guided backpacking trips utah

10 Best Utah Backpacking Trips

Discover the best Utah backpacking trips across the state from easy but scenic one-night trips to multi-day backcountry adventures.

Although Utah is most famous for its “Mighty Five” National Parks (Arches, Canyonlands, Capitol Reef, Bryce, and Zion), more than 70% of the state is classified as public land from national monuments to recreation areas to national forests to BLM areas, and the opportunities for outdoor recreation are expansive.

If you’re ready to stretch your legs on some longer multi-day hikes, here are 10 of the best backpacking trips in Utah, ranging from incredibly beautiful overnights to challenging week-long trips.

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Best Utah Backpacking Trips – Mapped

1. Coyote Gulch Loop

• Location: Glen Canyon National Recreation Area
• Trail Type: Loop
• Distance: 10.6 miles
• Suggested Time: 2 days, 1 night
• Difficulty: Hard
• Permit needed? Yes
• Best Seasons: Spring and fall

If you’re in the market for a relatively short but delectably sweet overnight hike, head to Coyote Gulch , which borders Glen Canyon National Recreation Area and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument.

This hike can be done in several variations, up to 22 miles in length, but this 10.6-mile loop hits many of the area’s highlights including two arches, a natural bridge, and numerous waterfalls.

First, stop at the Escalante Interagency Visitor Center in the town of Escalante to pick up your permit, inquire about road conditions and get the latest weather report.

The 10.6-mile loop is accessed by driving the notoriously rutted Hole in the Rock Road to the infamously sandy 40 Mile Ridge Trailhead. Depending on the road conditions, which change from year to year and season to season, you will likely need 4WD , especially for the deep sand on the last two miles to the trailhead. If your vehicle isn’t 4WD, you may be able to start the loop from the Hurricane Wash trailhead, 33.8 miles down Hole in the Rock Road.

Coyote Gulch’s biggest draw is the miracle of water in the desert. You’ll likely get your feet wet on this hike as the route follows and continuously crosses a perennial stream to its confluence with the Escalante River. Beware of flash flood danger in late summer and avoid this hike if thunderstorms are in the forecast.

From the 40 Mile Ridge Trailhead, the first mile is a bit of a sandy slog but soon you’ll enter the Crack in the Wall, a tight 18-inch wide fissure that drops you off the edge of the mesa into the canyon.

Plan to bring a rope to lower your backpacks through this section. The best campsites are found between miles 4 and 5 and water is found throughout the canyon seeping from natural springs trickling out of the canyon walls.

To exit the canyon, you’ll need to tackle a short scramble up some ledges just past Jacob Hamblin Arch. Inexperienced hikers may find this section intimidating, but there are often fixed ropes here to help protect the climb but you may want to bring your own.

Read next: For a slightly longer one-way trail (vs. loop above), check out our Coyote Gulch Backpacking guide which covers the hike from Hurricane Wash to Crack in the Wall.

Planning information

2. Reflection Canyon

• Trail Type: Out and Back
• Distance: 15.2 miles
• Difficulty: Moderate

This adventurous overnight hike ends at one of the best sunset/sunrise spots in southern Utah, overlooking a uniquely squiggly arm of Lake Powell. This view of bright blue goosenecked bays bordered by towering Navajo sandstone cliffs was made famous by National Geographic and then Apple computers, which used an image of this vantage point in advertisements for the 2012 MacBook Pro.

You’ll need a reliable 4WD vehicle to drive the 50 miles of ruts and bumps down the Hole in the Rock Road to the trailhead. From there, you’ll need a strong sense of direction and a lot of water. There are no sources of water on this trek so you’ll need to carry enough for two days of strenuous hiking and a night of camping and cooking.

Before leaving Escalante, be sure to have the route downloaded on your favorite hiking app . Most of the route runs over slickrock and there’s no defined trail. Aim to follow the long line of cliffs on your right (west) as you hike south. If you stray too far east away from the cliffs you’ll end up in a maze of often impassable slot canyons.

About five miles from the trailhead, you’ll turn southeast to head towards the overlook. From here, you’ll be treated to magnificent views from sunset to stars to sunrise.

New to hiking in the desert?

3. Lower Hackberry Canyon

• Location: Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument
• Distance: 12.4 miles

Travel back in time to visit a historic cabin and the beautiful Sam Pollack arch on this overnight trek into Lower Hackberry Canyon.

Located at the southern end of the Cockscomb, an imposing and colorful ridge of uplifted sandstone, Lower Hackberry Canyon winds into the heart of the comb, following a beautiful creek that runs most of the year.

About four miles into the hike, you’ll reach Frank Watson’s cabin. Built in 1914 using cottonwood logs harvested on-site, this one-room cabin was restored in 2021 and is an excellent example of a 100-year-old homestead.

Intrepid hikers may also want to seek out an even older abode in the nearby side canyon: a small food storage granary, some grinding stones, and an intriguing humanoid pictograph found nearby in a hidden alcove.

After exploring the cabin and the side canyon, hike another half mile north up Hackberry Canyon to the confluence with Sam Pollock Canyon where you’ll find some great tenting options under the cottonwood trees.

Following Sam Pollock Canyon to the northwest, in another 1.5 miles you’ll reach the spectacular Sam Pollock Arch.

Read next: Heading to Kanab? Read our guide on the best things to do in Kanab, Utah to make the most of your visit.

4. Paria River to Lee’s Ferry and Buckskin Gulch

• Location: Paria Canyon-Vermilion Cliffs Wilderness Area
• Trail Type: Point to Point
• Distance: 40 miles
• Suggested Time: 4 days, 3 nights
• Permit needed? Yes (and they are competitive)

Get your fill of world-class slot canyons on this 40-mile route that starts in Utah and ends at the Colorado River in Arizona.

The Paria River is a major tributary of the Colorado, joining the Colorado River at Lee’s Ferry upstream of the Grand Canyon.

Along the way, you’ll spend two whole days in a narrow slot canyon with an optional side trip into Buckskin Gulch, one of the world’s longest continuous slots.

Permits for both the Paria and Buckskin Gulch are extremely competitive with only 20 people a day allowed into the Paria. See permit info below.

The Paria’s stunningly beautiful setting makes this a popular hike but it’s important to know that it is also extremely challenging . For much of the trek, you’ll be repeatedly crossing the creek and often wading in the water as well as dodging ubiquitous quicksand.

Spring and fall are the most desirable months but freezing water temperatures early and late season can make for miserable conditions.

In the summer, the canyon dries up and turns into a furnace while late summer monsoons can deliver deadly flash floods in these inescapable canyons.

If you manage to snag a permit during a good weather window when the Paria is running but not too high, you’ll be in for some of the most beautiful days of your life.

After leaving from the White House trailhead, the canyon begins narrowing down into its legendary slot, passing between towering red walls of Navajo sandstone.

Just after 7 miles, you’ll pass the confluence with Buckskin Gulch with a few campsites near the junction. A side trip up the narrow corridor of Buckskin Gulch is a must-do. This is one of the most beautiful and harrowing slot canyons on Earth!

Back in the Paria, you’ll continue south, following the endless twists, turns, and meanders into the ever-deepening and narrowing slot. Keep your eyes out for springs seeping from the walls. These are your best water sources, as the Paria itself is usually too silty to filter.

After more than 30 miles in the narrows, the canyon widens as it approaches its mouth at the Colorado River. Here you’ll find Lee’s Ferry, a historic crossing of the Colorado that now serves as the put-in for rafting trips into the Grand Canyon.

Read next: Get more tips for planning your adventure with our Paria Canyon Backpacking guide (which skips the Buckskin Gulch section).

5. The Boulder Mail Trail

• Distance: 15 miles
• Suggested Time: 3 days, 2 nights

Until the 1930s, the remote town of Boulder, Utah received its mail by mule, transported via the Boulder Mail Trail. Running in a fairly straight line between Escalante and Boulder, the Mail Trail crosses three major canyons and a lot of slickrock.

With precipitous drop-offs and deep water sections, the route is not for the faint of heart and it’s a wonder that the postal mules regularly traversed it with few mishaps.

The Mail Trail can be hiked in either direction but since the Boulder trailhead is almost 1,000 feet higher in elevation than the Escalante trailhead, most people hike from east to west for a net downhill hike, ending in Escalante.

Most of the route is well-cairned but you’ll want to be familiar with navigating on slickrock and have the route downloaded on your favorite hiking app before you begin.

The three major canyons, from east to west, are Sand Creek, Death Hollow, and Mamie Creek, each with its own character.

Water is usually found in both Sand Creek and Death Hollow and less reliably in Mamie. Death Hollow is the deepest and arguably loveliest of the three canyons, requiring an 800-foot descent down through Navajo sandstone benches into the canyon.

In Death Hollow, you’ll likely get your feet wet as you follow the creek for about a mile. Avoid the brushy banks as they’re often rife with poison ivy. Also, flash floods are a real danger here so be sure to check the weather before you commit to this hike.

The slickrock climb out of Death Hollow is marked by cairns and is easy to miss. The other route continues downstream to where Death Hollow meets the Escalante River.

