why scientists originally thought this was a collapsed salt dome.

When we returned to the main loop trail, it was time for this hike to resume in earnest. It starts out innocently enough, following the creek through sage and the occasional cottonwood. The canyon narrows, and then stares you right in the face. There is an imposing wall of uneven strata that climbs mercilessly to a notch in the canyon some 500 feet above. Talus, boulders, cracks, ledges. You will be presented with every bouldering obstacle you can think of for the next quarter mile.

You will crawl under boulders with barely enough room for you and your pack. You will shimmy between rocks while looking for the next foot hold. We welcomed other folks who were coming down as we were going up. It gave us a chance to pause for a breather, and survey the stunning valley below. This one quarter mile stretch has a 35% grade. If your muscles aren’t warm and limber, and aching and screaming when you reach the notch, then you must be 40 years younger than me.

It’s kinda worth all the exertion when you reach the top of the notch. The view behind you, down canyon of the valley below, is exhilarating. But that climb to this point takes a toll, at least it did for me. It really sapped my strength, and I struggled for the remainder of the ascent back up through Syncline Valley.

Just to dampen your spirit even more, after reaching the canyon notch, the trail descends about 50 feet meaning you will have to regain that lost altitude at some point later. The good news, though, the worst is over. There’s plenty more climbing ahead, but not quite so strenuous. For the next mile or so, the trail mellows considerably, meandering through meadows of tall grass and creosote. Wow, the creosote. We were fortunate to hit it in full, glorious golden bloom. Keep that in mind when you plan the timing of your visit here.

Dave calls this stretch of Syncline Valley “The Oasis.” The description is apt. It is amazingly green for a desert canyon. Occasional pools of water are what attract the riparian vegetation. Filled with sage and cottonwood, tall desert grass and the ubiquitous creosote, the pathway through the valley is quite a relief following the previous strenuous climb.

Don’t get too comfortable, however, because the next obstacle in your path is The Breach. This narrow canyon is a break through the walls of Upheaval Dome, and it is up, up, up again. More bouldering, seemingly relentless… but at least not as steep as before. When you finally clear all the boulders, then you’re faced with slickrock. After the notch climb sapped most of my energy, this hike through The Breach was frankly exhausting. 20 steps up, then 10 deep breaths. 15 more steps up, then drink 4 ounces of water.

Finally, when you can see the rim of Upheaval Dome, the worst of the climbing is over. It’s still two miles of tedious dusty trodding through fields of cryptobiotic soil, surrounded by the white sandstone of the Kayenta layer. Dave says you can go over the dome rim here and drop down into Taylor Canyon, another of the many engaging features in the area. I suggested perhaps we could tackle that counterclockwise sometime in the future. So much to do in Canyonlands, so little time before we get too old.

I got a lift when I saw the parking lot at the trailhead. I was definitely ready for this hike to be over. Originally, I had planned to hike the quarter mile and 200 feet up to the Upheaval Dome Overlook, so I could see what we had just circled. Phut! Forget that. Dave and I had been there some 15 years earlier on a previous visit. No need now. I hit the cooler in the car for ice and cold, cold water.

OK, let’s summarize. This hike is hard. In fact, it was almost too hard for me. I’ve been battling a thyroid issue, so my stamina hasn’t been quite the same as the last few years. Please make sure you are in very good shape before trying Syncline Loop. Take lots and lots of water with you. I know it’s heavy, but you will need it. I took four quarts and drank 3.5 of it. We saw water in the washes on this day in late April, but you can’t count on it. You need to pack in your water.

If you are an inexperienced hiker, pass on this one, unless you have someone with you who knows this trail. You will need route finding skills; including the ability to locate cairns, use a compass when the cairns are missing, and stay calm in stressful situations. If you have extreme fear of heights, you may want to skip this hike too. The scrambling up from the valley floor to the notch can be pretty intense for those with acrophobia.

Leave the kids at home. I would not recommend taking any children less that about 14 years of age on this hike. It’s simply too gnarly.

That all sounds pretty negative doesn’t it? Maybe so, but it’s just a final warning. Yes, you will get very tired on this hike, but the reward is grand. The desert scenery is spectacular. You will be able to brag to your associates back home that you handled the hardest hike in Canyonlands National Park. When I was finished, despite the exhaustion, I wanted more. I simply love Canyonlands.

This post was created by Jeff Clark. Please feel free to use the sharing icons below, or add your thoughts to the comments. Pack it in, pack it out. Preserve the past. Respect other hikers. Let nature prevail. Leave no trace.

