Clousie

We plan to visit these two parks in the fall and would like any thoughts you have on which to spend more time hiking. Of course we'll look at the main overlooks in each park, but any suggestions for a nice 3-5 mile easy/moderate hike in either park?

Melnq8

We haven't made it to Dead Horse Point yet (so much to do elsewhere), but really enjoyed our visits to Canyonlands. Last winter we hiked the Neck Spring Trail in the Island of the Sky area of Canyonlands. Details from my TR here:

The trail is described in the Canyonlands Brochure as follows under Moderate, Mesa Top (Island in the Sky):

A walk back in time, this loop trail passes historic ranching features and two springs where cowboys watered cattle. With minor elevation changes, this trail is a great way to see some varied plant life.

This is a loop trail with a round trip distance of 5.8 miles and an elevation change of 300 feet. The climb back to the rim is steep but short…For safety’s sake please do not build additional rock cairns or create new routes by walking through sandy areas. It may be fun for you, but deceptive to other hikers who may become lost or injured…

The hike turned out to be a rather undulating and meandering trek below the canyon's rim. It crossed two streams… and the pièce de résistance, the aforementioned steep but short climb back to the rim, which was a doozy. I’m a lot of things, but I’m not a rock climber; especially when that rock is covered in ice. I didn’t think I was going to make it. (Note: Probably much easier without the snow and ice).

And those cairns….we would have been lost without them, as the trail would have been impossible to follow otherwise. We had to wonder if the rangers came out on a regular basis in the winter to clear snow from the cairns, which would be hidden otherwise.

The views were beautiful, the silence absolute, and we saw not another soul.

And from my May visit TR, when we visited the Needles District of Canyonlands:

It was 44 F when we left for the Needles District of Canyonlands, located ~75 miles southwest of Moab via US 191 and UT 211 (the drive on 211 was gorgeous!). They weren’t kidding, this park is BIG.

UT 211 is the only paved road leading in and out of Needles; it’s more remote, and on this particular day, much quieter and warmer than Arches or Island in the Sky had been.

We drove all of the 2WD roads in the park and took all of the short hikes – Roadside Ruin, Cave Spring, Pothole Point (so named for the ‘potholes’ that have formed in the slickrock on the trail – these trap water after rain and house worms, snails and shrimp), and Slickrock Trail (the most challenging – two hours – all of it on, you guessed it – slickrock, outcroppings of smooth weathered sandstone, fortunately dry today).

It was perfect hiking weather, the lizards were lively and the flowers stunning.

StantonHyde

Canyonlands for the win! Go to the Needles District!! Check out the park newsletter on www.nps.gov it lists hikes, distances, and difficulty

Clousie

Thanks for the info on the hikes you did at Canyonlands, Melnq8. The hike sounds good, but not sure my friends would like the steep rock climbing. I think we'll only be visiting the Islands of the Sky section of the park. Always love reading your trip reports.

Now having said we'll be going to Islands of the Sky section, what do you like better in the Needles section, StantonHyde? We could perhaps stop there on our way from Moab to Mesa Verde.

StantonHyde

Click on my user name for trip reports--Moab, Canyonlands, etc. We go every year in February, so there are several. The Cave Springs Trail is fantastic and there is another one I can't remember the name, but its in my trip report. It's fairly flat and has good views. Also--stop at Newspaper rock to see all of the rock art.

oldemalloy

Good advice so far. In Needles district, do not miss the easy hike to Mesa Arch or the one at the end of the road, I think it is something like Green river overlook.

Patty

I think oldemalloy meant to say Islands in the Sky district. Mesa Arch is beautiful at sunrise. If you're continuing to Mesa Verde, it makes sense to include the Needles district that day.

Clousie

I will definitely check your trip reports StantonHyde and probably come back with more questions.

We'll be in Moab 4 nights and Mesa Verde 2 before moving west to Capitol Reef, Bryce and Zion. I've been to the area before; first time spent 2 weeks in Zion, Bryce/ Capitol Reef and Cedar Breaks. Second time, Moab area, Mesa Verde and an overlap of Capitol Reef. Liked to spend time hiking rather than driving all over. Great hiking and scenery in early October. This time, 20 years later for western parks and 7 for Moab area and going with 4 also retired girl friends. Body feels those years between trips.

Want to show them the best each park has to offer without having a revolt of hiking. So trying to pick the most scenic trails that aren't too difficult. Already thinking of Wall Street in Arches. They can hike and I'll pick them up at other end. Probably also Landscape Arch. Will come back late afternoon for Windows area.

oldemalloy

thanks, Patty, and Clousie, I did mean Island in the Sky. In Arches there are several pretty easy hikes. While I would not call the hike out to Delicate Arch easy, it was one of the most memorable ones we have taken and we were in our seventies when we did it. We find that we need to get used to the elevation before we tackle hikes that involve elevation changes.
if you click my user name there is a picture of us at Delicate Arch.

The drive up 128 from Moab to Fisher Towers is very nice if you want to sit and relax.

If you can get lodging in Mesa Verde at Far View Lodge, you will avoid the trip up and down the Mesa multiple times. When we have been there, the dinner at the Metate restaurant was better than most NP places.

I do have some TRs under my former user name, emalloy, if you want to see more.

DaveS

Take an hour to view Dead Horse Point on the way toe Islands in the sky.

Mesa arch is a no brainer due to the short distance and big payoff. Another short/flat hike (about 2 miles RT) is Grand View Point at the end of the road, great views. One more little detour we like is Aztec Butte. Looking at the first Butte you see from the parking lot head to the left hand side of it. On the North side of the Butte towards the top (scramble up) there are a couple of Granaries, picture below with my boys.

Granaries Aztec Butte Hike