You’ll also cross a fourth, unnamed canyon before reaching the Escalante trailhead. In total you’ll gain and lose around 2,500 feet of elevation throughout the 15-mile trek, going from Boulder to Escalante.

6. Bullet Canyon to Grand Gulch

• Location: Bears Ears National Monument
• Distance: 20 miles

More than 1,000 years ago, this complex of deep serpentine canyons in what is now Bears Ears National Monument was a neighborhood inhabited by hundreds of people.

Many generations of families made a living here by growing food and hunting wild game and living in multi-roomed dwellings, often situated under overhanging cliffs. They also created art by painting and etching the walls of the canyon.

But as the climate became warmer and dryer, resources became scarcer and people began building defensive dwellings and food storage structures high on cliff ledges, reachable by only seemingly superhuman feats of athleticism and bravery. Around 700 years ago, people left the canyon, moving into larger Pueblo communities to the south and east.

Thousands of ancient dwellings are found throughout the Bears Ears region but Grand Gulch is famous for the density and preservation of sites. Today, Grand Gulch is preserved as an outdoor museum , with many artifacts and relics left in place.

All visitors to this fragile and sacred place must follow all Leave No Trace principles , as well as additional guidelines for visiting archaeological sites, including:

Permits for this trip, which follows Bullet Canyon to Grand Gulch to Kane Gulch, are competitive and all hikers, including day hikers, need to check in at the Kane Gulch Ranger Station before exploring the area.

Water remains scarce in these canyons so be sure to check with the rangers that springs are flowing or you may need to carry water for your entire trip.

7. Under the Rim Trail plus Rigg’s Spring Loop

• Location: Bryce Canyon National Park
• Distance: 31.8 miles
• Best Seasons: Late spring, summer, and fall

Bryce Canyon is one of the country’s smallest national parks, only covering 55 square miles of land. But what the pocket-sized park lacks in size it makes up for in scenery. It boasts an incredibly colorful hoodoo spire-studded amphitheater that has been scooped out of the high-elevation Paunsaugunt Plateau.

Bryce is famous for its awe-inspiring overlooks but backpackers can get to know the park’s hoodoos, windows, and slot canyons on a more intimate level on the Under the Rim Trail.

This 23-mile trail begins at Rainbow Point in the south and runs north to Bryce Point, skirting the forested base of the plateau’s eastern edge. For bonus miles, add on the 8.8-mile long Rigg’s Spring Loop at the start of your trek.

Park shuttles connect all of the overlooks, including Rainbow Point and Bryce Point, making for easy logistics at the start and end of your hike.

Bryce Canyon reaches elevations over 8,000 feet, keeping this park much cooler in the summer months than the rest of Utah’s red rock country, which is often too hot for summer exploration. But even with cooler temperatures, water is still scarce in the amphitheater. Always check with park rangers about water availability before beginning your trek.

Some hikers elect to leave a water cache at the junction of the Under the Rim trail and the Swamp Creek connector trail. Bottles must be labeled with the hiker’s name and permit dates and must be packed out at the end of your hike.

Read next: Looking to spend more time in Bryce National Park? Check out our complete guide for more tips on the best hikes, where to stay, and things to do.

8. West Rim Trail

• Location: Zion National Park
• Distance: 14.1 miles
• Permit needed? Yes (permits are competitive)

Take the scenic footpath route into Zion via the West Rim trail. This 14-mile route starts at Lava Point in the Kolob Canyons unit of Zion, northwest of the main part of the park.

Lava Point sits at nearly 8,000 feet of elevation, while Zion Canyon dips down to 4,000 feet, making this a net downhill hike.

For the first 6.5 miles, you’ll be treated to sweeping views of Wildcat Canyon and the West Rim of Zion before beginning your descent at Cabin Spring into Zion Canyon where you’ll end at the Grotto Picnic Area.

With a little planning and a lot of luck, you could also apply for a permit to hike Angel’s Landing, which you’ll pass on your way down into Zion. A new lottery system was implemented in 2023 to limit the number of hikers on the notoriously narrow route, but it’s worth trying for a permit since it’s a spectacular hike (if you don’t mind heights!)

The West Rim’s higher elevation makes this route possible during the hotter summer months, but you should be prepared to spend part of the day in the shade and hike in the cooler morning and evening hours.

There are nine designated campsites along this route and water is usually available from several springs and natural sources along the way but be sure to check availability before you start your hike.

Read next: Need help planning your trip? Check out our West Rim Trail Backpacking Guide and our general Zion National Park Guide .

9. Mount Timpanogos

• Location: Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest
• Distance: 14.3 miles
• Permit needed? No
• Best Seasons: Summer and early fall

Towering over the greater Salt Lake City metropolitan area, Mount Timpanogos , affectionately known as “Timp”, is the second-highest peak in the Wasatch Range, reaching 11,753 feet in elevation.

The 14.3-mile round trip hike to the summit gains over 4,400 feet of elevation and for many people, is best broken up into an overnight hike.

The trek begins at the Timpooneke trailhead, next to the Timpooneke campground, and follows the South Fork River past Scout Falls up into Timpanogos Basin. Most people elect to camp here, near Emerald Lake, and tackle the final climb up to the saddle and scramble along the windy ridge to the summit.

On top, you’ll be rewarded with unparalleled views of the Great Salt Lake Valley, Utah Lake and Provo Canyon. Mountain goats are often spotted on the surrounding cliffs and ridges.

Beware of lightning danger in the summer , though. It’s best to be off the summit by early afternoon to avoid thunderstorms.

This hike can also be done from the Aspen Grove Trailhead, which has a similar mileage and slightly more elevation gain, meeting the Timpooneke route near Emerald Lake.

Read next: 3-Day Backpacking Checklist

Read next: Read our Timopanogos trail guide for more tips on planning your hike.

10. Uinta Highline Trail

• Trail Type: High Uintas Wilderness
• Distance: 104 miles
• Suggested Time: 9 days, 8 nights
• Best Seasons: Summer

Utah’s most famous long-distance hike follows the crest of the Uinta Mountains, an east-to-west running mountain range in the northeast corner of the state. Along the way, you’ll tag King’s Peak, the highest point in Utah at 13,528 feet and known for being one of the most remote high points in the state.

The Highline Trai can be hiked in either direction, but most thru-hikers elect to go from east to west , starting at McKee Draw and ending at Hayden Pass near Mirror Lake.

The trail crosses eight named mountain passes, all over 11,200 feet of elevation, altogether gaining and losing over 16,000 feet of elevation.

Water abounds on this route and can be found in many small creeks and alpine lake basins and meadows. In between the passes, you’ll dip back into aspen groves and pine forests, which can give some cover during the afternoon thunderstorms that often roll across the mountains in late summer.

The hiking season can be short in the Uintas, especially in deep snow years when the passes may remain snow-covered until late July or August.

Utah is home to unlimited outdoor adventures. Here are a few more Utah blog posts to help you plan an epic trip to this incredible state:

• 9-Day Utah National Parks Itinerary
• Best Utah State Parks for Hiking and Camping
• Best Hikes in Utah: 20 epic trails
• Best Hikes Near Salt Lake City

Have you done any backpacking trips in Utah? What are your favorite trails and routes? Which of these are on your bucket list? Let us know in the comments!

Mary is a freelance science and travel writer. For over a decade, Mary was a roving correspondent for EARTH magazine, where her favorite beat was the Travels in Geology column. She also founded the Living in Geologic Time column for Eos magazine and her work has appeared in Science News, High Country News, and the Guardian. She also writes the popular blog Travels with the Blonde Coyote, and is the author of Aerial Geology: A High-Altitude Tour of North America’s Spectacular Volcanoes, Canyons, Glaciers, Lakes, Craters and Peaks. In her 15 years as a North American road-warrior nomad, Mary has hiked in all 50 states and visited over 200 national parks. When she’s not at the keyboard she can usually be found outside—hiking, skiing, climbing mountains, and taking photographs.

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Utah Guided Trips

View Our Latest Guided Trips in Utah

Guided Hiking, Backpacking, and Basecamp Trips in Utah

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Ready to go hiking or backpacking in Utah’s canyon country? Blue Marble will make your trip a breeze! We handle all planning, cooking, and permits- you show up and go!

Go guided with Blue Marble today.

Why go with blue marble guides, safety first.

Our guests and employees safety is our top priority on every adventure. All guides are trained and certified in CPR and First Aid, equipped with fully outfitted first aid kits and extra water.  Most guides also have more advanced certifications.

food & Accommodations

All of our multi-day adventures come fully equipped with high-quality tents and excellent sleeping pads rented from trusted gear outfitters.  For food, you can expect home-cooked, backcountry meals planned by a professional chef, and perfectly executed by our guides.

geologist guides

Our lead guides are geologists with at least a Bachelor of Science in geology from an accredited university. They are carefully chosen based upon their expertise in the area of your trip, and will ensure your every need is satisfied.

