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Arches National Park, Utah

Looking for the best hiking in Arches National Park? We've got you covered with the top trails, trips, hiking, backpacking, camping and more around Arches National Park. The detailed guides, photos, and reviews are all submitted by the Outbound community.

Top Hiking Spots in and near Arches National Park

  • Green River, Utah

    Explore a Manmade Geyser in Utah

    3.0
    Four and a half miles from the town of Green River, Utah, Crystal Geyser is one of the few manmade geysers as a result of the area's historical mining industry. This cold-water geyser usually erupts every eight to 20 hours. Getting There Getting to the geyser is easy and the site can be accessed ...
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  • Monticello, Utah

    Explore Looking Glass Arch

    4.0
    Getting there:From Moab, follow Highway 191 south for about 23 miles until you get to Looking Glass Road/Co. Rd. 131. Take a right and follow the road for about 2 miles and then turn left into the parking lot.It is only about 0.10 miles from the parking lot to the arch itself, but there is a ~150...
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  • Moab, Utah

    Hiking to Wilson Arch

    4.3
    To get to Wilson Arch, drive south of Moab on US-191 S for about 25 miles. The arch is right off US-191S and there is parking on either side of the highway. Keep an eye out after you pass the LaSal Junction - the arch is visible from the road.From the parking lot there is a a very short (~0.5 mil...
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  • Wayne County, Utah

    Canyoneering High Spur Canyon

    5 mi
    From Moab, the drive to the canyon is approximately 4 hours long and much of it is on sandy or rocky dirt roads so it’s best to drive a 4x4 vehicle with good clearance. Drive past Hans Flat Ranger Station on the west side of Canyonlands National Park and make your way to the trailhead on Deadman’...
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  • Monticello, Utah

    Hike the Confluence Overlook

    4.0
    10.4 mi / 220 ft gain
    The Green River starts in Wyoming and flows 730 miles before joining the Colorado River in Utah. Confluence Overlook Trail is located in the northern parts of the Needles district of Canyonlands National Park. At the southwest edge of the parking area, you will see where the trail starts. The tra...
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  • Monticello, Utah

    Hike Needle's Slickrock Foot Trail

    2.4 mi / 200 ft gain
    The trail weaves away from the highway following cairns. I did the loop counter-clockwise to hit all the viewpoints first. The first part of the trail offers stellar views of the Needles behind you.All the viewpoints are well marked by trail signs. The first viewpoint veers off to the right and t...
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  • Moab, Utah

    Hike the Cave Spring Loop in the Needles District

    4.0
    0.6 mi / 35 ft gain
    The Cave Spring Trail within Canyonlands National Park takes visitors past some well preserved pictographs and a cowboy camp complete with many original artifacts, all located in bluff "caves" below the overhanging cliffs of a low mesa.  The path later climbs to the top via a pair of wooden ladde...
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  • Monticello, Utah

    Backpack to Chesler Park, Canyonlands NP

    5.0
    13 mi / 600 ft gain
    The first draw of this adventure is the roadtrip to the trailhead itself. Set out pre-dawn from Moab, UT and head 77 miles south and west to the Needles District Visitors Centre on Utah 211. En route you'll pass Newspaper Rock, a treasured collection of pictographs well worth the detour if you're...
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  • Monticello, Utah

    Hike Peekaboo Trail to Salt Creek Canyon

    10 mi / -60 ft gain
    Trail Description This adventure starts at Squaw Flat Trailhead A in the Needles District of the Canyonlands. Get there early to claim a parking spot, as there are several trails in the area, and you will want to see the colors change in the rock formations as the sun rises in front of you on you...
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  • Monticello, Utah

    Joint Trail in the Canyonlands Needles District

    5.0
    19.06 mi / 3028 ft gain
    A large part of the grandeur of Canyonlands National Park is the vast barren vista at Island in the Sky, but no visit to Canyonlands would be complete without the intimate and immersive desert experience that the Needles District offers. Drive two hours southwest of Moab away from cell phone rece...
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  • Monticello, Utah

    Hike Chesler Park and Joint Trails, Canyonlands NP

    4.5
    10 mi / 1755 ft gain
    This world class hiking route circumnavigates Chesler Park by way of open meadows, slots, subterranean alcoves, stairways and slick rock.Begin at the Elephant Hill Trailhead and head south following signage for the Joint Trail / Chesler Park along the way. Once you arrive at Chesler Park turn lef...
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  • Monticello, Utah

    Hiking Druid Arch

    5.0
    10.28 mi / 1594 ft gain
    Important Note: Druid Arch is located on the eastern side of Canyonlands National Park in the Needles District. It is not located at the main entrance to the park. Stop by the Needles Visitor Center and pick up a map. Your starting point, Elephant Hill Trailhead is then located 6.3 miles west of ...
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  • Mack, Colorado

    Hike the Trail Through Time Paleontological Trail

    1.5 mi
    The trail is adjacent to an active dinosaur quarry, and while there were no scientists at work while we were there, apparently you can see paleontologists at work in the spring and summer.Take the interpretive trail up towards the small mesa and check out the signs pointing out fossils along the ...
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  • Fruita, Colorado

    Backpack in the Black Ridge Canyons Wilderness

    4.2 mi / 1000 ft gain
    If you're looking to backpack outside of the highly publicized areas of Colorado (aka the Rockies), head out to Western CO for some amazing experiences. Located 4 hours west of Denver along I-70 is the McInnis Canyon National Conservation Area (NCA). Overseen by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM...
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  • Fruita, Colorado

    Hike the Rattlesnake Arches Trail in Black Ridge Wilderness

    4.0
    3.2 mi / 300 ft gain
    Put simply, Rattlesnake Arches is home to some of the most beautiful views you'll ever experience in the United States. This portion of the Rattlesnake Arches Trail follows along the upper rim of the canyon and allows you to experience 9 total arches within about 2 miles of hiking. The hike along...
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  • Green River, Utah

    Hike Lower Black Box Canyon

    10 mi / -300 ft gain
    It takes some commitment to get to the trailhead, but it’s worth it. After several dirt roads, follow a rocky 4X4 road for about 10 miles to the trailhead. Sunscreen up and walk down the path to an open wash. This wash runs into the San Rafael River. At the river, check the flow, it should be bel...
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