Located on the east side of the Island in the Sky District, Lathrop Canyon drops off the mesa to the White Rim, then dives all the way to the Colorado River. The Lathrop Trail enables a short, medium or long hike, depending on the level of the canyon you wish to tackle. The first couple miles are a sandy straight and level shot through prairie-like grassland. As you approach the mesa rim, the ground hardens into sandstone, then opens to the vast expanse of Canyonlands far below. With views of the LaSal Mountains to the east and the Abajos southward, your eyes are never lacking for scenic stimulation. Then you must choose your heart’s, or your mind’s wish whether you plunge into the canyon. My brother Dave and I hiked Lathrop Trail on Monday, October 20, 2014 beginning at 7:30AM and ending about 10:50AM. Since we had to travel later, our plan was to hike the trail only to the canyon rim, then return.

Dave (the other Internet Brother) begins his day well before dawn at the seasonal resort community where he lives. He’s the guy that gets the roosters stirring. So it was no problem for him to get moving very early each morning of our Utah adventure.

Since I’m retired, I don’t have the same need or desire to welcome the sunrise, but when I’m traveling I find it quite easy to get motivated early. And so it was that we enjoyed the sunrise every day for a week, including this, our last day in Utah canyon country. After the 40 minute drive from Moab, we arrived at the Island in the Sky District of Canyonlands National Park pre-dawn. A few short minutes later we were at the Lathrop trailhead just as old Sol was beginning to make his presence known.

This lone butte was hiding the sun as we arrived at the Lathrop trailhead. For the next 20 minutes we walked the sandy trail around the butte in awe of the combination of colors and clouds that painted the Canyonlands sky.

This hike is a three-pronged affair with the first two miles being across a flat, straight, prairie-like trail that crosses the Island in the Sky mesa. The trail here is quite sandy — often like hiking on a beach — is lined by desert wildflowers and crosses occasional dunes.

This was perhaps the most beautiful morning we had experienced during our week in the southwestern desert. The stratus clouds filled the western and northern sky, and in combination with the rising sun created a spectrum of color and light. Every direction we turned widened our eyes with delight even more.

The knee-high grasses that lined the trail ran for miles in every direction. It made me wonder if the ancestral Puebloans who first occupied this land may have farmed the mesa. With so much sand and wind, though, it might have been difficult. As you can see from the map below, this stroll through the prairie phase of the hike was nearly as straight as an arrow.

Phase 2, as you get about a half mile from the canyon rim, is where the sand trail changes to sandstone slickrock and the sandy dunes change to sandy domes. The trail also begins to descend gradually on this slickrock, winding around ledges, past juniper, cactus and yucca. The picturesque peaks of the LaSal Mountains to the east come into clear view, and the large expanse of Prospect Canyon, also on your left, is occasionally visible.

Two miles in, the Lathrop Trail changes from sand to sandstone, and from dunes to domes. The firm slickrock was a relief for our feet, tired of trudging through miles of deep sand. Imagine walking on a soft, dry beach with hiking boots.

After nearly a half mile on the sandstone you drop off a ledge and the turf beneath your feet changes to a crumbly brown stone. You are nearing the canyon rim, and the third section of the hike. It is now a hundred feet below the level of the mesa, and there is limited ground cover. It simply looks like canyon country.

The combination of extremely bright sunlight and low stratocumulus clouds created that fascination of nature known as crepuscular sunrays. The rays enlightened the White Rim below us and bounced off the canyon walls. In one of the photos in the gallery below, it appeared as if the ray beams were locking in on Dave. He didn’t say if the hair stood up on his head.

15 minutes after reaching the crumbly brown rock we rounded a corner, and WOW! There was Lathrop Canyon in all its magnificence. The White Rim Road is a thousand feet below, with the Colorado River another thousand below that. Far in the distance to the southwest are the Abajo Mountains, smaller than the LaSals, but no less dynamic. In between it all is the Needles District, home of Elephant Canyon and our hike from the day before. It is views like this one that make me lust for a telephoto lens for the camera. Some day.

We reached a point that is surrounded by canyon in every direction. To the east is Prospect Canyon and the sheer escarpment of the mesa. Looking south, the Colorado River twists and turns as it has for eons while carving through the soft sandstone. And on the west is Lathrop Canyon and its many monuments that erupt from the earth.