Utah is known for having incredible access to the outdoors. In most cities throughout the state, you can go from eating lunch downtown to setting up camp in the backcountry within an hour. Not bad, eh? A little further afield, Utah is also home to some incredible, incredibly remote areas that are well worth the effort. Scan the list below for something that fits your schedule and ambition and start making your weekend plans. Better to print out your maps than rely on your phone, though, because you can’t count on a signal.

1. Backpack Mount Timpanogos

2. Backpack to Red Pine Lake

3. Backpack and Camp at Ibantik Lake

4. Backpack Amethyst Basin

5. Backpack to Red Castle and Red Castle Lakes

6. Backpack Coyote Gulch

7. Backpack Reflection Canyon

8. Backpack Bryce Canyon’s Under the Rim Trail

9. Backpack to Joint Trail in the Needles District, Canyonlands National Park

Explore some of the most unique rock formations in the world in the Needles District of Canyonlands National Park. Learn more .

10. Backpack Kings Peak

Get more information on these trails and others around Utah at Utah.com .

Cover photo: Emily Goodman

We want to acknowledge and thank the past, present, and future generations of all Native Nations and Indigenous Peoples whose ancestral lands we travel, explore, and play on. Always practice Leave No Trace ethics on your adventures and follow local regulations. Please explore responsibly!

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Utah Backpacking Trips

Backpacking Utah’s Slickrock Canyon Country  is unlike exploring any other landscape on Earth; it is an unbelievably colorful region of deep red-walled canyons with clear streams flanked by a lush growth of willow and cottonwood. There are slot canyons and ancient Indian ruins, too. It is spectacular! Above the canyons are high, wide-open mesas of sprawling “slickrock” sandstone, plus sandstone domes, sand dunes, arches and many other spectacular geologic features. Open woodlands of juniper and pinyon provide additional greenery, and from these mesas you can see forever! Backpacking in Utah with Big Wild is a truly unique experience.

Big Wild Adventures has been organizing and leading some of the best Utah backpacking trips into the canyon country wilderness for  over three decades . Join us in the big wilds of Canyonlands National Park, the Escalante Canyons and the Utah Grand Staircase backcountry of the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. By the way, the Grand Staircase trip is one of our more rugged and remote Utah backpacking trips . The Utah backcountry is among the most exciting and primeval landscapes on Earth!

Please note  that our Utah hiking trips may fill up quickly, and we take reservations on a first-come, first-served basis. So don’t miss out!  To reserve your space, call  406-823-0337.  We can’t wait to backpack southern Utah and explore the colorful wilds with you!

  KALEIDOSCOPE ROCKS OF CANYONLANDS NATIONAL PARK

Utah $2,100 (inclusive*) • April 22-27, 2024

Trip at a glance:  The trip is rated moderately easy and its base is Grand Junction, CO. In this trip we will explore some of the most colorful landscapes on this planet. This adventure in the backcountry of Canyonlands National Park will include colorful sheer canyon walls, beautiful arches, unique high desert vegetation, refreshing streams flanked by lush growth of willow and cottonwood, and magnificent rock formations. Native wildlife is also in this portion of the Colorado Plateau includes desert bighorns, bobcats, golden eagle and more. We will see ruins and pictographs of ancient cultures. This trip is absolutely beautiful and you will experience much of what backpacking in Utah’s unmatched canyon country has to offer on a really mellow hiking route. This is one of the best backpacking trails in Utah. View full trip details >>

GRAND STAIRCASE BACKCOUNTRY, CANYON AND MESA MAGIC

Utah 2,100 (inclusive*) • April 15-20, 2024

Trip at a glance:  This trip is rated fairly strenuous and its base is Cedar City, UT. We will adventure just a few miles north of Arizona in an extremely remote section of the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. This National Monument is full of deep canyons, colorful rocks, spectacular views, high mesas, arches and awesome sandstone formations. This trip also includes cool desert streams, pinyon-juniper forests, peregrine falcons and other birds of prey. At the end of a long day, you will have the opportunity for some great star gazing. This is a real gem, a relatively unknown wild chunk of southern Utah canyon country! View full trip details >>

REDROCK CANYONS OF THE WILD ESCALANTE

Utah $2,100(inclusive*) • October 14-19, 2024

Trip at a glance:  This trip is rated moderate and its base is Cedar City, UT. Although uphills are limited, there are lots of stream crossings, some hiking upstream, some bushwhacking, and lots of sand. This trip is absolutely stunning! We will be hiking through a magnificent canyon system that has been cut by the Escalante River. We will hike through colorful sedimentary rock formations of the Colorado Plateau including red canyon walls, arches, alcoves and more. The Escalante River and tributaries are full of cool water and lined with lush growth of oak, cottonwood, box-elder, willow and grass. Whether you get to see spring wildflowers or fall colors in October, this is a trip you will not want to miss. There is always plenty of time to explore side canyons. We spend a minimum of one night on top of the slickrock desert above the canyon where the views are stunning! In this area we also typically see ruins and rock art of ancient cultures. View full trip details >>

Boulder Mail Trail Grand Staircase-Escalante NM, Utah

Utah $2,100 (inclusive*) • September 30- October 5 , 2024

Trip at a glance:  This trip is rated moderate ly strenuous, and its base is Cedar City, UT.

This trip is as spectacular as it is diverse! This long-abandon, historic mail route, now part of the 1.9 million acre Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, crosses three major canyons of the Escalante River including the awe-inspiring Death Hollow. Dropping into Death Hollow’s 800 ft Navajo sandstone chasm is an experience not soon forgotten. Our adventure also takes us down 14 miles of the beautiful, winding Escalante River. This hike showcases some of the most spectacular canyon and slickrock scenery in southern Utah . Our route cross es Juniper-pine benches , cool streams, past natural bridges, arches, and then peaceful groves of cottonwoods nestled along the Escalante River. There will be opportunity to see ruins and rock art of ancient cultures . Steep drop offs, mild exposure and a few steep ascents and descents through the first days of the hike account for the moderately strenuous rating. Total backpack mileage is about 28.

View full trip details >>

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*All trip prices include equipment (backpack, day-pack, tent, sleeping bag and pad, eating utensils), food and cooking (3 meals/day plus snacks), cooking gear, trip planning, comprehensive safety instruction, all user/permit fees, transportation from town to and from the trailheads, and our professional guide/naturalist staff. There is a $300 discount if you bring your own equipment.

Book Your Trip! Space is limited! Have questions? Call (406) 823-0337

The Utah Landscape

Utah is a land of such radical and amazing diversity that it is difficult to characterize it in a small amount of space. Nonetheless, we’ll give it a try. North-central and northeastern Utah harbor the two most famous mountain ranges in the state, the Wasatch and the Uintas. Though there are few chunks of big wilderness in the Wasatch, the High Uintas Wilderness is the largest high mountain wild area in Utah. Though less isolated and wild, the Wasatch Mountains form a striking backdrop to the Greater Salt Lake City Utah metropolitan area, also known as the “Wasatch Front”.

Big Wild Adventures eschews hiking near large metropolitan areas. We want our clients to experience real wilderness in a remote setting, with minimal light pollution and maximum wildness. Fortunately, when the Wasatch Front is in the rear-view mirror, wild Utah quickly begins to assert herself, and what an assertion it is!

Although there are many other rugged Utah mountain ranges beyond the Wasatch and the Uintas, it is the Canyon Country that comprises Utah habitat for Big Wild Adventures. This otherworldly landscape of southern Utah forms the bulk of a geographic region unlike any other on Earth. Geologists call it the Colorado Plateau, but in popular jargon much of this Utah landscape is simply known as “Canyon Country”. Or “Slickrock Country”. Or “Red-rock Canyon Country” or even “Canyonlands”, although that name is more properly reserved for Canyonlands National Park, one of Canyon Country’s major protected areas and a place frequented by Big Wild Adventures.

Whatever you call it, though, you get the picture. To call Canyon Country in Utah colorful understates the reality. A kaleidoscope of colored rocks dominate the scenery, and yes, many of the rocks are red or reddish, a facet of the iron oxide that results from weathering rock in the high desert Utah climate.

But exploring in Utah’s Canyon Country isn’t just about the rocks and their colors. Deep, often vertical-walled canyons slice through the Utah plateaus. Amazingly verdant plant communities flank cool clear canyon-bottom streams, though some of the Utah canyons are as dry as the Sahara. Don’t worry, though, Big Wild guides know which canyons have water. And some of the canyons are true slots; so narrow that one must turn sideways in order to move!

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Scheduled utah trips.

At the link below, you can read about all of our Utah backpacking and hiking trips for the current year.

All Utah Trips

List prices include our complete gear package and there is a $300 discount if you bring your own  (see our Canoeing List, Backpacking List, and/or Questionnaire for details – found here ). Also, we offer a $300 discount for the second trip in a calendar year. Scheduled trips are for persons ages 14 and over. Exceptions to the age requirement will be made by us on a case-by-case basis.

