The Huge Needles Loop encapsulates the whole lot that makes The Needles District in Canyonlands Nationwide Park a must-visit vacation spot. The district is known for the colourful Cedar Mesa Sandstone pinnacles that punctuate the panorama and a predominance of slickrock trails.
One in every of many loops that may be put collectively linking shorter trails in The Needles, the Huge Needles Loop traverses the perfect Canyonlands has to supply. The Path takes in Peekaboo Creek, Higher Misplaced Canyon, Elephant Canyon, Druid Arch, Chesler Park Overlook andthe Joint Path (which requires shimming by way of shoulder-width cracks in rock partitions and boulders). As well as, there are a number of facet journeys you possibly can take so as to add selection and distance to your journey, together with the Salt River Canyon arches, the Satan’s Kitchen and the Confluence Overlook. The one limiting issue is the quantity of water you possibly can carry, notably in the event you journey throughout peak season when water sources are scarce.
The Huge Needles Loop will be tackled in both course, however our journey follows a clockwise route by way of Higher Misplaced Canyon. You can even customise your route by beginning at different trailheads or including on facet journeys. This description covers the three-night/four-day choice.
Fast Information
- Distance: 23.7 miles roundtrip
- Days Wanted: 3-5 days
- Peak Elevation: 5,584 ft/1,782m
- Finest Journey Time: April-Might, Finish of September by way of November
- Permits: Required (see beneath)
- Issue: Average to Troublesome
Highlights
- Multi-hued sandstone spires, fins, pillars and knobs, eroded by wind and water into phantasmic shapes
- Slot narrows, ladders and slickrock
- Wildlife: desert cottontails and black-tailed jackrabbits, kangaroo rats, antelope squirrels, lizards, snakes, hawks, and eagles
- Solitude throughout off-peak season
- Spectacular sunsets
Lowlights
- Highly regarded from Mid-Might to finish of September.
- Sudden storms; flash flooding throughout Monsoon season
- Few bushes, little shade
- Shortage of water
- Gnats, and deer and horse flies are plentiful following wet spring season
- Trails can really feel crowded, a lot of day hikers throughout peak season
Finest Time to hike
The most effective time to hike the Huge Needles Loop is April-Might or September to November. April and Might temps highs vary from 60 to 80 levels and lows from 30 to 50 levels, making it a really nice time to backpack. Finish of September by way of October deliver day and night temperatures just like spring. Canyonlands is a situated in a excessive desert, which implies temperatures can swing 40 levels in a single day. Verify the climate report, deliver layers and plan your journey upfront.
July-September temps attain over 100 levels and late summer season monsoons deliver the specter of flash floods. Even rainfall in different areas could cause floods 50 miles downriver in facet canyons, so be alert to climate adjustments throughout monsoon season.
Though it not often snows in Canyonlands, winter temps not often prime 50 when the solar’s out and sometimes slide beneath zero on winter nights. Even mild snowfalls could make many trails tremendous slippery and impassable, so pay attention to impending climate.
Verify in at The Needles District Guests Middle, or name them at 435 259-4711, earlier than starting your journey, or test the Nationwide Climate Service.
Issue
We charge most backpacking journeys on this space as reasonable to troublesome as a consequence of many steep ascents, shortage of water, and uneven path circumstances. Trails traverse a mixture of slickrock benches and sandy washes; lots of the extra in depth trails tough and steep with loads of publicity, together with drop-offs, slim spots, or ladders. Many trails are marked with cairns (small rock piles) fairly than path markers (main intersections are signed). Web elevation change is barely a number of hundred toes or much less, aside from the Decrease Crimson Lake Path, which drops 1,400 toes to the Colorado River.
Though The Huge Needles trails aren’t technically demanding, you have to be ready to climb ladders, descend steep rocky trails, and use some navigation expertise. To arrange for this journey you’ll need to practice correctly, know your limitations, brush up in your expertise, and dial in your gear. Doing so will make for a extra protected and satisfying journey.
Permits
Permits are required for all backpacking journeys into the backcountry in Canyonlands. Competitors for permits will be stiff, particularly throughout spring months. You may apply for backcountry permits at recreation.gov. Keep away from reserving for nights you by no means intend to make use of (it limits choices for different individuals making an attempt to entry these nights) and dangers cancelation of your reservation.
