In addition to seeing a spectacular arch, however, hikers can experience much of the special environment of the Needles area on the trail to the arch. At this point, you will reach a junction for the Joint Trail and Druid Arch. New Mexico and Fall Folliage at San Juan Skyway. The first of three backcountry campsites in Elephant Canyon (EC1) is visible to the right on the canyon floor. The parking lot trailhead sits at the bottom of the Elephant Hill 4WD road (which requires a permit). Tall, circular spire on the north side of Chesler Park. Starting at Elephant Hill trailhead makes most sense. I had hiked in April of 2010, taking on Chesler Park/Joint Trail variation (see the link). Right before you reach the arch, there will be a steep and rocky scramble before you get to see the impressive Druid Arch looming above you. After reading a blog from a good friend where he combined the Chesler park loop with the Druid arch hike for one nice long dayhike I knew that's what had to be done. Following the trail to the right leads toward Druid Arch, Chesler Park and the Joint trail with other connecting trails along the way. Leaving from Elephant Hill Trailhead, we did the 11 mile Chesler Park Loop, which includes the Joint Trail, and added on the 4 mile (roundtrip) spur to Druid Arch. Just past the turnoff for the Chesler Park campsites, you’re given one of two choices: complete the loop, or head straight and join up with Elephant Canyon. A short and narrow slot between two rocks is encountered about 1.5 miles into the hike and 2 miles in you will reach the wash that travels into Elephant Canyon or Chesler Park. Connector Trail; Connector Trail; Meeting up with the Druid Arch Trail was like … A trail to Druid Arch comes in from the left, but keep straight (south) at the junction. The trail ends at a magnificent viewpoint high on the east side of Elephant Canyon where, on most days, the arch is bathed in the morning sunlight. My 21 year old son agreed to join me on my adventure. Much of the following trail was through sandy, dry washes, causing a constant flow of sand into my shoes. Did this hike on a Saturday in late September. The fall is gorgeous, less wind, but also a little busier. Length 11.2 miElevation gain 2,162 ftRoute type Loop. Druid Arch to Chesler Park Loop is a 16.6 mile moderately trafficked loop trail located near Monticello, Utah This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. Turn right onto UT-211 W and continue for 37 miles. It passes through a slot then comes to the first of several well-marked junctions at 1.5 miles; turn right (west) for Druid Arch. Chesler Park: 5,600 ft. Druid Arch: 5,740 ft. Going out to Druid Arch you are going to pass through Chesler Park. The Park Service has done a wonderful job adding improvements to the trails where needed while still keeping the overall experience that of a true desert wilderness. Best things to do in the Needles district of Canyonlands National Park. This hike is consistently cited as one of the best trails in America. Continue across the flat, open section until you pass into a meadow with towering pinnacles on either side of you. There are also rocky scrambles and slickrock that can get slippery when wet. Hike One (or More) of the Short Trails in Island in the Sky. Go left up Elephant Canyon. While making for a long day (or two or more), Elephant Canyon offers up a whole new set of adventures: camping along the Squaw, Spring and Lost Canyons; petroglyph hunting; or in my case, Druid Arch. At this point, you are only 0.3 miles from Chesler Park. The connector trail was really cool, as it provided some awesome views of the surrounding spires, and as a bonus we had the entire trail to ourselves. In the summertime, this offers relief from the relentless heat of the desert sun. Druid arch in the Needles section of Canyonlands has been on my list for quite some time. UT – Canyonlands NP, Needles District – Chesler Park, Joint and Druid Arch Trails Canyonlands is divided into three areas, Needles District, Island in the Sky District and the Maze District. It is about ¼ mile walk across a sandy blackbrush flat to the first of more than a dozen trail junctions. However, combined with Chesler Park it's a nice loop hike. The trail is hard to navigate here but there are cairns to help guide the way. This trail has narrow sections of trail with steep drop offs. While accessing The Maze requires a 4WD vehicle and a three-hour trek from Moab, UT, the Needles is a much more accessible district that will offer hikers varied terrain, cedar mesa sandstone rock formations, and access to more longer, heart-pumping hikes. A park ranger is putting up a new sign at the first trail junction. After a mile, you will