Horseshoe Canyon Trail

Fort Bottom Trail

~17 min drive

<p><i>Reaching this trail requires a permit to drive the 4WD White Rim Road. </i><br /> <br /> Fort Bottom Ruin is an ancient stone structure overlooking the Green River, built by Indigenous inhabitants of the Canyonlands area centuries ago. </p> <ul role="list"> <li aria-sets…

Syncline Trail

~26 min drive

<p>The Syncline Trail follows canyons around Upheaval Dome and requires navigating steep switchbacks, climbing and scrambling through boulder fields, and a 1,500-foot (460 m) elevation change. <strong><em>This is the most challenging trail in the Island in the Sky district, an…

Upheaval Dome Overlooks Trail

~26 min drive

<p>Two short but steep hikes lead to overlooks of a spectacular and colorful geologic feature: Upheaval Dome.<br /> <br /> <em>Within minutes of starting, the Overlooks trail crosses the very challenging Syncline Trail, which loops around Upheaval Dome without viewing its cent…

Moses and Zeus Towers Trail

~26 min drive

<p><i>Reaching this trail requires a permit to drive the 4WD White Rim Road or hiking down Alcove Spring Trail (11.2 mi/18.3 km roundtrip).</i><br /> <br /> Moses and Zeus are two prominent towers overlooking Taylor Canyon. This trail leads to their base.</p> <ul role="list">…

Whale Rock Trail

~27 min drive

<p>Many features in this region bear imaginative names. Does this long sandstone dome looked like a giant whale to you? This trail walks along its side, then climbs from its "tail" up to its "blowhole."</p> <ul role="list"> <li aria-setsize="-1" data-aria-level="5" data-aria-p…

Alcove Spring Trail

~27 min drive

<p>After descending 1,300 feet (396 m) past a large alcove, the trail meanders in a wide canyon to the base of the notable Moses and Zeus towers. </p> <ul> <li> <p><strong>Roundtrip Distance</strong>: 11.2 mi (18 km)</p> </li> <li> <p><strong style="color: rgb(85, 85, 85); fon…

Wilhite Trail

~29 min drive

<p paraeid="{dd69bb86-0131-4382-92b9-332d48e86814}{233}" paraid="840572081">A primitive trail with steep switchbacks drops 1,600 feet (488 m) into a long, sandy wash. Follow the wash to the White Rim Road. No shade.</p> <ul role="list"> <li paraeid="{dd69bb86-0131-4382-92b9-33…

Aztec Butte Trail

~31 min drive

<p paraeid="{6586b1d3-5177-47f9-8426-e7e98ddba119}{68}" paraid="308520971">Indigenous people once stored foods and medicines in rock structures, called granaries, built into alcoves here. Despite the current name, they were not part of the Aztec civilization. <em>Do not touch…

Mesa Arch Trail

~32 min drive

<p>Perched at the edge of the mesa top, this 27-foot-long (8.3 m) arch frames views of the canyon far below and the La Sal Mountains in the distance. The loop hike has slightly more elevation change at the beginning if you travel counter-clockwise. To reduce the number of stai…

Murphy Point Trail

~34 min drive

<p>People seeking a mostly level hike longer than just a mile might enjoy the Murphy Point Trail. It leaves the pavement and vehicle sounds behind, and offers the change to imagine what Canyonlands looked like during its ranching days before it became a national park. </p> <ul…