From the point you can see the Lathrop Trail continuing its descent down, down, down to the level of the White Rim. We were tempted. After eight consecutive days of hiking though, I was pretty tired and didn’t relish the thought of climbing back up the thousand feet from the White Rim to the mesa top. I didn’t get any argument from Dave, so we decided this would be the end for today.

While surveying the scene from the point, I came to the conclusion that Canyonlands may be my favorite of the Utah parks. Sure, you can’t beat Zion for its natural beauty or Capitol Reef for the unusual geology. Bryce Canyon is stunning in winter and Arches is Nature’s playground. But I appreciate Canyonlands for the total vastness. There is so much to do. It hearkens back to the words of Ed Abbey, who wrote, “Like rock and sunlight and wind and wilderness, out there is a different world, older and greater and deeper by far than ours, a world which surrounds and sustains the little world of men.”

This is true wilderness.

Since we eventually had to drive back to Colorado to end our remarkable week of adventure, we only stayed on the rim about 20 minutes. We had the place all to ourselves. The only sounds were the wind, and the occasional cronk of a raven far away on the thermals somewhere. The sun was overhead now, warming the air and us. Every time I come to the end of time with Dave, and with the wilderness, I get pensive. I’m already contemplating the next time. Ideas and plans rush through my brain like the inevitable force of the river.

Dave and I try to come to the desert every 3-4 years. While we love and cherish the mountains, the Desert Southwest also holds a tremendous fascination for us. It’s hard to imagine several years passing without feeling the slickrock underfoot, or being surrounded by the ubiquitous red sandstone. The canyons seem to call, like the sirens of mythology. If you’ve never been, you must go. If you’ve been before, you understand.

We took our time on the way back, savoring every moment. The cactus and yucca were enjoying the bright sunshine. This would be a colorful trail in spring when the prickly pear are in bloom. The clouds were beginning to part, opening the deep azure sky that is so common in the Western United States. I had fun with some pictures from ground level. Why does it always have to end?

When we reached the car we resolved to come back soon and take Lathrop Trail at least to the White Rim, if not farther. We said the same thing last year about Murphy Hogback on the other side of the mesa. That’s the thing about canyon country. You can’t not come back. Enjoy the photos.

This post was created by Jeff Clark. Please feel free to use the sharing icons below, or add your thoughts to the comments. Pack it in, pack it out. Preserve the past. Respect other hikers. Let nature prevail. Leave no trace.

The Needles District forms the southeast corner of Canyonlands National Park and was named for the colorful spires of Cedar Mesa Sandstone that dominate the area. The district’s extensive trail system provides many opportunities for overnight trips or long day hikes including this one around, over and through Elephant Canyon. This 10-mile loop will take you up Elephant Hill, past the Grabens and into Devils Kitchen. From there you’ll cross a slickrock plateau with magnificent views of the Island in the Sky, the LaSal Mountains, and the chromatic Needles that surround the canyon. This is Utah hiking at its finest. My brother and I hiked Elephant Canyon on Sunday, October 19, 2014 beginning at 8:00AM and ending about 2:45PM. Our plan was to hike the Elephant Hill 4wd road to Devils Kitchen, then follow the trails around Elephant Canyon for a return to Elephant Hill.

Even the drive to the Needles District in Canyonlands National Park is quite scenic. BLM land that is part of what is known as Greater Canyonlands, the area includes Indian Creek Recreation Area, Newspaper Rock National Historic Site, and mile after mile of red rock mesas and buttes. Unfortunately it is also including more and more noisy gas well pads. My brother (the other Internet Brother) and I were excited to be heading back to the Needles.

Utah Highway 211 passes through Indian Creek Canyon, lined with cottonwood trees that were bright yellow on this Autumn October day. It goes by the pictograph site known as Newspaper Rock for the heavy concentration of ancient rock carvings. The small, but picturesque Dugout Reservoir is on the right and the Beef Basin valley fills the floor between the mesas. We happened to be passing through at sunrise, so the sandstone walls and buttes were illuminated nicely by the morning light.

After a short stop at the Needles Visitor Center and the 3-mile drive on the twisty Elephant Hill dirt road, we arrived at the trailhead just before 8:00. There are two sides of a loop here. The left (east) side is marked as Elephant Hill Trail. That’s the way to get to Chesler Park. This would be the return pathway for our hike. The right (northwest) trailhead is actually a continuation of Elephant Hill Road, a very challenging 4wd access to the depths of the Needles.