reach your first rocky scramble. The Chesler Park Trail climbs steeply for several hundred yards before leveling across a high slickrock terrace. About 2/3 of the way from Chesler Park, the trail will drop about 300 feet in between two sandstone fins. Familiar and spectacular colorful spires of Chesler Park! The best time to see Druid Arch is in the morning. If you … At this point, you will reach a junction for the Joint Trail and Druid Arch. Making sure you are well prepared with water and sun protection is essential. At this point, you are 3 miles from Druid Arch. Winters in Utah can be just as unforgiving as summers with frigidly cold temperatures. Starting with a steep section, the trail levels out and follows pinnacles. Looking back where I came from, the length of Elephant Canyon. Typical scenic view while on the trail, with the trail zig-zagging left and right all over the place. Druid Arch is undoubtedly the most famous landmark in the Needles district of Canyonlands National Park. Got to the trailhead around 7:30 am and we were one of the first few cars there. Either of these places would be a great place to turn around for a short and enjoyable hike into The Needles. Ngauruhoe (Mt. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Wilson Arch; Chesler Park; An array of things to do in Moab; When is the Best Time to Do the Druid Arch Hike? Sunset light behind Druid Arch in Elephant Canyon Druid Arch is one of the most popular destinations in the Needles District. 9: N38 06.883 W109 50.152 — 2.9 miles : Squaw Flat - Druid Arch split; keep right : 10: N38 06.661 W109 50.298 — 3.25 miles : Trail rises above wash to circumvent small dry fall : 11: N38 06.495 W109 50.307 — 3.48 miles : Enter wash, keep left at Joint Trail - Chesler Park split This majestic arch sits in a slickrock amphitheater at the southern end of Elephant Canyon. Doom), Kayaking Jackson Lake – Grand Teton National Park. At this point, you are only 0.3 miles from Chesler Park. Wag bag. You could do a spur to the west on the Joint Trail and back. Jokingly referred to as the much-favored older child of Canyonlands, it is easy to overlook the other two districts: The Needles and the Maze. The route follows the drainageway to the arch. Go left towards Druid Arch. Spring and Fall are the ideal times to visit the deserts of Utah. Follow the trail until you reach the parking lot. In order to ensure this area remains enjoyable to all who visit, please follow the Seven Leave No Trace Principles. There is additional parking just down the road in the direction you came from. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. Go left towards Druid Arch. A Sconnie born and raised, after graduating with my Master's Degree in Recreation Management, I left the river valleys of Wisconsin to hike the Colorado Rockies. Drop steeply to the floor of Elephant Canyon at 2.1 miles. Trail signs at all junctions are neatly arranged by destination (Druid Arch, Squaw Flat Campground, etc.). It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website. Chesler Park, Druid Arch, 4x4 roads, best hikes and viewpoints. Druid Arch, with its angular profile and two narrow, elongated openings, looks more like a formation from Stonehenge than the typical crescent-shaped span. As I hit the junction between Chesler Park and Druid Arch, I took the left, following Elephant Canyon down. Continue across the flat, open section until you pass into a meadow with towering pinnacles on either side of you. This would be a quick overnighter into the Needles District, as Ranger Joan (aka Rambling Hemlock ) was working at Arches National Park and had time off limited to weekends. If playback doesn't begin shortly, try restarting your device. You will come out into a wash where you will continue right, following signs for Druid Arch. This hike is consistently cited as one of the best trails in America. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. Heading into Elephant Canyon. The trail will flatten out before you encounter a steep but short ascent up smooth, slickrock. More. Start: Elephant Hill Trailhead. I had hiked in April of 2010, taking on Chesler Park/Joint Trail variation (see the link). A path forks west, up the far side of the canyon towards Chesler Park, while the Druid Arch route continues south, mostly right along the stream bed, for 0.8 miles to a third junction, signed Squaw Flat 5.9 miles. With over 60 miles of interconnecting trails, you are sure to find the perfect adventure in the Needles. Taken as I was leaving Chesler Park. Instead of going back up the canyon to Chesler Park, follow the wash until you reach the first intersection to Chesler Park you encountered earlier in your hike. We headed out on Friday. Just a few days ago, I had the opportunity to take a solo trip to the Needles District to hike to Druid Arch, a magnificent geological formation that has a mystical energy, via Chesler Park. Though, if the weather is agreeable and you have the energy, you can make the hike about 4 miles longer by adding the loop around Chesler Park if you wanted to see more of the Needles on your way back to the car. