Big Spring to Squaw Canyon, Canyonlands Needles District(edit)

based on 85 tracks & routes | |

DIFFICULT

#6 hike out of 83 in Canyonlands National Park - Needles District |

DIFFICULT

8.9 mi

Distance

5 hrs 0 min

Time

561 ft

Elev Gain

Overview

This is a moderate loop trail in Canyonlands National Park - Needles District.

Tons of variety as the trail goes through fields, crosses streams and traverses large sections of sandstone.

This trail goes by Squaw Spring, Squaw Flat Campground,Canyonlands Needles District, and Squaw Flat Campground.

Getting Started

Start at the Squaw Flats Campground. (The road signs simply say "campground".) You'll drive past several camp sites until you get to a large parking lot (probably about 30 parking spots) with a vault toilet.

The trail head is well marked.

Taking Children

This is a great trail for kids. Mostly flat, not much danger of falling, and very little chance of getting lost.

If your kids aren't capable of the full 7-mile loop, just follow the squaw flats trail for a half mile to the first section of sandstone. They'll love climbing around.

Sights to See

Squaw Flat Trailhead

Rate this Hike

★★★★★

The Kid 5 years, 7 months ago

Fun trail. Mid-April on a Friday, the weather was perfect (mid-50s) and just a couple other groups on the trail. The sandstone sections were my favorite. Not a lot of vertical on this trail, mostly pretty level. The trails are pretty well marked with cairns, but the signs aren't terribly clear, so I backtracked a couple of times when I realized that I was on the wrong trail. I ran this trail, and I admit that I was a bit slower than I expected. It was hard to keep a good pace in the dry creekbed on the south section of the Big Spring trail (southwest section of this loop.) Also I frequently had to stop to scan for the next cairn. I had a good time, though. I recommend it.

★ ★ ★ ★