The first 3.5 miles of this particular loop hike around Elephant Canyon follow this 4wd road. It climbs steeply a couple hundred feet right at the beginning to the top of Elephant Hill, but that’s really most of the effort for the entire length. When you reach the top, be sure to turn around for your first view of the striking LaSal Mountains. In fact, keep in mind to look behind you throughout the day. Some of the best views are at your back.

The morning sun was painting the fins and spires of sandstone as we walked along the plateau. After awhile, the level of the road drops back down off Elephant Hill. You will proceed in a westerly direction, eventually pass another dirt road that goes to a backcountry campsite, then make a sweeping turn toward the south.

The 4wd road alternates between dirt, slickrock and hard to walk on heavy sand. It passes by a long wall of red sandstone on the west known as the Grabens. A graben is a collapsed or down-dropped block of rock that is bordered on its long sides by faults. There are backcountry roadways on each side of these graben walls, including the one you are on. There are odd pod shapes, almost like mushroom tops, included among the grabens. The first three miles certainly isn’t boring, but walking on the road can get a bit tedious, especially in the thick sand.

About a half mile before the end of the 4wd road you will get your first glimpse of the Cedar Mesa Sandstone spires that surround the area known as Devils Kitchen. There is a junction of various 4wd roads, and at the end, past a couple of backcountry campsites, a trail junction. While we were walking through the Devils Kitchen there was total silence, not even a wisp of breeze. Two ravens came flying by, a couple minutes apart, only 20 feet from us. We could hear every “whoosh” of sound made by their wings of flight, an incredibly awesome sensation.

The Devils Kitchen is a popular area with campers as there are a number of day-hike trails that wind in, among and through the sandstone needles. At the dead end of the 4wd road there is a junction of trails. Straight ahead is a connection to the Joint Trail, and on the left (east) is the Elephant Canyon Trail. It starts in a wash, then walks among juniper and desert scrub to the right of the wash, eventually climbing back up to plateau level for a fantastic view behind you of Devils Kitchen.

Not far past the junction, we encountered a very cool model-sized ruins city constructed no doubt by some of the campers. It included various pueblos and kivas constructed with sticks and stones. Amazing some of the things we can do with time, and wilderness.

We paused here for our first snack break and to study the cryptobiotic soil that has been growing here for centuries. Found in many areas of Utah desert, this organic crust is a living groundcover that forms the foundation of high desert plant life in Canyonlands and the surrounding area. This knobby, black crust is dominated by cyanobacteria, but also includes lichens, mosses, green algae, microfungi and bacteria. Please stay off the cryptobiotic soil as it takes a hundred years or more to recover.

We passed through a small slot between two sandstone spires and came out on the Elephant Canyon side of the plateau. The scenery is simply breathtaking. To the northwest is the Island in the Sky District of Canyonlands, including Grand View and Murphy Points, the imposing Candlestick Tower, and the huge canyons created by the Green and Colorado Rivers.

To the northeast are the sensational LaSal Mountains, making their own weather on this day as usual. Surrounding the canyon bowl are the striped Cedar Mesa Sandstone spires of the Needles. You wind along this bowl beneath the needles for several miles with ample opportunity for photos and contemplation. There were ravens overhead, darting between the needles and floating on the updraft from the canyon.

You will pass through another couple slots as you make your way around the Elephant Canyon rim. There are beautiful desert yucca and centuries old juniper scattered throughout. Keep your eye peeled for the occasional trail junction signs as they are found every mile or so around the canyon. You want to stay on the EC1 trail. We passed many folks heading for Chesler Park.

Eventually you will get closer to the canyon and begin a descent to pass through. Elephant Canyon was formed during the Permian Age at the base of the Cutler Group geologic formation. It is a conglomerate of limestone, sandstone, siltstone and shale that takes on a grey hue similar to the skin of an elephant. If you spend your day studying all the rock formations looking for an elephant shape, you will be disappointed. The canyon gets its name from the Halgaito shale coloring.

The canyon itself isn’t particularly large. You will be down into it, then back up the other side within 20 minutes. It had warmed considerably since we started hours before, so the shade within the canyon was a welcome relief. We took the opportunity for another snack, and to rest for the climb back up. It wasn’t long, though, before we were back out on the exposed plateau.

The trail traffic was quite heavy now. Most likely short hikers coming from the nearby Squaw Flat Campground, there were close to three dozen total. This last mile back to Elephant Hill has expansive views off to the east, including the mesas and buttes far away that we had seen at sunrise on our way through Greater Canyonlands. The last couple hundred yards of the loop is that final descent on the Elephant Hill footpath to the trailhead.