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DEEP DESERT EXPEDITIONS

Moab's premier private guide service, we are uniquely qualified to offer an exceptional  experience celebrating our 14th season, utah's premier private guide service, exclusively offering private full and half-day guided tours and custom multi-day adventures. our expert guides will teach you about the desert environment, geology, and local history and lore while visiting dinosaur tracks, petroglyph and pictograph panels, and some of the most scenic places in the united states: arches and canyonlands national parks, bears ears national monument, and the surrounding areas. please note: arches national park no longer allows guides in the fiery furnace.  .

I want to again thank you for a great experience last week.  The views were awesome, the hiking vigorous (with a few times a wee bit frightening for a non-hiker!), your wealth of knowledge outstanding, and

your enthusiasm for your work is contagious .

  Also impressive was your cooking!

 SCOTTSDALE, AZ

We had a thoroughly enjoyable, highly interesting and thought-provoking afternoon on our desert and rock art tour with Mike.

He was the highlight of our trip to Moab

and we can't say enough about this thoughtfulness, intelligence and humor. We should have booked an entire day with him!

VANCOUVER, CANADA

Deep Desert Expeditions, exceeded our expectations.

Mike is a uniquely talented individual, a “renaissance man” of sorts, who places a heavy emphasis on your personal safety. Being a physician with an interest in photography, we had a lot in common. One of my lifelong goals was to get that perfect photograph of False Kiva in late afternoon with storm clouds in the distance. Mission accomplished! 

Dr. Ed & Caroline L. 

JACKSONVILLE, FL

False Kiva has been closed to guides by the Park Service.

• Things To Do

Backpacking

Keep Utah Forever Mighty Stay Safe & Leave No Trace

8 Fan-Favorite Backpacking Trips in Utah

1. lake blanche trail , 2. big needles loop in canyonlands, 3. west rim trail of zion, 4. red pine lake trail, 5. dark canyon wilderness trail, 6. lone peak via lake hardy.

This 12 mile point-to-point trail starts in Alpine, Utah and ends at Bells Canyon (near Sandy, Utah) on the Little Cottonwood Canyon side. Lone Peak via Lake Hardy is an overnight backpack through the heart of Utah’s first congressionally-designated wilderness.

7. Egypt Road

Near Escalante, the Egypt-Twentyfive Mile Wash takes backpackers on a 20-mile loop through a desert canyon of slickrock, sand and wash bottoms. Plan on a 2-day minimum, but 4 or 5 days for a more leisurely exploration.

8. Owl Canyon

Another backpacking trip near Blanding, the Owl Creek-Fish Creek Loop, Cedar Mesa is a multi-day trip through two desert canyons. Spy three arches, rock art and ancestral cliff dweelings along the strenuous 17-mile loop.

"I was to look around me as though I had never been in this place before. And slowly, my travels began to bear fruit."

– Alain de Botton, The Art of Travel

BACKPACKING REGIONS IN UTAH

Backpacking Utah's Red Rock Country

Southern Utah has some of the best backpacking around. Explore more information here and plan your trip. Visit Utah.

Uinta Mountains Backpacking: Northeastern Utah

Blue-ribbon backpacking is abundant throughout the High Uintas Mountains.

Wasatch Range Backpacking

Here are a few of the best backpack trips in the Wasatch Mountains.

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Backpacking Tips and Tricks

There is no more varied place in the world than Utah to backpack. Here are a few tips to help get you in the right mindset for backpacking in Utah.

• The season can determine the destination, whether you choose to head for the mountains, make a pilgrimage to the desert, or both.
• Two-thirds of Utah is public land: Five  national parks , nine million acres of  national forest , millions of acres within  national monuments and national recreation areas , and vast areas managed by the Bureau of Land Management.
• Regardless of where you choose to hike, keep safety in mind and be cautious.
• Never hike alone, always tell your friends and family where you are going and when you plan to return. Learn more about how you can support Utah’s local search and rescue teams with a Utah Search and Rescue Assistance card .
• Always carry plenty of water in both the deserts and mountains, no matter the season, no matter the outside temperature. You are hiking at high elevation.
• Bring a first-aid kit and a water filter. It's a good idea to take more food and water than you think you'll need in the event you become stranded.
• Be prepared to be truly self-reliant.
• Most importantly, have a safe, fun, and rewarding experience.

The Seven Leave No Trace Principles

• Plan ahead and prepare.
• Travel and camp on durable surfaces.
• Dispose of waste properly.
• Leave what you find.
• Minimize campfire impacts (be careful with fire).
• Respect wildlife.
• Be considerate of other visitors.
• Learn more here .

Lonesome Wilderness in the High Uintas

Discover more.

Previous Group Next Group

A First-ever Camping Trip on BLM Lands

Written By Sara Hobbs

As a new resident of the western United States, I’ve discovered the gift of recreating on public lands. Though daunting at first, after researching and waiting too long, the time finally felt right to try camping on BLM lands in Utah’s dinosaur country. There is no shame in trying something new.

A Visitor's Guide to Zion's Kolob Canyons

Written By Matcha

In the Kolob Canyons section of Zion National Park, you’ll find a scenic wonderland with an adventure for everyone. Learn more about this unforgettable attraction and plan a visit.

An Old Favorite Fishing Hole at the Flaming Gorge Reservoir

Written By Dan Potts

6 minute read

Visit Utah columnist Dan Potts takes us to his "secret" fishing hole on Utah's Flaming Gorge Reservoir, one of the world's most diverse fisheries set among the brilliant red rock walls of Red Canyon in the easternmost corner of the state. Along the way, Dan takes us through some of his favorite landscapes on the drive to and from Salt Lake City.

Backpacking in Canyonlands National Park

Written By Visit Utah

7 minute read

Canyonlands National Park offers a spectrum of backpacking opportunities — from short trips at designated backcountry campsites to longer, adventurous trips that require extensive planning and desert canyon navigational knowledge.

Backpacking the High Uintas Wilderness [VIDEO]

Written By Andrew Dash Gillman

8 minute read

Field notes — plus a short film — on backpacking the High Uintas Wilderness. Pursue solitude, extended moments of introspection, cutthroat trout and the Milky Way.

Backpacking: Start 'Em Early

Written By Tim Sullivan

Follow a father and his seven-year-old daughter on her first-ever backpacking trip at the Red Cliffs Desert Reserve.

Dog-Friendly Utah: The Road to Mighty

Want to bring your furry friend on your next vacation? Utah is home to several great dog-friendly national parks and other fun destinations. Check it out and plan your trip!

Enjoying the Simple Pleasures of Lake Life on Palisade Reservoir

4 minute read

Utah’s beautiful Palisade Reservoir is an oasis of serene water in the central part of the state, a perfect getaway for paddling, fishing, swimming and camping.

Escalante River Canyon Trail

Located in the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, the Escalante River Canyon river trail winds and knots its way east and south.

Exploring Utah's Little Sahara

Little Sahara Recreation Area is an unforgettable destination for sand dunes in Utah and ATV, camping, hiking, and sand-boarding enthusiasts.

Field Notes: Backpacking With Children

2 minute read

Author Tim Sullivan shares his tips and tricks on backpacking with his young children.

Find a Winter Refresh in a Utah State Park

Written By Rosie Serago

The best Utah state parks will entice you with ice fishing, white sand and snow-dusted scenery. Take a winter break to refresh with a visit to a few of these places.

Fishing Fish Lake

5 minute read

The largest natural mountain lake in Utah, Fish Lake sits at more than 8,800 feet of elevation, which makes for pleasant weather all summer long. Located near Richfield, Utah, the lake has everything you need for a relaxing summer getaway.

How to Camp on Utah’s BLM Lands

Read these insights and tips gathered from a novice’s first-ever camping trip on BLM and public lands to gain the confidence you need to recreate happily and respectfully on Utah’s public lands.

How to Take a Kayak & Camping Trip at Yuba State Park

Pristine sandy beaches, warm water temperatures all summer long and serene mountain views make Yuba State Park an appealing destination for campers and kayakers in sunny Central Utah.

Knobby Tired Nomads: Bikepacking the Utah High Country

Written By Kurt Gensheimer

10 minute read

If you’re into bikepacking, Utah is a place you’ll want to check out. Read about a self-supported tour of Utah’s backcountry here, and start planning your trip.

Like a BOSS (Boulder Outdoor Survival School)

Have a couple of weeks? Learn to survive in the wild. Hard work? Most definitely. Sign up for challenging survival education Utah's great outdoors.

Looking Up: Dark Skies of Heber Valley

Written By Kristen Pope

3 minute read

A trio of state parks in Heber Valley offer stellar views of the Utah night sky. Come stargaze here.

Meet the Fremonts: Unearthing an Ancient Civilization

Did you know that interstate highway construction created Fremont Indian State Park? Visit the park and Museum for a peek into Utah’s past, plus hiking and ATV trails.

Moab Under Canvas: Glamping

If you’re looking for a luxurious camping experience, Moab Under Canvas is just the ticket. Book your stay in a fully-furnished canvas tent in canyon country!

The Story of Starvation Reservoir

Sprawling waters and local legends at Fred Hayes State Park at Starvation.

