Hike Hayduke Trail, Utah & Arizona

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The Hayduke Trail is an 812-mile (1,307 km) backpacking route across southern Utah and northern Arizona, United States. It begins in Arches National Park near Moab, Utah, before heading through the Needles district of Canyonlands National Park, Capitol Reef National Park, Bryce Canyon National Park, Grand Canyon National Park, and Zion National Park, and other public lands managed by the National Park Service, U.S. Forest Service, and Bureau of Land Management (Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument). There is no established or maintained trail; hikers must use various forms of navigation to find their way along the route. This highly strenuous wilderness route is exclusively on public land and travels ridgelines, drainages, existing foot and game trails, dirt roads, and rivers. The highest point is Mount Ellen in the Henry Mountains at 11,419 feet (3,481 m) above sea level to a low in the Grand Canyon of 1,800 feet (550 m). Section 1: Arches National Park to Hurrah Pass, Utah Section 2: Hurrah Pass, Utah to Big Spring Trailhead, Canyonlands NP Section 3: Big Spring Trailhead, Canyonlands National Park to Hite, Utah Section 4: Hite, Utah to Poison Spring Canyon, Utah Section 5: Poison Spring Canyon, Utah to the Burr Trail, Capitol Reef NP Section 6: Burr Trail, Capitol Reef NP to Hole-in-the-rock Road, Utah Section 7: Hole-in-the-rock Road, Utah to Round Valley Draw, Utah Section 8: Round Valley Draw, Utah to Willis Creek, Utah Section 9: Willis Creek, Utah to the Arizona Trail Stateline Trailhead Section 10: Arizona Trail Stateline Trailhead to Nankoweap Trailhead, GCNP Section 11: Nankoweap Trailhead, GCNP to Horseshoe Mesa, GCNP Section 12: Horseshoe Mesa, GCNP to North Rim, Grand Canyon NP. Section 13: North Rim, Grand Canyon NP to Hack Canyon, AZ Section 14: Hack Canyon, AZ to the Weeping Wall, Zion NP Approximately 40 miles of the main Hayduke Trail are within Arches and Canyonlands. Many alternate routes in these two parks have been created: Klondike Bluffs (alternate eastern terminus) Devils Garden (alternate eastern terminus) through The Needles via established trails in Big Spring Canyon, Elephant Canyon, Lost Canyon, Chesler Park, and Salt Creek through The Maze from Spanish Bottom to Hans Flat Packrafting on the Colorado River from Moab to Spanish Bottom The official site for the trail warns: Because of the extremely challenging and dangerous nature of this route, you must be a very experienced desert backpacker in peak physical condition before attempting any section of the Hayduke Trail! Thru-hikers beware! The Hayduke Trail traverses intensely rugged terrain, is largely off-trail, is not signed and ranges in elevation from 1,800 feet in the Grand Canyon to 11,419 atop Mt. Ellen's South Summit! The Hayduke Trail was named after George Washington Hayduke, a character from Edward Abbey'sThe Monkey Wrench Gang. It was created by Mike Coronella and Joe Mitchell, both of Utah, as the combination of several treks including a 94-day expedition in 1998 and a 101-day journey in 2000. Permits: All Hayduke hikers planning to stay within either Arches or Canyonlands must obtain a backcountry permit. For backpacking permits in Arches, hikers should contact e-mail us or stop by the Backcountry Permit Office in Moab to inquire about availability. All backpacking/packrafting permits at Canyonlands can be reserved in advance on Recreation.gov. Backpackers can inquire about walk up availability (starting at $5) at either a district visitor center or the Backcountry Permit Office in Moab. There are both designated campsites and at-large backpacking zones that lie along or near the route. Camping without a permit or off permit is not allowed. Backpackers should plan accordingly and be able to cover mileage needed to reach the campsites or at-large backpacking zones on their permit. Camping in the river corridor is only permitted with a permit and required equipment. Swimming is not permitted across Spanish Bottom. Backpackers should arrange a shuttle in advance or bring their own vessel (and required equipment) to cross the Colorado River.If camping within Glen Canyon National Recreation Area for the end of Section 3 or beginning of Section 4, please follow their land-based backcountry camping regulations.

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