On our way back we stopped to enjoy Wooden Shoe Arch as the afternoon sun was casting shadows. We paused at the Visitor Center again and talked with the ranger geology expert who explained not only what we had seen in Elephant Canyon, but also the many other layers and rock sequences that we had encountered during our week touring Southern Utah. You should make it a point to talk with the rangers at our national parks. They are a wealth of knowledge and information, and always very, very friendly.

In summary, you can’t go wrong in the Needles District of Canyonlands. All of the trails I have been on have been extremely interesting, totally entertaining, with some of the most picturesque scenery in all of the Desert Southwest. The loop around Elephant Canyon is a relatively easy day hike that will keep you occupied for anywhere from six to eight hours depending on how much time you dawdle around the unusual features.

As with any hike in the desert, be sure to take plenty of water and sunscreen, wear a hat, and watch for sudden changes in the weather. Needles is probably best done in Spring or Fall for the cooler temperatures, and less likelihood of summer thunderstorms. Snow in the desert in Winter can be quite lovely, but be prepared for extreme cold, and watch carefully for ice on the slickrock.

This post was created by Jeff Clark. Please feel free to use the sharing icons below, or add your thoughts to the comments. Pack it in, pack it out. Preserve the past. Respect other hikers. Let nature prevail. Leave no trace.

Canyonlands preserves a wilderness of rock at the heart of the Colorado Plateau in Southeastern Utah. Water and gravity, this land’s prime architects, cut flat layers of sedimentary rock into hundreds of canyons, mesas, buttes, fins, arches, and spires. At center stage are two canyons carved by the Green and Colorado rivers. Island in the Sky stands more than two thousand feet above both rivers, north of their confluence, with breathtaking views that stretch to the horizon 100 miles away. There are many trails on Island in the Sky. This report will focus on the Murphy Point Trail, but will also tell you a little about several others. These trails lead to striking vistas, to arches, and to other remarkable geologic features. These hikes occurred on Friday, September 27, 2013 from 7:00am to about 2:30pm. Our plan was to spend the day exploring the Island in the Sky District of Canyonlands National Park.

Canyonlands is unique among national parks in that it is divided into four districts, separate areas of the park that make for distinct adventures themselves. The Maze is in the southwest portion of the park and is the most remote and rugged wilderness. The Needles district is quite unusual with its red rock spires and mesas. Meanderthals has been there; to Chesler Park. Horseshoe Canyon is a small area not adjacent to the rest of the park, and was made famous by Aron Ralston’s canyoneering accident in 2003, during which he amputated his own right forearm. Island in the Sky is the most easily accessible (and therefore touristy). This trail report will focus on Island in the Sky.

Once again I was accompanied by my brother, the other Internet Brother. We timed our arrival for dawn so we could catch that iconic photograph of Mesa Arch that has been seen forty bajillion times on the Internet and on coffee tables across America. We weren’t the only ones with the same idea as there were already about a half dozen photographers with tripods setup, waiting for the right moment. Just one problem though. That moment never came on this particular morning. Extreme overcast above the LaSal Mountains made the sun completely invisible. The locals who come out here nearly every morning for that perfect photo were gone within five minutes with comments like, “should have stayed in bed today.”

For me, it was only a minor disappointment. Mesa Arch and the surrounding towers, canyons and mountains still created a remarkable scene. I may not have captured the perfect sunrise through the arch, but I did capture a vivid memory that will last for years. It was even worth the morning cold and howling wind.

The trail to Mesa Arch is short, no more than a quarter mile to the arch, half mile round trip. It can be done as a loop, or out and back on either of two trails. It crosses sandy slick rock and desert scrub, like juniper and sage. Mesa Arch itself is perched right at cliff’s edge, with the LaSal Mountains clearly visible in the distance, and Washer Woman Arch and Airport Tower jutting up from the canyon below.

On our return from the arch, the morning sun was lighting the clouds above Aztec Butte, creating another beautiful desert scene. There was a hungry raven waiting in the parking pullout, one obviously very familiar with the human species, and our senseless tendency to provide handouts. Instead, I took his picture as he looked back at me with disdain.

Our next destination was the trailhead for Murphy Point, but along the way we made several stops for photographic moments as the sun was finally breaking up the cloud layer and providing a stunning light show in Taylor Canyon and the Soda Springs Basin. Murphy Point was our feature hike on this adventure, the one in the trail map above. The trailhead is on the right, 8.6 miles past the Island in the Sky Visitor Center. There was only one other car in the parking area when we arrived at about 8:00 AM.

