Utah · Hiking

Pothole Point Trail

Pothole Point TrailPhoto: Neal Herbert
0.5 mi
loop
11 ft
climb
5,091 ft
high point
Loop
route
Mar–May, Sep–Oct
best months

Is Pothole Point Trail open right now?

Alert in the area

The National Park Service lists an alert for Canyonlands National Park.

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

This short loop trail (0.6 mi/1 km) crosses sandstone dimpled with pockets called potholes. • Roundtrip Distance: 0.6 mi (1 km) • Time: 45 min • Elevation Change: 36 ft (11 m) • Difficulty: Easy/Short • Hike Description: Uneven slickrock leads to diverse pothole communities and views of The Needles. Trail follows cairns. • Accessibility: This trail can be rough, uneven, and requires walking up and down a rocky hill and stone steps. It is not accessible to wheelchairs. In winter, there may be snow or icy conditions; we recommend traction devices for hikers. • Dogs are not allowed on this trail. Service animals are allowed in national parks. What is a service animal? Help protect fragile desert ecosystems When wet or dry, potholes are tiny—and sensitive—ecosystems. Body oils, soaps, and sunscreen easily pollute the water. Protect these ecosystems by never putting anything (like fingers or feet) into potholes, and by walking around potholes, even when they are dry. The bumpy soil along the trail is also alive. Biological soil crusts are living communities of cyanobacteria, mosses, algae, lichens, and fungi. Soil crust prevents erosion, stores moisture, and provides critical nutrients for plants. Protect this life by staying on trail.

Local outfitters

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

  • Best time to go · Mar–May, Sep–Oct

    Best time to visit Pothole Point Trail

    Best months: March–May 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

      42° / 17°

      4 wet · 2 snow

    2. Feb

      49° / 23°

      4 wet · 1 snow

    3. Mar

      59° / 30°

      5 wet · 1 snow

    4. Apr

      67° / 36°

      5 wet

    5. May

      77° / 46°

      4 wet

    6. Jun

      89° / 56°

      3 wet

    7. Jul

      95° / 63°

      5 wet

    8. Aug

      92° / 61°

      6 wet

    9. Sep

      84° / 51°

      5 wet

    10. Oct

      70° / 38°

      5 wet

    11. Nov

      55° / 26°

      4 wet · 1 snow

    12. Dec

      42° / 18°

      4 wet · 2 snow

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Canyonlands-The Needles, UT, 2.5 mi away at 4,906 ft. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

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Lower Lost HikerPhoto: BFS Man from Webster, TX, USA, CC BY 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

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