Utah’s Scenery Offers A Backdrop for Inclusive Family Camping

Written By Nushin Huq

While Utah is known for its amazing outdoors, it also has resources that ensure that families and individuals of all abilities can access these places.

Walking The Line Between Risk and Responsibility

Written By Chelsea Yamase

Why a Hawaii-based highliner and influencer hasn't returned to Utah — yet.

Wild Heber: Close-to-Home Adventure

Just 45 minutes from Salt Lake City, Heber Valley’s state parks and national forest lands offer a world of adventure. Hike, bike, camp, kayak, watch wildlife and reel in blue-ribbon trout while learning about nature and how to protect it.

Women in the Wild: Transformation and the Outdoors

Written By Paula Colman

11 minute read

Paula Colman joins a weekend retreat for women in Moab, Utah, that has an eye-catching mission: Build your tribe. Connect with your inner spirit. Transform body, mind and spirit around the theme: “Ignite the Flame Within.” Follow along as she seeks her authentic self and learn how to find your own Tribe.

REI's Introduction to Backpacking blog series, to get you started and get you going

U.S. Forest Service "Know Before You Go" Hiking and Camping

U.S. Forest Service Backpacking [PDF]

Leave No Trace 7 Principles for enjoying the natural world

Summitpost.org , for monitoring conditions on peaks

BasecampMD with important information about hiking at altitude

Backpacker.com for stories, resources and gear review

Permit Information

Bureau of Land Management

U.S . Forest Service

Well-prepared travel is responsible travel.

Do your part by planning ahead

435-893-3039

[email protected], southern utah backpacking trips.

Journey to some of the most incredible destinations in Southern Utah! Sleep under the stars, explore oasis’ and slot canyons, and cool off in swimming holes and waterfalls. There’s so much fun and adventure to find, and so many memories to create!

Public trips – Dates to be determined by availability of interested parties.

3 days, 2 nights – Halls Creek Narrows – April 2024

Journey to a slot canyon oasis at the southern tip of Capitol Reef National Park. We’ll hike 8.5 miles to the mouth of the Halls Creek Narrows, set up camp, day hike this excellent slot canyon, and hike out the next day. An excellent introduction to multi-day backpacking if you’re a beginner!

Sign up for our waitlist for a 3 day, 2 night April 2024 public trip to the Halls Creek Narrows – $1000 per person. No deposit or payment needed until we reach a 4 person “Go ahead” threshold.

4 days, 5 nights – Paria Canyon or Grand Gulch – Bears Ears

4 night, 5 day October 2024 trip to either Paria Canyon – Vermillion Cliffs National Monument, or Grand Gulch – Bears Ears National Monument. Approximately 40 miles of backpacking.

Paria Canyon is one of THE premier backpacking routes in Southern Utah, with huge walls and water almost the entire way. A truly stunning place that requires some real work and limited permits to reach.

Grand Gulch in Bears Ears National Monument has a number of different routes – another stunning canyon setting for the fall, with awe-inspiring ancient rock art and ruins throughout the entire canyon.

Sign up for our waitlist for a 4 day, 5 night late October 2024 public trip – $1850 per person. No deposit or payment needed until we reach a 4 person “Go ahead” threshold.

Custom dates are available through the spring and fall – pricing varies on location and number of days.

We provide on all trips: We provide backpacks, tents, sleeping pads, sleeping bags, trekking poles, and eating dishes and utensils, and cooking gear. Pack weights may vary between 25 and 50 pounds, depending on the area, the duration of the trip, the time of year, and your height and weight. Food and group gear will need to be evenly and fairly distributed amongst the group.

All meals are included from when we meet on the first day through lunch the last day. Your guide will prepare all meals on the trip.

EXAMPLE TRIP OPTIONS

• Spring Canyon overnight (2-3 days)
• Upper and Lower Muley Twist (2-4 days)
• Halls Creek -) 2-4 days)
• Escalante River – can include day hike to swimming holes of Mamie Creek
• Boulder Mail Trail – Death Hollow – Escalante River multiday
• Little Death Hollow
• Davis Gulch – find your solitude on this remote slot canyon backpack
• Reflection Canyon
• Coyote Gulch (permit application still pending)
• Porter service (up to 30 lbs of gear) – $350 per day

Check out our excellent reviews!

©2022 by sleeping rainbow adventures llc, call us at 435-893-3039.

You don’t ‘hike’ Fiery Furnace, Utah’s exclusive maze of slot canyons. You get lost in it

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“Is that the trail?” I asked Steve, my longtime adventuring buddy. Not out of frustration or worry. I was more amazed at how this trail was marked, which is hardly at all. So you know, Steve has led me off trail only once in 10 years along dozens of hikes. He’s that good as a navigator.

“Matt — any idea?” I asked my other friend, who was head down in his GPS app, trying to decipher the snaking mess that was our location against the supposed “trail.”

Before I move on, you need to understand that GPS works only within 10 feet of your actual position, which is pretty amazing for triangulating satellites that are thousands of miles away. But not quite amazing enough for those afraid of getting lost on one of the most exclusive hikes in America: Utah’s Fiery Furnace in Arches National Park. One wrong step here, and you’ll be backtracking, head scratching and disorientingly wondering whether you’ll ever find the trail again in this maze of red rock, slot canyons, towering arches, divisive fins, giant spires and blue skies.

And that’s the fun of it. Here’s what you need to know — what I wish I’d known — before visiting this mostly safe and contained playground for an afternoon or more.

Utah’s Fiery Furnace is a 30-minute drive from Moab, Utah. It’s one of the only protected wilderness areas in the national park system. Open to only 75 people a day (and no reservations longer than seven days out), it’s also one of the hardest park permits to score. Compared to other hikes, Fiery Furnace is more of a moonshot when it comes to crossing its Martian terrain. “Everyone but the park rangers get lost,” our guide told us during a pre-hike orientation. “Not even GPS will save you, so it’s best just to meander and go with the flow.”

She was right about all but one thing: Although GPS tracking in the popular AllTrails app spectacularly failed to keep us on path, it did help us get out eventually so we could make it to our next hike in Arches. But if I could have a redo, I would have accepted the guide’s advice and planed for more time and mindless wandering in this special place among an already special southern Utah.

Speaking of the orientation, it’s mandatory. After picking up your $10 permit, you’re required to enter a small conference room and watch a 10-minute video about what the hike demands in terms of water, following the so-called trails and complying with the strict environmental and preservation regulations. You’ll even be verbally tested on what you watched, and the rangers won’t let you leave until you get the answers right.

After that, you’re on your own. Literally and figuratively.

Travel & Experiences

2 weeks, 11 national parks, 3,350 miles: Savor the Southwest on the Grand Circle road trip

Zion, Mesa Verde, Arches, Grand Canyon and Joshua Tree all in one epic journey? We did it. Here’s how it played out.

Sept. 28, 2023

During our hike, our party of three encountered just three other groups in the three hours we were inside. We jokingly exchanged pleasantries and accepted that none of us knew where we were going. But we did offer helpful tips of where we had been. “There’s a cool arch back there… Watch out for the giant gap ahead… Stay to the left or you’ll dead-end at a cliff.”

I say Fiery Furnace is mostly safe because I had to jump a gap and nearly tripped into what would have been severe injury some 20 to 30 feet below. Whoops. It’s not necessarily a physically demanding or overly technical experience. But parts of the furnace are tricky, and I wouldn’t advise anyone in poor shape to go inside. But able adults and sure-footed children regularly make their way through. For everyone else, there’s a stunning view of the furnace from the oncoming road and official viewpoint.

The view on a trip to the Fiery Furnace canyon in Arches National Park, Utah. (Blake Snow)

Blue skies and red rocks inside Arches National Park, Utah. (Blake Snow)

While hiking the furnace, you can expect several arches, a sea of balancing rocks and mushroom like toadstools, massive cliff walls, incredibly tight slot canyons, layers upon layers of sandstone fins that divide the landscape and even a few open spaces. There are deep canyons, dead ends, sweeping vistas of distant formations elsewhere in the park, and a deafening amount of silence.

My friends and I lunched in the spring shade of Surprise Arch, a natural stone arch sandwiched between two massive rock walls. I have no idea how it or any of us got here. But there we were, dining al fresco in this otherworldly place.

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May 7, 2021

If venturing the unknown of Fiery Furnace all alone doesn’t appeal to you, park rangers offer guided tours several times a day to permitted guests.

For the lucky few who enter Fiery Furnace, my advice is this: Get rid of your GPS — at least until you’re ready to leave. Plan for a few extra hours inside, if not an entire day. Meander. Get lost. By all means hike — but don’t expect your average point to point or loop trail. You probably won’t see the whole area, and that’s a good thing. There’s reason to return and have an experience that’s entirely new.

The ranger was right. Just go inside and enjoy the view.

Sign up for The Wild

We’ll help you find the best places to hike, bike and run, as well as the perfect silent spots for meditation and yoga.

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Hiking Guides in Utah

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Get the most out of your trip to Utah and find the perfect guides to take you hiking through Utah's most majestic areas. View a list of hiking guides in Utah who can provide tours of Utah's national parks and other famous sights.