There’s nothing remarkable about the Murphy Point Trail itself. It is truly flat, having only about a 50 feet elevation variance from start to finish. It is very straight, so you could almost hike it blindfolded. The first two-thirds is a march through desert sand, lined with long dead juniper branches that help mark the trail during dust and snow storms. As you approach the end of the mesa, the features of the massive canyonlands begin to come into view.

On your right, to the northwest, is the Green River and its deep trench carved over millions of years. Another of those iconic landmarks in Canyonlands is also there, Candlestick Tower. To your left, southeast, is Grand View Point and Junction Butte, one of our destinations for later in the day. The trail turns into redrock sandstone, and it becomes important to watch for the trail-marking cairns. You don’t want to wander off the 1,000+ foot cliffs.

1.8 miles from the trailhead you reach the three-sided precipice of Murphy Point. Directly below is a mesa known as Murphy Hogback that stretches a few miles to the White Rim Road. My brother wanted to take the hike at the hogback level, but I was concerned about fatigue from the climb back up out of the canyon after a 10-mile dry, desert hike. Instead we opted for Murphy Point, a nice compromise.

From the point, there is a fabulous view of the Needles District to the south, and a closeup of Grand View and Junction Butte. We spent about a half hour there, thoroughly enjoying the awesome landscape. The heavy winds of the previous couple days had cleared out all the haze, making for phenomenal long-distance viewing. It’s one of those spots you hate to leave, but we had appointments with other trails that were equally inspiring.

On the way back we made a couple stops at the northern edge of the mesa for views down into the Green River Canyon and the best closeup of Candlestick Tower. We met two other hiking couples on the return. It kinda surprised me there wasn’t more trail traffic on this easy trail to an impressive spot. Perhaps the more serious hikers were down below on the hogback.

When we got back to the car, the growling in our stomachs suggested it was time for lunch. So, after a few moments to re-nourish and relive the delightful hike we just completed, it was now off to the southern terminus of Island in the Sky, and the Grand View Point Trail.

Grand View Point is where everyone who visits Canyonlands goes, the most touristy destination. You can count on the parking lot being full when you get there. It is likely you will have to make the loop a few times, waiting for a car to leave. We were lucky, and only had to go around once.

The Grand View Point Trail is a 2-mile round trip, and like Murphy Point, very easy to accomplish. There is limited climbing, usually with stairs, and unlike Murphy Point, this trail is entirely on rock surface rather than sand. It starts at Grand View Point Overlook, a breathtaking gaze 1,500 feet down to the white rim of Meander Canyon, Monument Basin and the valley of the Colorado River.

A national park ranger was lecturing an impressed group of tourists about the geology and ecology of this astonishing confluence of the Green and Colorado Rivers. We paused to listen for a moment, snapped a few photos, then took off along the cliff’s brink to Grand View Point.

Along the way, we passed a young, athletic couple who seemed just a little too close to the edge for my comfort. Later, when we had climbed up on a terrace above the trail for a better view of the White Rim, we saw why they were so close. Kira Krick and Darren Steinbach are acroyoga performers.

Their pairs exercising was remarkable enough. When you consider they were just one untimely slip away from a 1,500′ precipice, well, I was in awe. Be sure to check out the photo I took in the gallery below. We not only got to see dazzling scenery, but we got a show from Kira and Darren as well. Later, at Grand View Point I had the opportunity to briefly speak with them and exchange email addresses so I could send them the pictures I took.

Grand View Point is another of those precarious overlooks. When it is quite windy, like it was on this day, you’re best not to get too close to the edge. One large gust could send you sailing. From the point there’s a great view of Murphy Point and Candlestick Tower, where we had been before, and a closeup of Junction Butte.

On the way back we didn’t see anymore performance art, but we did pass one of the couples we had met on the Murphy Point Trail. We paused for a “fancy meeting you here” chat. Also, we saw storm clouds building over the LaSal Mountains, 50 miles away. Little did we know, that would have an impact on our day an hour later.

The White Rim Overlook Trail is kind of a secret. It isn’t named on the maps they hand you when you enter the national park. There is a sign on the park road to a picnic area, but no mention of a hiking trail. When you leave the Grand View Point parking area and head back north, the pullout for this picnic area is just a few hundred yards up the road. At the back of the parking is the trailhead.

