Angel Arch from Cave Spring

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 ladders and crosses a minor summit that affords an uninterrupted, 360 degree panorama of the Needles Dist...

Squaw Flat campground is an easily-accessed area full of picturesque campsites in Canyonlands National Park, Utah. It is located in the Needles District, which is well known for its colorful spires of Cedar Mesa Sandstone that cover the region. Campsite reservations must be made in advance at recreation.gov. This is a great area for large groups because the campsites can be specious and there i...

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 making good time.At the visitors centre pick up your backcountry permit and gather details on water...

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 your way to Salt Creek Canyon. While there is no change in total elevation, there are abundant elevatio...

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 reception and into ranch lands to the Needles District Visitor Centre to pick up your permit and human w...

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 takes you to a panoramic view of the surrounding mountains and mesas.After returning to the trail, th...