Canyonlands expenses a non-refundable reservation payment for every allow, whether or not they’re reserved upfront or in individual at a customer heart. The fee is $36 per allow (non-refundable) plus $5 per individual per evening.
You additionally should pay a $30 entry payment (for every automotive) into the Nationwide Park at a park entrance station, customer heart, or on-line by way of pay.gov. Every car, bike, and particular person getting into the park by foot or bicycle should pay an entrance payment.
First Come First Serve Stroll-Ins
When you didn’t safe a allow months out, you have got an alternative choice. Unreserved dates and campsites could also be out there on a first-come, first-served foundation on the customer heart, nevertheless it’s a big gamble. If permits can be found, you possibly can attempt to get one as much as the day earlier than and the day of your required journey date begin. These can be found as much as one hour earlier than the shut of enterprise every day, seven days every week at customer facilities.
Attending to Canyonlands Nationwide Park
Flying
Relying on the place you’re coming from, there are two airports close to Canyonlands Nationwide Park:
- GRAND JUNCTION REGIONAL AIRPORT: Flights from Salt Lake Metropolis, Denver, Phoenix and Dallas. A 4-hour drive to The Needles.
- SALT LAKE CITY INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT: Main airport with direct flights from many overseas and home locations. A 6-hour drive to The Needles.
Driving
FROM SALT LAKE CITY, UT (244 miles): Take I-15 S towards Las Vegas. Merge onto US-6 E (exit 258) towards US-89 E Value/Manti. Take the US-191 S (exit 182) towards Crescent Junction/Moab. Flip proper onto US-191 S to Moab. Drive 40 miles (60 km) south of Moab or 14 miles (22 km) north of Monticello, and take IT 211 roughly 35 miles (56 km) west. UT 211 ends in The Needles, and is the one paved highway main out and in of the world.
FROM LAS VEGAS, NV (467 miles): Take I-15 N towards Salt Lake Metropolis. Take exit 132 for I-70 E. Take exit 182 towards Crescent Junction/Moab for US-191 S. Flip proper onto US-191 S to Moab. Drive 40 miles (60 km) south of Moab or 14 miles (22 km) north of Monticello, and take IT 211 roughly 35 miles (56 km) west. UT 211 ends in The Needles, and is the one paved highway main out and in of the world.
The Needles customer heart is open day by day 8-5pm from early March to late November. The cellphone quantity is 435-259-4711 ext. 0. Bogs and water can be found yr spherical.
Attending to Squaw Creek Trailhead
The Huge Needles Loop begins and ends at Squaw Creek Trailhead and traverses a wide range of trails to finish again on the identical trailhead. It’s a traditional loop path that may be traversed in both course, nevertheless for the sake of this information, we’ll define the clockwise route by way of Higher Misplaced Canyon.
From Moab, UT and Monticello, UT: Head south on U.S. Freeway 191 for roughly 40 miles to Utah Freeway 211 (signed for Canyonlands Nationwide Park, Needles District) and switch proper (west). Observe Utah Hwy 211 west for 37.2 miles and switch left (west), on the highway signed for the Squaw Flat Campground, about 2.8 miles past the Customer Middle. On the first intersection (0.3 miles) proceed on Campground Loop A highway for 0.9 miles (Observe: Concentrate! It’s straightforward to mistakenly activate to Campground Loop B highway.the left-hand fork takes you to the trailhead with the shortest entry path to the backcountry. The appropriate-hand fork and its respective trailhead are used largely by campers staying within the campground.) The parking space for the Squaw Flat Trailhead is situated on the left (south) facet of the highway.
From Blanding, UT: Head north on U.S. Freeway 191 for roughly 34.8 miles to Utah Freeway 211 (signed for Canyonlands Nationwide Park, Needles District) and switch left (west). Observe Utah Hwy 211 west for 37.2 miles and switch left (west), on the highway signed for the Squaw Flat Campground, about 2.8 miles past the Customer Middle. On the first intersection (0.3 miles) proceed on Campground Loop A highway for 0.9 miles (Observe: Concentrate! It’s straightforward to mistakenly activate to Campground Loop B highway.) The parking space for the Squaw Flat Trailhead is situated on the left (south) facet of the highway.
