Utah · Hiking · Near Moab

Whale Rock Trail

Whale Rock TrailPhoto: NPS
Apr–Jun, Sep–Oct
best months

Is Whale Rock 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.

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." • Roundtrip Distance: 0.8 mi (1.3 km) • Time: 1 hr • Elevation Change: 141 ft (43 m) • Difficulty: Moderate – Mesa Top • Hike Description: This trail leads up the side of a sandstone dome, ending with broad views of the Island in the Sky. Great for kids who like to scramble on rock. Be careful: wear soles with good traction and avoid steep drop-offs. • 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? Whale Rock is part of a large outer ring of sandstone surrounding the nearby Upheaval Dome formation.

Around this trail

Add any of these when you start a trip
  • Sleep close

    Syncline

    Campground

    Campground · 2.5 mi from the trail
  • Eat after

    Domino's

    Fast food

    On your way back · 22 mi · Open after 6
  • If it rains

    Launching Pad

    Attraction

    On your way back · 19 mi

Places © OpenStreetMap contributors

More in Moab

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 Whale Rock 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, 5.5 mi away at 5,871 ft. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

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Lathrop Trail

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Syncline Trail

~1 min drive

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Upheaval DomePhoto: BFS Man from Webster, TX, USA, CC BY 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

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~1 min drive

0.57-mile out-and-back trail at Upheaval Dome in Utah with 174 ft gain.

Lathrop CanyonPhoto: Greg Willis, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Lathrop Canyon

~10 min drive

5.89-mile out-and-back trail in Utah with 2,794 ft elevation gain

Alcove SpringPhoto: swhitfield, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Alcove Spring

~6 min drive

5.63-mile out-and-back trail in Utah with 2,113 ft of elevation gain.