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. The trail switchbacks down to the streambed, where you reach the junction with the Chesler Park Trail and the Devil’s Kitchen Campground. Frequently, the track climbs to parallel the wash. Stay in the channel if you wish; there is only one necessary, well-marked bypass. You can find the fees here. The Trail to Druid Arch Retracing my steps from last year for the first section of the hike. You can reach Druid Arch from several routes, but the most commonly used route is the out-and-back route from Elephant Hill Trailhead. From here, you will walk through a wash in Elephant Canyon before climbing up another steep, rocky section rising up to see your first views of the incredible Needles this district gets its name from. Located 75 miles southwest of Moab, UT, The Needles District is known for its colorful Cedar Mesa sandstone spires. End of the arch. To access the trailhead, follow signs in the Needles District for Elephant Hill. This time I hiked the Chesler Park/Druid Arch variation, which is also a scenic 11 mile hike. Hike Trail. In the Moab area, you will get snow, but it wonât stick around. Most people visiting Canyonlands National Park visit the Island in the Sky District. It's a tough call if you want to choose between Druid Arch or doing the full Joint Trail. A second junction, in Elephant Canyon, is for the 2.5 mile path to Druid Arch, which provides an alternative entry into Chesler Park via a connecting trail that forks west after 1.3 miles. Go left on the trail to Druid Arch up the west side of the streambed. These cookies do not store any personal information. Druid Arch and Chesler Park - Canyonlands National Park - Needles District. Canyonlands National Park does require a fee that can either be covered by a week long pass, a Southeast Utah Park Pass Annual Pass, or the American the Beautiful Pass. At Elephant Hill trailhead, the start of the Chesler Park trail system. The Chesler Park, Druid Arch, Joint, and Devil's Pocket trails can all be accessed from this trailhead. I have a passion for writing, hiking, and camping and hope to share my experiences and adventures with our readers. You have successfully joined our subscriber list. Here the trail to Chesler Park veers off to the right. Before visiting the park, make sure to review regulations for permits and reservations and the pet policy. The trailhead is located at the southwest end of the Elephant Hill parking area (see driving directions). This is about 2 miles from Druid Arch. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. Then scramble up a pile of rocks to arrive at Druid Arch. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. And you will need the rest as to get back to the car, you have to the follow the Druid Arch hike the same way you came. The temperatures are more bearable and there are less people flooding the parks. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. 5 STAR HIKE !!! In order to ensure this area remains enjoyable to all who visit, please follow the, Gear Review | Big Agnes Copper Spur HV UL2 | Ultralight 2-Person Backpacking Pack, The Ultimate Guide to Arches National Park, The Ultimate Guide to Living a Sustainable Lifestyle, Cedar Mesa Sandstone pinnacles and cliffs. I’m going to have to ask you for a promise: if you hike and are ever in Needles, DO THE CHESLER PARK … This trail starts at the Elephant Hill Trailhead and to reach the trailhead you have to drive for 3-miles on an unpaved narrow road. Distance: 10.8 miles; out and back. Backpacking at Canyonlands, Needles District | Chesler Park, Joint Trail, and Druid Arch… Kayaking Painted Cave, the longest and deepest sea cave in the world; Channel Islands. Canyonlands was established as a national park 1964 and features three districts: Island in the Sky, The Needles, and the Maze. Druid Arch is no easy hike because of the sand and scrambling required. Trail: This is almost entirely a slickrock trail, with stone cairns marking the way. The usual starting place for the hike to Druid Arch is … The trail drops into the sandy wash bottom of Elephant Canyon to a junction for EC1 backcountry campsite and the Druid Arch … Meander along the perimeter of Chesler Park for the next 1.5 miles. The trail to the arch, starting at Elephant Hill, follows the first section