Left the San Juans and headed west on some remote highways I had never traveled before. I was headed for the southern section of Canyonlands National Park. The Needles District to be precise.
This remote section of Canyonlands is a hikers paradise. When you go out and hike in this area be prepared, be self reliant and bring lots of water as this place is way out in the boondocks and the likelihood of anybody being able to help you are slim to none!
I arrived at the Squaw Flat campground at 4:30 and was lucky to get one of the last three sites available for the next two nights. After setting up the tent and eating a quick dinner of ramen and canned chicken, I headed out to located the trailhead and then shoot the sunset. The trailhead sits at the end of a fairly decent condition dirt road that winds its way through these fantastic slickrock sandstone formations. After locationg the trailhead, I found a good spot with a high vantage point to set up and shoot the sunset.
The following morning I set out on a hike deep into the Needles District. The goal was Elephant Canyon and ultimately Druid Arch at the end of this box canyon, 5.4 miles one way. The hike is one of the best I have done in Utah, ranking up there with the loop trail in Devils Garden in Arches National Park.
The trail varies from hiking the top of some slickrock formations to squeezing through slots and then traveling a dry wash (at least you hope it will stay dry and not flash flood). You follow the rock cairns and if you don’t see one in awhile, you turn around and figure out where you missed one.
About halfway into the hike the clouds began to rapidly build up and after witnessing the thunderstorm the day before, I hoped I would not get stuck shaking with fear under some alcove out here. I picked up the pace to an almost run. As you near the end of the canyon it begins to narrow and vegitations becomes more lush. Giving you the impression that when it rains all the water funnels right here. The walls of the canyon got to be about fifty feet apart and the vegetation was thick, when all of a sudden…bam, there it was…a cliff with a deep pool of water in front of it. I thought this can’t be right, I saw no way to get around it. It was now beginning to rain and I was just waiting to hear the first bolts thundering through the canyon.
So I turned back having given it a good try to get to the arch. A short distance back down through the vegetation I found the missing link. A double cairn leading through the bushes. OK, lets give it a try. It was quickly apparent that this was not a good idea at the moment as it climbed, and I mean climbed steeply up the aptly named slickrock now wet from the increasing precipitation. OK…back I go.
It was a great hike and the last couple of miles had me moving pretty quick as the lightning was nearing. I will definitely be heading back to The Needles in the future!
Very interesting. Sure different from RMNP.