Hiking & Backpacking Guides in Utah

Southwest adventure tours, mountainbased adventures, kanab tour company, get in the wild adventures, dinosaur river expeditions, st. george tour company, all seasons adventures, sleeping rainbow adventures, moab cliffs and canyons, roam outdoor adventure co, moab adventure center, adrift adventures moab, all ways adventure, red mountain resort, four season guides, southern utah scenic tours, zion river's edge adventures, ticaboo adventure center, the wildland trekking company, canyon fever guides, mountain travel sobek, meridian tours, grand circle tours, expedition kanab, wild expeditions, the hiker's code.

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Canyonlands Backpacking – Salt Creek Canyon

***important note:.

Due to ongoing National Park Service management decisions related to this particular section of Canyonlands National Park, we are currently unable to offer this trip for the remainder of 2023 or 2024. If you’re interested in another excellent backpacking option in southern Utah, we highly recommend the Boulder Mail Trail in Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. Another option to experience outstanding archaeology and canyon hiking is our Grand Gulch Backpacking in Bears Ears National Monument.

Trip Description

The Needles District of Canyonlands is a desert hiker’s paradise and a trip through Salt Creek Canyon is perhaps the best way to experience all that this incredible park has to offer. Towering rock pinnacles, slickrock mazes, shimmering freshwater pools, natural arches and archaeological wonders abound. Spend your days exploring the endless twists and turns and relax in the evenings beneath star-studded skies. The Fremont and Anasazi cultures called this canyon home as far back as 1000 years ago and farmed the broad, open benches, irrigating with the abundant water…a rarity in this otherwise arid landscape. The many signs they left behind are definitely a highlight of this adventure. From the pine forested trailhead along the flanks of the Abajo Mountains, we descend into wide open canyon bottoms, past innumerable cliff dwellings and natural arches and into a narrowing maze of colorful rocks. The exciting hike along the Peek-a-boo Trail on your last day is an epic finale to this outstanding backcountry journey!

Travel Logistics

Guest testimonials, call or email us with any questions. 877-272-5032 or [email protected], trip details.

Type: Backpacking

Days: 5 Days

Distance: 30 miles

Difficulty: Intermediate +

Origin:  Needles Visitor Center, Canyonlands National Park

Cost: $1500 (plus Utah sales tax, 6.5%)

Trip Itinerary

Your Canyonlands Backpacking tour begins with meeting your guide at the Needles District Visitor Center at 8am for an orientation and packing session before we catch a shuttle to the trailhead. We leave the rim and descend about 1000 feet before reaching the bed of Salt Creek. The upper reaches of the canyon are uncharacteristically wide and open and the hiking is very pleasant. Tonight’s camp is a short distance from an old rancher’s cabin dating back to the 1890s. The welcoming camp is shaded by junipers. Enjoy a little afternoon exploring before dinner. Drive Time: 1.5 hours shuttle to trailhead Distance & Elevation: 5 miles, 1100 foot descent Lunch, Dinner

Enjoy some hot coffee and a tasty breakfast before packing up and heading off for a great day. It’s just over 4 miles to the next campsite so you will have the whole afternoon to explore ancient ruins and fantastic rock art without carrying everything on your back. The scenery is outstanding! Distance & Elevation: 8+ miles, minimal descent Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Today’s hike is a little longer and the canyon begins to narrow as you go. You’ll make numerous stream crossings along the way. Ruins abound through this stretch. We’ll take a detour to visit the outstanding Angel Arch before heading further downstream to make camp. Tonight you’ll sleep deep within the Canyonlands wilderness. Distance & Elevation: 8+ miles, minimal descent Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Another day of adventure and exploring! The trail continues to meander around pinnacles and slickrock benches. The red rock against the blue skies makes for fabulous photo opportunities. Tonight we camp at the famous Peekaboo Campsite which sets us up for an exciting final day of hiking. Distance & Elevation: 7 miles, minimal descent Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

For our final day, we’re off on the Peekaboo Trail, an adventuresome scramble over slickrock expanses, up ladders and through small crevices in the sandstone. You’ll get some fantastic views atop the ridgelines, extending all the way to the La Sal Mountains by Moab. Our hike finishes at Squaw Flat. Distance & Elevation: 5 miles, minimal ascents/descents Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

4-Day Option: For fitter hikers or those looking for a shorter-duration hike, our 4-day itinerary covers more backpacking miles each day and spends a little less time on side hikes.

*Final itineraries are occasionally subject to change due to permit/campsite availability, park restrictions/closures, weather conditions and/or road closures.

What's Included

• A professional, licensed and medically trained guide
• All necessary gear: backpack, tent, sleeping bag, sleeping pad, trekking poles
• All cooking/eating gear: bowls, cups, utensils (your guide will prepare all meals)
• All meals from a light breakfast on Day 1 through lunch on the last day + trail snacks
• Entrance fees and backcountry permits

What's Not Included:

• Transportation to/from Canyonlands National Park
• Lodging the night before/after the trip
• Clothing, raingear, and footwear
• Personal toiletries, sunscreen
• Water bottles/hydration bladder
• Headlamp or flashlight
• Guide gratuity (suggested 10-20% of trip cost)

*Upon booking you will receive a detailed trip information packet

How many people are in the group?

Backpacking trips in Canyonlands will accommodate up to 6 people plus one guide.

Are there age restrictions?

Children under the age of 13 are generally not permitted on backpacking trips. This restriction may be negotiable on private tours. Please contact us with any questions regarding this policy.

How do I sign up?

In order to confirm a reservation, we require an initial non-refundable deposit of $250 per person, with the final balance due 90 days prior to the trip’s departure. If you book a trip within 90 days of the trip’s scheduled departure, then full payment is due at the time of booking.

Your deposit is payable over the phone by Visa, MasterCard, AmEx, or Discover. You can also pay by personal check or PayPal (PayPal incurs a 1.5% surcharge). Call our office Monday to Friday, 9am to 4pm Arizona time. 1-877-272-5032

Where does the trip begin/end?

This trip will begin/end at the Needles Visitor Center in Canyonlands National Park (about 1.5 hour drive from Moab). You will need to spend the night prior to your trip’s scheduled departure in Moab . You will want to fly into either Grand Junction, CO (2 hour drive) or Salt Lake City, UT (4 hour drive). Boutique Air offers daily flights between Moab and both Salt Lake City, UT and Denver, CO.

Where do meet our guides?

You will meet your guide at the Needles Visitor Center (about 1.5 hour drive from Moab) at 8am the morning your hike begins. We will distribute gear and load backpacks here before boarding a shuttle to the trailhead.

We will go over logistics for the hike, expected weather (and how this might affect what clothing you bring…or leave behind), food, and answer any last minute questions. We will also use this time to fit everyone for their backpacks.

What do we do with our car and extra stuff?

You can leave your car at Squaw Flat at our ending trailhead. Your guide will lead you to this point after everyone is packed up. It is a short drive from the Visitor Center.

What time will we get back on the last day?

Expect to be back at the ending trailhead by 1pm at the latest on the last day of the trip. After lunch and unpacking/gear breakdown, you will be free to depart. In general, it is recommended that you do not plan to fly home on the same day your trip finishes. Since each trip has slightly different logistics, feel free to contact us with specific questions related to the expected return time for your trip.

Don’t see your dates? Custom dates may be available!

Call 1-877-272-5032 or email us for details.

“Four Season Guides provided us with an experience that we’ll talk about for many years. Unique to this backcountry trip was the ability to see Indian ruins and pictographs dated back nearly 1000 years. Four Season Guides are knowledgeable and take the stress out of the trip by taking care of all logistics. This was our 4th family backpacking trip using Four Seasons and are planning another trip for next year. We are experienced backpackers but truly enjoy traveling with Four Seasons. Our guide has become an extension of our family!”  – Duane B.

“This is my 4th trip with FSG and it won’t be my last. I recently returned from a 5 day backpack trip in  Canyonlands (Salt Creek) with Bob. The landscape and historical sites were beautiful and interesting. This was a fantastic trip! Like my other FSG guides, Bob was amazing. He knows the landscape, history and did a great job of getting to know our group and picking the right hikes and stopping points tailored for us. The group size is also small (this trip was me + 3 other guests and the max size is 5).

FSG takes care of everything. I used their equipment (which is top notch) and they plan and prepare (and clean up) all the meals. Meals & snacks are delicious and great care is taken to include fresh vegetables & fruit, which isn’t easy when backpacking! You will never go hungry. A few things to note — you will need to help carry food/supplies and on this trip a bear can is required (they provide). This is also backcountry camping – so no bathrooms and no cell phone reception. A great way to get off the grid and enjoy the landscape. If you’re looking for a small, personalized, fun trip with an experienced, professional guide & company – don’t hesitate to book with FSG. I can’t recommend them highly enough!” – Elizabeth B.