of the trail to Chesler Park before turning up scenic Elephant Canyon. Trail Path and Map: Elephant Hill – Chesler Park – Jeep Trail – Joint Trail – Elephant Canyon (Druid Arch Trail) – Chesler Park – Elephant Hill. This route will take you down a 3-mile gravel road that is narrow and features blind curves so use caution while driving. I stopped several times to empty out all of this sand, actually enjoying the broken slickrock and other rocky features. Follow this wash using the cairns to help guide the way. To get back to the trailhead, head back down the rock scrambles until you reach the wash. I liked the Chesler Park/Joint Trail variation a little better but this was still one nice hike. Maps: USGS The Loop and Druid Arch; Trails Illustrated Needles. The trail to Druid Arch follows the first section of the trail to Chesler Park. Difficulty: Difficult. The terrain is very rugged and you will be continually climbing over and around obstacles; hence the trail seems longer than it really is. Make sure to enjoy a well deserved snack and snap some photos. The best time to visit Canyonlands and see Druid Arch is during the spring and fall. And loads of hiking up and down waterfalls/hills like this… kind of fun, and slippery. In the spring, the weather is a windier, and there’s more of a chance for rain. The next .6 miles lead over the small divide between Big Spring Canyon and Elephant Canyon, with good perspective on each. Just beyond the Elephant Hill trailhead bulletin board the path climbs steeply up a stone steps and ledges before heading south along a sandstone bench. The trail eventually got a … There are facilities at most of the popular trailheads. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. At this point, you are 3 miles from Druid Arch. The hike is 11 miles RT with 500 ft elevation gain. You are required to pack out your poop! Chesler Park; Chesler Park; We decided to add a side trip to Druid Arch, so we took a 0.8 mile connector trail to the Druid Arch Trail. Take caution here as even shoes with good grip will not help. However, this hike took more time as it required frequent wading/crossing of the river and loads of time looking for those tiny cairns. This is where I split off from the Chesler Park/Joint Trail and went on the Chesler Park/Druid Arch Trail. Several outcrops of Cedar Mesa Sandstone hide backcountry campsites. At Elephant Hill trailhead, the start of the Chesler Park trail system. Location: Island in the Sky. Loop length: 14 miles. After climbing up the slickrock, go left, following the cairns. The trail swings north at around 6 miles, as you continue hugging the edge of the park. While there aren't any mountains to climb in the Needles District the trails are far from flat. You will encounter a ladder that you will need to climb up. Summers in the deserts of Utah can be unforgiving with the intense heat and dry air. Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. You can unsubscribe anytime. Backpacking at Canyonlands, Needles District | Chesler Park, Joint Trail, and Druid Arch - YouTube. Chesler Park in Canyonlands Needles district is a unique area formed by the land cracking in a grid like formation, and then the water eroding away the cracks in between leaving tall needle like columns, and mushroom shaped rocks clustered together. Bear right; from this point, it is another 1.4 miles to Chesler Park. I would probably lean to the Joint Trail. For more details, review our Privacy Policy. By clicking âAcceptâ, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. Squeeze through the Joint Sign up today to get 10% off AVA Rafting and Zipline Trips and receive access to exclusive content. You will ascend 300 feet up the cave-like cleft before you level out again. The trail is primarily used for hiking, camping, and backpacking. Long Beach – Aqaurium of Pacific and Queen Mary, Day Hiking Grand Canyon – South Rim to River To South Rim, Epic African Adventure: Kilimanjaro and Safari, Morning Glory Bridge – Fifth Longgest Arch in the World, Panorama Trail to Illiliouete Falls/Panorama Point, Park Avenue, Balanced Rock and the Windows, Tongariro Alpine Crossing/Mt. The trail begins to drop down through a canyon with an abundance of Utah Junipers. This time I hiked the Chesler Park/Druid Arch variation, which is also a scenic 11 mile hike. Chesler Park is a famous trail system at Canyonlands National Park, which is famous for its multicolored rock spires. Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. Druid Arch to Chesler Park is a 11.2 mile moderately trafficked loop trail located near Monticello, Utah that features beautiful wild flowers and is rated as difficult.
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