Utah · Hiking · Dark Canyon Wilderness

Dark Canyon

Dark CanyonPhoto: Ken Lund from Reno, Nevada, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)
26.8 mi
round trip
1,280 ft
climb
6,875 ft
high point
Out and back
route
Apr–Jun, Aug–Oct
best months

Caution today

Agency alerts are in effect for this area; weather is marginal · USFS, OpenWeather · checked just now

Is Dark Canyon open right now?

No closures listed

The Forest Service lists no closures for Manti-La Sal National Forest.

As of · Source: USFS · Manti-La Sal National Forest. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.

Dark Canyon is a hard out-and-back hike in Utah's Dark Canyon Wilderness, part of the Monticello Ranger District of Manti-La Sal National Forest. The trail runs about 26.8 miles, climbing roughly 1,280 feet from a low point of about 5,718 feet to a high of about 6,875 feet. The Forest Service manages the land. The trail is natural-surface and allows horses but not bikes, so plan for a ride with a pack animal if you're heading out on foot and hoof. Spring and fall are the most comfortable seasons to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station show May highs around 71°F and September highs around 77°F, while July averages about 89°F and winter highs sit near 39°F with a few snowy days each month. Several other routes lie within a few miles. Rig Canyon Trail - 5161 is less than a mile away, and Rig Canyon, Big Spring Spur and Horse Pasture Canyon are all within about 4 miles.

Local outfitters

Not on Roamze yet. Their page has how to reach them.

  • Best time to go · Apr–Jun, Aug–Oct

    Best time to visit Dark Canyon

    Best months: April–June and August–October. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.

    1. Jan

      39° / 20°

      6 wet · 4 snow

    2. Feb

      43° / 24°

      6 wet · 3 snow

    3. Mar

      53° / 30°

      5 wet · 2 snow

    4. Apr

      60° / 35°

      5 wet · 1 snow

    5. May

      71° / 44°

      5 wet

    6. Jun

      83° / 54°

      3 wet

    7. Jul

      89° / 60°

      7 wet

    8. Aug

      85° / 58°

      8 wet

    9. Sep

      77° / 51°

      6 wet

    10. Oct

      63° / 39°

      5 wet

    11. Nov

      50° / 29°

      4 wet · 2 snow

    12. Dec

      39° / 20°

      6 wet · 4 snow

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Natural Bridges Nm, UT, 14.4 mi away at 6,508 ft. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

Keep exploring — more trails worth the drive

Rig Canyon Trail - 5161Photo: Ken Lund from Reno, Nevada, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Rig Canyon Trail - 5161

~2 min drive

5.96-mile out-and-back hike in Utah with 1,512 ft gain and 8,135 ft max elevation.

Woodenshoe TrailPhoto: Ken Lund from Reno, Nevada, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Woodenshoe Trail

~13 min drive

28.87-mile out-and-back trail in Utah managed by the Forest Service.

HIKE

RIG CANYON

~6 min drive

1.58-mile out-and-back in Utah with 576 ft gain/loss and 8,142 ft max elevation.

HIKE

Woodenshoe Road

~18 min drive

41.36-mile out-and-back trail in Utah with 1,116 ft elevation gain.

Cream Pots (Sz)Photo: Ken Lund from Reno, Nevada, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Cream Pots (Sz)

~19 min drive

3.51-mile out-and-back trail in Utah with 230 ft elevation gain.

HIKE

Horse Pasture Canyon

~6 min drive

7.98-mile out-and-back trail in Utah with 1,414 ft of elevation gain.

HIKE

Big Spring Spur

~6 min drive

1.78-mile out-and-back trail in Utah with 137 ft of elevation gain.

HIKE

Gooseberry Trail

~13 min drive

7.38-mile out-and-back hike in Utah with 1,912 ft elevation gain

HIKE

Trail Canyon

~8 min drive

9.28-mile out-and-back trail in Utah with 461 ft elevation gain.

HIKE

HORSE PASTURE CANYON

~7 min drive

1.02-mile out-and-back trail in Utah with 981 ft elevation gain and loss.