Utah · Hiking

Horseshoe Canyon Trail

Horseshoe Canyon TrailPhoto: Sandy Horvath-Dori from Grand Junction, CO, USA, CC BY 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)
5.7 mi
round trip
2,849 ft
climb
5,396 ft
high point
Out and back
route
Apr–Jun, Sep–Oct
best months

Is Horseshoe Canyon Trail open right now?

Alert in the area

The National Park Service lists 2 alerts for Canyonlands National Park.

As of · Source: NPS · Canyonlands National Park. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.

Horseshoe Canyon Trail is a hard hike in Canyonlands National Park in Utah, managed by the National Park Service. The out-and-back route is about 11 miles long, with a one-way climb of roughly 970 feet from a starting point near 4,700 feet to a high point of about 5,400 feet. Spring and fall are the most comfortable times to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station show May highs around 72°F and October highs around 65°F, while July averages about 91°F and winter brings frequent snow days. A fee is charged for the hike. Two other spots lie within about 10 miles: the Trad Wall AKA Green River Buttress climbing area and the Fort Bottom Trail.

Local outfitters

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

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

    Best time to visit Horseshoe Canyon Trail

    Best months: April–June and September–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

      37° / 22°

      4 wet · 4 snow

    2. Feb

      43° / 27°

      4 wet · 3 snow

    3. Mar

      54° / 35°

      5 wet · 2 snow

    4. Apr

      62° / 40°

      5 wet · 1 snow

    5. May

      72° / 50°

      5 wet

    6. Jun

      85° / 62°

      3 wet

    7. Jul

      91° / 68°

      6 wet

    8. Aug

      88° / 66°

      7 wet

    9. Sep

      79° / 57°

      6 wet

    10. Oct

      65° / 44°

      5 wet

    11. Nov

      49° / 33°

      4 wet · 2 snow

    12. Dec

      37° / 23°

      4 wet · 4 snow

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Canyonlands-The Neck, UT, 20.5 mi away at 5,871 ft. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

    Closures we've recorded since August 2026

    • Trailhead Access at Horseshoe Canyon

      Canyonlands National Park · seen Aug 24, 2026 → lifted Aug 29, 2026 · National Park Service

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