The Climbing Route
You’ll begin your hike at Squaw Creek Trailhead and heading clockwise, you’ll traverse 1.1 miles alongside comparatively straightforward terrain till you hit the junction with the Peekaboo Path. Flip left and journey 1.5 miles till you hit the Misplaced Canyon junction. Take a proper to move southwest into the Misplaced Canyon.
As you head up the Misplaced Canyon, hold your eyes open for an indication pointing to Squaw Canyon Path. You’ll finally hit the path junction within the Elephant Canyon with the Druid Arch. This can be a worthwhile out-and-back journey.
When making the journey to Druid Arch in your method to Chesler Park by way of the Misplaced Creek Path connector, stash your pack. The path (an extension of Elephant Canyon) is commonly troublesome to comply with with no shade and plenty of sand to slog by way of. As a substitute, whenever you attain the junction of Chesler Park and Druid Arch trails, tuck your pack away someplace off-trail close to the paths’ junction and the pinnacle south on the Elephant Canyon/Druid Arch Path with a meals and water in a day pack.
If you return to the junction the place you stashed your pack, take the suitable fork (southwest) and go one other mile to Chesler Park backcountry campsites. The subsequent day, head southwest on the Joint Path. A short time later a facet path heads left to the Chesler Park Overlook. This junction is an effective place to stash your pack once more and comply with cairns .25 miles to the overlook. From the vantage level of the slickrock ledge you possibly can absorb a dramatic view of Chesler Park and the ring of “needle” rock spires that envelop it.
Return to your pack and head into the Joint — a traverse by way of a deep slim fissure between rock partitions, and the longest slot within the park about .25 miles. After negotiating it you’ll comply with the route on a sandy low-traffic 4WD highway for about half mile till you see a highway on the left popping out of Beef Basin. Go proper for one more 0.3 mile till you see the Devils Pocket Path forking to the suitable (north). After 0.8 mile you’ll meet the Chesler Park Loop Path junction veering east. Go left right here and make a reasonably critical climb by way of a go by way of the Huge Needles. After the go the path drops into the Satan’s Pocket.
In a half mile or so,a facet path takes you to the path to backcountry campsite DP1. The campsite is about .25 mile additional. Another choice is to remain on the path and proceed on previous Satan’s Kitchen, veering east again towards the Chesler Park loop and onto Elephant Canyon C1. Watch out right here – it’s pretty straightforward to get misplaced on this complicated space. As you traverse the Huge Needle’s Loop, all the time test your topo map and compass to be sure to don’t need to backtrack to seek out the official path.
Beneath is a map to comply with the route listed above, together with the backcountry campsites. Extra on campsite planning beneath.
Journey Planning
The very first thing you’ll need to resolve is what number of days you’re going to take to finish the loop. It’s essential to understand that, relying on the season, you could want to hold all your water. This may increasingly dictate what number of days you select to finish the loop.
Though the day by day mileage could appear small on the itineraries listed beneath, it’s essential to notice that this terrain and panorama will take you longer to cowl than typical path mileage. That stated, you possibly can all the time regulate your itinerary based mostly in your choice, bodily health and path plan. Beneath are pattern itineraries from VisitUtah.com that outlines day by day mileage, backcountry campsites, and potential facet journeys.
Backcountry Campsites
Backpackers in The Needles are required to remain in designated campsites aside from decrease Salt Creek Canyon. You’ll reserve every campsite on-line in the course of the allowing course of. See the map and journey planning information above for planning every backcountry campsites.
Nightly tenting payment for a person website is $20. You may reserve some particular person websites in spring and fall. Different instances of the yr, particular person websites are first-come, first-served. Websites fill rapidly throughout peak season.
Maps & Guidebooks
Canyonlands Nationwide Park – Nationwide Geographic Trails Illustrated Map, – This detailed topographical map is printed on foldable, water resistant paper and offers important particulars together with path mileage and trailhead entry factors for your entire park.
Needles District: Canyonlands – Nationwide Geographic Trails Illustrated Map – This map has the identical qualities listed above, nevertheless covers solely the Needles District, providing extra in-depth protection of this part of the park.