“This hiking trip was A-1. With all the logistics planned for us, FSG took us down Salt Creek where we were guided to many and varied archaeological sites with spectacular petroglyphs, pictographs, potsherds and grinding stones, not to mention one of the most spectacular arches you will ever see, among a number of others in this area. The trip was well-planned and carried out. Our guide (over 14 years with this company and wilderness first-aid qualified) was well-versed in the terrain, history, and safety and cooking skills. The food was well thought out and prepared, fresh ingredients dominated. We started under threat of potential rains from a recent Pacific storm and our guide stayed on top of that issue, setting great camps and altering the hiking schedule to keep out of any potential flood danger. I can’t say enough about this amazing trip. If you are contemplating backpacking or day-hiking in Utah, Arizona, or the Sierras, you should use Four Season Guides. You won’t be disappointed.”  – Alan P.

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• New Zealand
• North Carolina
• Vancouver Island
• Washington State

Southern Utah  has the most stunning canyons in the world. For  spring break trips ,  Capitol Reef ,  Coyote Gulch , and the  longest slot canyon  in the world become prime destinations for backpacking trips to beat the winter blues!

1. Capitol Reef, Water Pocket Fold

Sixty-five million years ago, the same compacting forces that created the Rocky Mountains formed a fold in the earth under southern Utah. Less than a century ago, that tangle of crevices, canyons and chasms became the last-mapped landscape in the lower 48. Rich in  wilderness and history , this is country that hid Mormon moonshiners, polygamist safe houses and Butch Cassidy.  And even today it feels a step from the edge of the earth.  Capitol Reef is a  Gold-Tier International Dark Skies Park , making it one of the best places in the world to view the stars and Milky Way.

Trip Overview

Visit one of the only double arches in the world before taking a unique hike through a slot canyon with virtually no visitors other than yourselves. Skirt the Waterpocket Fold and visit the iconographic but hidden Hamburger Rocks, then visit Lower Muley Twist through its namesake canyon.

Getting There

Check conditions  of Notom-Bullfrog and Burr Trail roads before going.

Road Conditions Resources – Anasazi State Park in Boulder, UT: 435-335-7308 – Capitol Reef Visitors Center in Fruita, UT: 435-425-3791

Access Lower Muley Twist TH via the Burr Trail Road east of Boulder, UT. Halls Creek Overlook trailhead is off the Notom-Bullfrog Rd, which runs north/south between the Waterpocket Fold and the Henry Mountains.

From Salt Lake City, UT: 5.5 hours Take I-15 South to US Hwy 50. Continue on UT 24 to access UT 12 and the Burr Trail via Torrey and Boulder, where you’ll connect with the Burr Trail Road.

From St. George, UT: 5.5 hours Take I-15 North to UT 20. Head east on UT 20 to HWY 89. Take HWY 89 south to UT 12, then follow UT 12 to Boulder, where you’ll connect with the Burr Trail Road.

From Las Vegas, NV: 7.5 hours Take I-15 North for two hours and join directions from St. George above.

Recommended Day by Day Itinerary

Lower Muley Twist TH to Halls Creek Overlook TH, via Halls Creek Narrows

Day 1 :  Enter Lower Muley Twist TH. Short hike with impressive canyon walls through most of the day. Plan to Dry Camp as there are no reliable water sources in Lower Muley. Potential water options within the Lower Muley Canyon are at the following coordinates: 37.760455, -110.983039, and 37.790714, -110.994216.  Total hike is 3.3 miles, ~700 feet gradual elevation loss.

Day 2 :  Sandstone walls top out at 1000′. Explore multiple Alcoves, including “Cowboy Cave,” which has lots of pioneer graffiti. Terrain is gradual decline for most of the day. Exit the bottom of Lower Muley Twist Canyon towards the end of the day. Option to camp near Hamburger Rocks or near Brimhall Arch; both have water sources.   Total hike is 4-7 miles, ~800 feet elevation loss.

Day 3 :  Lots of miles today but easy, fast-moving terrain. Essentially, continue down the Halls Creek Drainage to in the vicinity of Fountain Tanks .  You’ll be walking along the Waterpocket Fold the entire day.  Total hike is ~7-10 miles, 600 feet elevation loss.

Day 4 :  Day hike loop of  Halls Creek Narrows  > return to camp with options to layover or to pack-up and continue up-canyon towards Fountain Tanks. Comparable in size and scope to the  Virgin River Narrows in Zion National Park , Halls Creek Narrows is one of the most stunning canyon narrows sections on the Colorado Plateau.   Total hike is 5.5-9 miles, nominal feet elevation change.

Day 5 :  Today’s hike is straight up the Halls Creek Drainage. You’ll be following the 1881 wagon route designed by Charles Hall as be an alternative to Hole In The Rock Road, and pass by Red Slide (500′ slide coming off the Fold) and explore a side canyon in-route.  Total hike is 4-8 miles, 400-600 feet elevation gain.

Day 6 :  Start your day with a short hike up the Halls Creek watershed from camp. Then day hike out-and-back to Brimhall Arch, and end with an 800′, 1.2-mi (at times steep) ascent from the Halls Creek drainage.  Total hike is 3-5 miles, 900 feet elevation gain.

Permits, Fees, Reservations…etc.

Backcountry permits are required. These are free, and can be picked up at the National Park Visitors Center in Fruita, UT or Anasazi State Park in Boulder, UT.

• Capitol Reef National Park Visitors Center is open daily with exceptions for some holidays. 435-425-3791
• Anasazi State Park (convenient if arriving from St. George and points west) is generally open year round, seven days a week (some holiday closures). 435-335-7308

You can find all backcountry regulations on the Capitol Reef park website. See also,  Capitol Reef backcountry route information and resources .

When to do this Trip

Ideal times of year to complete this backpacking trip in Capitol Reef National Park are both as a  spring break trip , and in the fall. Best date windows, based on historical data, are March 15 – May 1 and September 15 – November 1.

For current conditions, see  weather at Lower Muley Twist.  We also strongly recommend you call the visitor center (information above).

One of the great things about backpacking in Capitol Reef is that you are not limited or restricted to designated backcountry campsites; camping in the backcountry is at-large. Your major considerations when selecting a backcountry campsite are proximity to water, impact on the environment (LNT) and your own safety.

Here are some backcountry campsites that we recommend on this route.

Night 1: Lower Muley Twist Canyon near jct w/ Cutoff Tr. (ca. 4964′) Night 2: near Muley Tanks / Hamburger Rocks (ca. 4613′) Nights 3 & 4: before Halls Divide (ca. 4160′) Night 5: Grand Gulch (Halls Creek) south of jct w Halls Creek Overlook Tr (ca. 4416′)

Hike Capitol Reef with a Guide

Guided  Capitol Reef backpacking trips  are available, and are a stress-free, exciting way to do this trip. The tour company handles permits, gear, transportation, meals, and provides a professional guide so you can focus 100% on enjoying your adventure.  Read more…

All-inclusive Utah Backpacking Adventures

2. Paria Canyon Through-hike

Paria (pronounced Purr-eee-ah) is a Paiute word describing the river as muddy or silty. This 40-mile wilderness canyon connects the southern end of Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument to the northern end of the Grand Canyon (it ends where the Grand Canyon Rafting Trips begin).

Imagine hiking  Zion Canyon  from the Narrows to the Visitors Center and beyond. Now imagine that canyon looked like it did in 1849 when the first white settlers came to the region. That’s as close-a-description as you can get to hiking from  Paria Canyon to Lees Ferry . This 5-day through-hike treks beneath Zion-scale sheer canyon walls (the tallest in the world) without the cars or crowds contained in a National Park.

You’ll start your hike at White House Trailhead, east of Kanab, UT; and conclude at Lees Ferry, west of Paige, AZ.

From St. George, UT: 2.25 hrs Head towards Kanab, UT via Colorado City, AZ on UT-9, AZ-389 and (north on) HWY 89A. Head East in Kanab on HWY 89. The turnoff for the trailhead is 43 miles east of Kanab on HWY 89. The dirt road to the trailhead is on the south (right) side of the highway.

From Flagstaff, AZ: 2.5 hrs Take HWY 89 north via Paige, AZ and Big Water, UT. The turnoff for the trailhead (on your left) is 15.5 miles west of Big Water. (Note: last substantial services are in Paige.)

From Salt Lake City, UT: 6 hrs Take I-15 south (ca. 215 miles) to UT-20. Go east on UT-20 to HWY 89, and take HWY 89 south to Kanab. Follow directions from Kanab (from St. George) above.

Day 1 :   The first day’s hike takes you down the Paria River drainage towards your campsite at the intersection of Paria and Buckskin gulch. The trail begins in a wide wash. Expect the wash to either be dried up mud or wet.  If wet, the mud can be very slick. As you hike further downstream the trail narrows as you enter the narrow parts of Paria Canyon.  Depending on previous weeks’ rainfall there can be water while hiking that varies widely. Terrain is totally flat.  Total hike is 7.5 miles, minimal feet elevation loss.

Day 2 :  Take a day hike up Buckskin Gulch (the longest slot canyon in the world!) before packing up camp and continuing down the Paria. Big Spring is your next available campsite (river mile 12). Others exist further along as well; the campsite at river mile 14.7 is really wonderful. Do get water at Big Spring as your next available spring is at mile 18.4.  Total hike is 5-8 miles, minimal feet elevation loss.