Now we were on the Colorado River side of the Island in the Sky mesa. Unlike the Grand View Point Trail, this trail stays in the middle of the point, away from the rim edges. We traipsed through alternating sand and slick rock, lots of juniper and sage, and the occasional cactus. And then I felt it… a raindrop. I immediately took off my pack and began digging for my rain jacket as desert storms can come fast and furious.

It’s a good thing I didn’t waste any time, because within a minute we were being pummeled by heavy wind gusts and sheets of sleet. My how things change in a hurry. The ground was first wet, and then lightly dusted white. There’s a reason they call it slick rock, because when it’s wet… well, let’s just say it’s a quick way to end up horizontal.

The trail is eight/tenths of a mile to the overlook at the point. By the time we got there, the rain/sleet had slowed to a drizzle, and within 10 more minutes it was completely gone. This is probably the best view of the Colorado River canyon in the park, and you can see why they call the canyon edge 1,500 feet below the White Rim. This is also perhaps the best view of the LaSal Mountains, and we could see where the squalls were coming from. Mountains tend to make their own weather.

On the left side of the point is Gooseberry Canyon, another of the many large gorges that give this park its name. There is a trail that drops off the mesa to Gooseberry Canyon. For us, that is something for another day. As we began to return, the sun was back out, producing some of the best photo ops of the day. The picture at the top of this post was taken just up the road from the White Rim Trail at Buck Canyon Overlook. Click the image for a larger view.

Our day was nearly done. We had only a couple overlooks remaining to visit on our way off Island in the Sky. We stopped at The Necks and Shafer Canyon Overlook for one last view of Canyonlands National Park. By the time we finished, by our count, we had hiked about 8.5 miles total on several different trails. We still didn’t see it all. There are other features on Island in the Sky like Aztec Butte, Whale Rock, Upheaval Dome, and the Holman Spring Trail. But what we did see is the American Southwest at its best.

As it turns out, our timing was very fortuitous, because within a matter of days all national parks were closed by the government shutdown. I really feel for those who planned their vacation in the national parks, especially those who saved for years and came from overseas to enjoy America’s Best Idea.

To summarize, Island in the Sky is a remarkable place with amazing sights for all ages. Like anywhere, the best thing to do is get off the road and onto the trails. Footpower! You’ll get away from the madding crowds and have more of a wilderness experience. Unless you take trails that drop off the mesa, all trails on Island in the Sky are flat and easy. The longest one, Murphy Point, is less than four miles round trip. Just be sure to have plenty of water. This is desert after all. I know that I want to go back, and I’ll probably try some of those trickier trails like Murphy Hogback and Gooseberry Canyon.

This post was created by Jeff Clark. Please feel free to use the sharing icons below, or add your thoughts to the comments. Pack it in, pack it out. Preserve the past. Respect other hikers. Let nature prevail. Leave no trace.

Canyonlands National Park is in the southeastern corner of Utah, near Arches and Dead Horse Point. It is divided into four distinct districts: Island in the Sky, Needles, Maze, and Horseshoe Canyon. The Needles District forms the southeast corner of Canyonlands and was named for the colorful spires of Cedar Mesa Sandstone that dominate the area. The district’s extensive trail system provides many opportunities for long day hikes and overnight trips. Chesler Park is a scenic expanse of desert grasses and shrubs surrounded by colorful sandstone spires. The loop around Chesler is fairly level and winds through a series of deep, narrow fractures called the Joint Trail. This hike occurred on October 12, 2005 beginning at 8:00AM and ending about 5:00PM. Our plan was to be at the Elephant Hill trailhead just past dawn and climb Chesler Park Trail, then follow the ridge above Elephant Canyon to the northern edge of Chesler Park. There we would join the Chesler Park Loop Trail. After completing the loop, we would return to Elephant Hill.

View Chesler Park, Needles District, Canyonlands National Park in a larger map

The desert has extremes of temperature between early, early morning and mid-afternoon. I remember thinking as we started out, “Wow, it is cold!” I wondered if I was dressed appropriately for the 30-some degrees. After a steep couple hundred feet climb up the redrock at the start of the Chesler Park Trail, I didn’t have to worry about that anymore. My brother and I turned at the top to look behind us and saw the glorious dawn light on the LaSal Mountains to the north and Elephant Canyon below us. The next mile followed a ridge along the canyon and gave us an immediate taste of how glorious the Needles District of Canyonlands is.