Canyonlands Nationwide Park Map Pack Bundle – Nationwide Geographic Trails Illustrated Map – When you plan on exploring all three districts in Canyonlands – Islands within the Sky, the Maze, and the Needles – this map pack is your greatest guess.
Climbing Canyonlands and Arches Nationwide Parks: A Information To The Parks’ Biggest Hikes – This guide offers good overview of the Canyonlands and Arches Nationwide Parks visible alternatives and important boots-on-the-ground info. No guide singularly covers The Needles District, however this one provides you loads of path info to design your individual journey.
Water
Water is a scarce useful resource on the Huge Needles Loop. Springs are scattered all through the park, largely in canyon bottoms, however lots of them marked on topographic maps dry up throughout summer season and even different seasons in periods of drought.
The park service extremely recommends backpackers pack in water every time attainable, particularly bigger teams (4 or extra) who will discover some springs offering only a trickle at sure instances of the yr.
If you end up backpacking the Huge Needles Loop in a time when there are springs out there, you’ll must purify all water collected within the backcountry. A light-weight water filter or chlorine dioxide drops or capsules would work as properly.
Rules
- Bury human waste in a shallow gap at the least 100 toes from any water provide, in order that rain or snow runoff won’t carry contaminants into lakes and streams. Physique waste decomposes quickest in holes dug 6-8 inches deep.
- Cleaning soap (even biodegradable manufacturers) and meals particles pollute lakes and streams. Don’t wash your dishes, garments and your self close to the shore of lakes, ponds or streams.
- Wooden campfires aren’t allowed within the backcountry.
- You need to pack out all trash, together with bathroom paper, from the backcountry.
- Retailer all of your meals securely to forestall animals from getting access to it.
- Preserve all tenting actions inside campsite boundaries at designated websites. Camps in at-large zones have to be one mile from a highway and in low-impact areas like slickrock.
- Tenting inside 300 toes of an archeological website, historic website, or water supply is forbidden.
- All pure objects and cultural artifacts are protected and have to be left the place they’re discovered. Touching rock artwork and drawing graffiti is forbidden.
- Pets, discharging firearms, searching, and feeding wildlife are prohibited.
- Caching meals, water, or provides is allowed with written notification of the district ranger. No harm to assets might happen and all gadgets have to be eliminated.
- Swimming or bathing is barely allowed within the Inexperienced and Colorado rivers.
Path Etiquette
The paths in The Needles are constructed and maintained to attenuate affect of human use. Please be particularly conscious of the next:
- Shortcutting switchbacks and slicing throughout an arid panorama can harm flora (organic soil crusts, aka biocrusts) and trigger soil erosion. Biocrusts are tangled lots of mosses, lichens and cyanobacteria that absorb water like sponges when it rains, slowing down runoff and serving to retailer water for arid vegetation. At all times use trails supplied; don’t create new ones.
- Hikers assembly horse events on the path ought to transfer a substantial distance off the path and stay quiet and immobile till the horses go, until suggested in any other case by the riders. Colourful backpacks, curious canine, clicking trekking poles and any sudden noise or motion might trigger a horse to spook, leading to damage to horses, riders and hikers.
Meals Storage
There aren’t any meals storage necessities for this space, however we suggest all the time packing your meals in an Ursack to guard your provisions from ‘mini bears” like ravens, mice and small rodents. They will peck or chew into packs and tents left unattended. Observe correct meals storage methods and this shouldn’t be an issue. To be taught extra about meals storage, take a look at our Meals Storage video.
Bugs
Mosquitoes, cedar gnats, and deer flies all make their presence felt in Canyonlands’ backcountry throughout moist years, and sometimes all the time within the early spring. Use a mixture of permethrin in your clothes and a small quantity of DEET or the much less harsh Picaridin on uncovered pores and skin for full safety.
Gear Listing
Ensure to take a look at our Final Backpacking Guidelines so that you don’t neglect one thing essential.
Beneath you’ll discover our present favourite backpacking gear. If you wish to see extra choices, our curated gear guides are the results of a few years of intensive analysis and hands-on testing by our group of outside specialists.