Day 3 :  You’ll get late sun in the morning thanks to incredibly tall canyon walls. Continue down river and plan to camp at one of the three springs between river miles 20 and 23. Enjoy numerous opportunities for side hikes up various feeder canyons. We strongly recommend taking the short walk up Wrather canyon for views of one of the most impressive natural arches in Arizona. Another recommended side hike is the impressive KeyHole slot.  Total hike is 7-10 miles, minimal feet elevation change in the river and uphill in the side canyons.

Day 4 :  The Paria River is an impressive canyon carving machine. By river mile 22, it has dug through nearly 1000 feet of the Navajo sandstone (the premiere layer in Zion National Park). At Shower Spring, the even more erosion resistant Kayenta Formation begins to be exposed. Your hike will continue through several more rock layers giving a “canyon within a canyon” feel. Then the river reaches the Chinle formation, a soft shale eroding out from under the sandstones above it. The river bed becomes choked with huge boulders and you’ll eventually leave it for terrace on its west side. The terrace gives you a sweeping view of the canyon through to echo peak, 11 miles away. Camp tonight, under some cottonwood trees by the side of the river, and watch sunset on the high cliffs..  Total hike is 8-10 miles, ~200 feet elevation gain and loss over the terrace.

Day 5 :  There is no escaping the heat of the Arizona desert today. The canyon has widened to the point that shade from the cliff walls is few and far between. So an early start is a necessity. As the trail continues its gradual decent, the river crossing get farther apart. Keep your eyes open for California Condors and desert big horn sheep, both species which were successfully reintroduced here. Eventually, you’ll arrive at the  Lonely Dell Ranch , Lee’s ferry, and the mighty Colorado River.  Total hike is 5-7 miles, minimal elevation loss.

Backcountry permits are required for Paria Canyon, which is protected in Vermillion Cliffs National Monument and administered by the Bureau of Land Management.  Limit 20 hikers entering the canyon per day  (from any trailhead).

You can reserve a backcountry permit up to four months from the month that your trip starts. So, for example, for a trip starting anytime in the month of May, you’d be able to reserve that permit on February 1 at 12:00pm Mountain Time.

Permits are non-refundable.

Warning:  May and June permits can sell out in a matter of minutes.

The Paria river draws a massive watershed to the north, including Bryce Canyon. So precipitation up in Bryce can send a flash flood tumbling down through the Paria Canyon Narrows.

The combination of dry conditions (i.e. low  flash flood potential)  and mild temps make May the most popular month to  hike in Paria Canyon . The first half on June is also great. And while monsoons are uncommon the entire month, late June can leave you with sweltering temps on the final day’s hike into Lonely Dell Ranch.

In the fall, September though mid-October are also pretty ideal = low flash flood potential + mild temperatures.

The most important thing to consider when selecting a campsite in Paria Canyon is safety from the threat of advancing waters. The excellent publication “ Hiker’s Guide to Paria Canyon ,” put out by the BLM, provides detailed, mile-by-mile suggestions for safe (elevated) places to camp, as well as locations of springs and other features such as  petroglyphs .

Here are our suggested campsites, based on the itinerary above.

Night 1: Paria/Buckskin Confluence Night 2: Big Spring (river mile 12) or excellent camping at river mile 14.7 (fill up with water at Big Spring) Night 3: River mile 22 near Shower Spring Night 4: Several good campsites between river miles 30 and 33.5. (note, last reliable spring, named “Last Reliable Spring” is just past river mile 25)

Hike Paria Canyon with a Guide

Guided  Paria Canyon backpacking trips  are available, and are a stress-free, exciting way to do this trip. The tour company handles permits, gear, transportation, meals, and provides a professional guide so you can focus 100% on enjoying your adventure.  Read more…

Award Winning USA Hiking Vacations

3. Coyote Gulch Backpacking Trip

In the southern Escalante Canyon system in  Glen Canyon National Recreation Area , Coyote Gulch give you a glimpse of what Glen Canyon was like before being flooded by Lake Powell. Highlights include beautifully sculpted streambeds, intimate cascades and waterfalls, deep overhangs and alcoves, and numerous natural bridges and arches.

You can access Coyote Gulch from four different trailheads. Lots of folks choose to access Jacob Hamblin Arch and Coyote Natural Bridge (two of the Gulch’s more iconographic sights) from Hurricane Wash or Jacob Hamblin Arch TH.

By far, our favorite route in Coyote Gulch is to take a through-hike from Redwell TH to Fortymile Ridge TH.

All trailheads to Coyote Gulch are accessed via the historic  Hole In The Rock Road , which runs 62 miles from UT-12 down to the Colorado River. The turnoff for Redwell TH is at mile 31, and the turnoff for 40 Mile Ridge TH is at mile 35.8.

Before traveling down Hole In The Rock Road, we highly recommend checking in with the Interagency Visitors Center in Escalante, UT. They’ll be able to supply you with the most up-to-date conditions. 435-826-5499.

From St George, UT: 4.5 hrs Take I-15 north to UT-20 east to HWY 89. Take HWY 89 south to UT-12, which you’ll take east through the town of Escalante before turning off (south/right) on Hole In The Rock Road. Continue down Hole In The Rock until your intended TH (see above).

From Salt Lake City, UT: 6 hrs Take I-15 South to US Hwy 50. Continue on UT 24 to access UT 12 and the Burr Trail via Torrey and Boulder. From Boulder, Continue on UT-12 for 23.8 miles (5.4 miles before you get to Escalante). Follow Hole In The Rock south/left to your TH (see above).

From Las Vegas, NV: 6 hours Take I-15 North for two hours and join directions from St. George above.

Day 1 :  Start at Redwell Trailhead. Hike in big hollow wash to Dry Fork Coyote Gulch and on to camp. Be ready to encounter quick sand a tamarisk in upper Coyote Gulch.  Total hike is 4 miles, 400 feet elevation loss.

Day 2 :  We recommend exploring up on the slickrock before packing up camp and continuing on down Coyote Gulch. Also plan to allocate some time in/under the Jacob Hamblin Arch area.   Total hike is 5 miles, no significant elevation change.

Day 3 :  You’ll descend through lower Coyote Gulch. Enjoy a couple of different water falls and take a side hike into black lagoon (great in hot weather). Camp near the confluence; camp spots are available in the gulch before the exit, or slightly up the trail towards Crack In The Wall.  Total hike is 5 miles, 300 feet elevation gain (assuming you camp up the exit trail; see below).

Day 4 :  Hike up the big sand dune to exit Crack In The Wall. Enjoy sweeping views of the confluence with the Escalante River and Lake Powell. Bring rope or p-cord to haul your pack over Crack In The Wall. After you get through Crack In The Wall, it’s an easy 2 miles overland to 40 Mile Ridge Trailhead.  Total hike is 5 miles, 500 feet elevation gain.

At the time of writing, there are no restrictions on the number of hikers allowed in Coyote Gulch. You can write yourself a permit (required) at the trailhead, or pick one up at the Interagency Visitors Center (see above) in Escalante, UT.

Wag bags are required for hiking in Coyote Gulch . You are required to pack out all human waste. This is absolutely vital for the protection of this fragile ecosystem. We recommend purchasing the Rest Stop 2, which you can order online or purchase locally.

Due to the preponderance of water and shade, this is a great warm weather (or even summer) desert hike. To be safe, you’ll want to stay out of Coyote Gulch during Monsoon season, which runs mid-July through mid-August (earlier and later some years).

May, June and September are ideal months to hike Coyote Gulch.  You can also have an enjoyable time in April and October (just plan for colder temps).

You can check out the latest  Coyote Gulch weather here .

Night 1: Near Confluence Sleepy Hollow and Coyote Gulch. 37.425111, -111.078667 Night 2: Near Coyote Natural Bridge. 37.414389, -111.020611 Night 3: Above the confluence of Coyote Gulch and the Escalante River. 37.428344, -110.983518

Hike Coyote Gulch with a Guide

Guided  Coyote Gulch backpacking trips  are available, and are a stress-free, exciting way to do this trip. The tour company handles permits, gear, transportation, meals, and provides a professional guide so you can focus 100% on enjoying your adventure.  Read more…

Wildland Trekking Hiking Adventures

As the world’s premier  hiking and trekking company , Wildland believes in connecting people to fantastic environments in amazing ways. Grand Canyon National Park offers an array of incredible hiking and trekking experiences. Wildland Trekking provides 21 different multi-day hiking and backpacking adventures in the Canyon. Read more about our  Utah hiking tours .

To learn more about our  guided backpacking trips  and all of our award-winning  hiking vacations , please visit our  website  or connect with one of our Adventure Consultants: 800-715-HIKE

About WildlandTrekking

Wildland Trekking, a home-grown USA adventure travel company started in 2005, has become one of the world’s leading trekking companies. Learn about the origins, mission and people of Wildland, America’s #1 source for Unforgettable Hiking Vacations!

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