Apparently it had rained in the days previous, as the indentations in the slickrock had pooled water that cast amazing reflections of the fins, pinnacles and spires that surrounded us. After a mile the trail intersected with another from Squaw Flats and we turned right. The trail began to climb down into Elephant Canyon, and the surrounding terrain got sandier. We began to see cryptobiotic soil, a biological soil crust composed of living cyanobacteria, green algae, brown algae, fungi, lichens, and mosses. Wikipedia says that soil crusts are important members of desert ecosystems and contribute to the well-being of other plants by stabilizing sand and dirt, and promoting moisture retention. It is also extremely fragile. A single footprint or tire track is sufficient to disrupt the soil crust and damage the organisms. The damage to these slow-growing species may require more than a century before the delicate soil returns to its former productivity. So when you are hiking in these areas, please stay on-trail.

When the trail reaches the bottom of Elephant Canyon it intersects with the Devil’s Kitchen Trail. We took a left turn to stay on the Chesler Park Trail. The next stretch was some of the most amazing western scenery I have ever seen. There are pink, red, and orange sandstone formations everywhere. They call the area The Pinnacle for good reason. They are rocket shaped, pod shaped, mushroom shaped. They surround you and engulf you. From the junction the trail climbs up through a narrow opening on the northeast side of The Pinnacle and presents a marvelous view of the LaSal Mountains to the northeast. Eventually, the trail reaches the northern edge of Chesler Park and joins the Loop Trail.

The scenery totally changed. While climbing in, around, and among the needles and spires of The Pinnacle I felt the thrust of the earth, pushing up and up. Suddenly now we entered grassland, sandy with bushes and shrubs, and desert grasses. In fact, up until the 1960s when Canyonlands joined the national park system, cattle used to graze here in Chesler Park. The park is oval shaped and the trail makes a big loop around and through. After a mile and a half on the western side of the loop we got to the Devil’s Pocket Trail where we turned left, staying on the Chesler Park Loop Trail. Not long after that the trail ended at the Chesler Canyon 4wd road.

We headed south on the 4wd road looking for a spur road to the Chesler Park Loop trailhead that is used by those in Jeeps and such who come in on the road. We climbed back up to the park level and entered what is known as the Joint Trail at the southern end of Chesler Park. This is an area of extremely rugged rock walls with cracks and fissures going every which way, known as “joints” back in the old days. The “joints” are incredibly beautiful and colorful, and even a little bit intimidating. If you are claustrophobic, beware, because there are some stretches where the trail is no more than two feet wide, with rock walls on each side for hundreds of yards. We reached the end of the Joint Trail when we climbed a very narrow rock stairway and again saw the expanse of Chesler Park before us, this time from the southern end. It is a stunning sight.

The eastern side of the Chesler Park Loop runs more or less through the center of the park. There is a very large sandstone formation right in the middle that has three separate campsites around it for those who wish to stay in the area for a couple days. Be sure to reserve ahead of time at the Needles Visitor Center. From what I understand, these are the same original campsites that were used by the cowboys who tended the cattle back before this area was part of Canyonlands National Park. The hiking itself is kind of slow going as the terrain is mostly very fine red sand, and it seemed to go on forever. In reality it’s only about a mile and a half back to the northern end of Chesler Park.

We went back out the same way we came in, the Chesler Park Trail through The Pinnacle, then back through and around Elephant Canyon. It looked different with the afternoon sunlight than it had in the morning. And remember how cold I was at dawn? Well, by now the temperature was well into the 80s. There are long views of the desert between Canyonlands and the LaSal Mountains. The slickrock is a beige mixed with the oranges and pinks of the sandstone, the blue sky and mountains, and the muted browns of the mesas and bluffs in between. Quite the astonishing scene.

Best HikeIt has been nearly six years since my brother and I took this grand hike in The Needles. Going through my photo library sequentially really helped reconstruct the hike for me, but studying the National Park Service web site for Canyonlands refreshed my memory with trail names and the like. This is a superb hike that isn’t especially difficult despite the length. Be sure to allocate a full day to be able to experience the wealth of sights and sounds found along the trails. I highly recommend the Chesler Park hike and rate it as one of the best hikes I have done out west. I know you will enjoy it too.

I am in awe of this incredible aerial photograph of Chesler Park taken by Flickr user E=mcSCOW.

This post was created by Jeff Clark. Please feel free to use the sharing icons below, or add your thoughts to the comments. Pack it in, pack it out. Preserve the past. Respect other hikers. Let nature prevail. Leave no trace.