Overview
Panorama of the Needles District, Canyonlands National Park Click on image for a larger view. Digital photo by Aaron Johnson Canyonlands National Park is a sprawling tract of land so vast and diverse that it is divided into three districts. These districts are determined by the confluence of the Colorado and Green rivers near the center of the Park. Island in the Sky is north of the confluence and reached from Moab to the east. The Maze is the most primitive part of the park and the hardest to reach, and encompasses the area to the west of the confluence. The Needles District entails the rugged, diverse landscape to the east of the confluence. Though not as difficult to reach as the wild and remote Maze District, the Needles is in fact located right next to nowhere, as the Maze is literally located “across the river” to the west.
The Needles is rugged and remote country, far removed from any major civilized center, which would be Moab to the northeast, 74 miles away by paved road. Apart from the Visitor Center and the Park’s only campground, the comforts of modern civilization are nowhere to be found. The Needles is truly the same as it was eons ago.
This is a wonderland of spires and pinnacles, arches and canyons that defy accurate mapping, and rival the Maze in scope and complexity. What the Needles has more of than the Park’s other two districts is trails. Many interconnecting loop trails offer an impressive array of exploration possibilities, which become endless when you take the trail not taken. Either way, you are assured solitude for most of your time in the Needles backcountry. Most of the trail combinations are long, and coming up with an expedient plan of seeing everything you want to see will prove to be a challenge. Whatever you do, you won’t be disappointed.
The Needles is one of the ultimate primitive experiences available in Utah, and is worth your time and effort to discover. This place is the same as it has been since before man’s arrival. It is a place that is timeless and unchanging, and it will be so long after we are gone. A visit to the Needles is but a snapshot in your life, but it is also a glimpse into eternity, and during your visit, long or brief as it may be, you are privileged to mingle in the timeless realm of a solitary desert paradise.
Getting ThereThe Needles District of Canyonlands is located in the middle of nowhere. Be sure you have plenty of fuel in your vehicle before proceeding. From Moab, drive south for 40 miles on Highway 191, or from Monticello, drive north on Highway 191 for 14 miles. At the junction, turn west onto Highway 211 and follow it 34 miles to the Visitor Center in the Needles District.
If you do not camp in the Park or at the nearby concessionaire, or camp on the nearby BLM lands in your vehicle, plan on putting a minimum of 100 miles on your vehicle per day commuting to and from the Park.
Orientation Map
Red TapeCryptobiotic soil prevents harmful erosion in the desert
Digital photo by Aaron Johnson DON’T SPOIL THE SOIL!
Much of the SE Utah desert including Canyonlands & Arches National Parks is home to Cryptobiotic Soil Crust. Watch where you step as this stuff is extremely sensitive and this “stuff” is also what’s keeping erosion at bay on hillsides. The NPS recommends using established trails, sandstone slabs, and/or sandy washes for your foot travel throughout the park.
Entrance Fees
Individual $5.00 (Good for 7days)
Vehicle $10.00 (Good for 7 days)
Permits are required for all overnight stays in the backcountry, including hiking, biking, 4WD or river trips. Permits are required for vehicles, horses and bikes in Horse Canyon, Salt Creek and Lavender Canyon. Permits may be reserved in advance. Applications may be secured here.
Pets must be leashed at all times and are not permitted on trails, at overlooks or in the backcountry.
All natural and cultural features are protected. Entering ancient man made structures is a violation of Federal law. Do not disturb archaeological sites.
Camping & LodgingNewspaper Rock State Park
Digital photo by Aaron Johnson The Squaw Flat campground is the only established camping area within the Park. Campsites are available on a first-come, first-serve basis. Picnic tables, grills and restroom facilities are provided. Water is provided year round. Group campsites are available and reserved by contacting the Park. Fees are charged year round for these facilities.
Primitive camp sites are located along 4WD roads and in selected remote areas. Backcountry permits and fees are required. Picnic tables throughout the district have no other facilities. Established sites along the trails are available on a reservation basis.
The Needles Outpost is the only local concessionaire service, located just outside the entrance to the Park. Camping, showers, gasoline and a general store are available. BLM lands east of the Park offer primitive camp spots suitable for RV or car camping. Camping is available at Newspaper Rock State Park Campground, located along Highway 211, about half way to the Needles from Highway 191.
Canyonlands National Park
2282 S. West Resource Boulevard
Moab, Utah 84532-3298
435-719-2313
www.nps.gov/cany
Moab Lodging, Restaurant and Additional Information
Excellent resource!
Hotel and motel lodging is also available in nearby Monticello, 48 miles away.
For a great Bed and Breakfast experience, the Mount Peale Resort offers rooms or cabins. The lodge is 68 miles away from the Park and located in nowhere land, southeast of the La Sal mountains. Because of the remote location, both breakfast and dinner are served in a large dining area with a splendid view of the mountains. The cuisine is superb and the hospitality is excellent.
View of the La Sal mountains from Mount Peale Inn & Resort
Digital photo by Aaron Johnson
When to Visit the NeedlesA storm moves in on the Needles District of Canyonlands
Digital photo by Aaron Johnson Spring or fall are the best time to visit the Needles, although winter may prove to be advantageous, although cool, and there is a chance of snow. Summer is very hot and not recommended. The Needles District receives most of its rare precipitation in late summer to early fall.
Probable Seasonal Temperatures (Night/Day)
Summer: 50-100 degrees
Spring & Fall: 20-80 degrees
Winter: 0-50 degrees EssentialsCount on no water anywhere in the Needles District except at the Squaw Flat campground and the Visitor Center. You must carry all of your water with you on any type of excursion. For a day outing, carry twice the amount of water you would normally carry on a similar outing elsewhere. Drink plenty of water during the course of the day.
For day hikes or backpack trips, the obvious supplies and equipment are indicated, with an emphasis on a hat, sunscreen, sunglasses, food and lots of water. Be sure you wear comfortable hiking boots with good tread, which is essential when maneuvering on the slickrock. And don’t forget to bring and drink plenty of water.
Your camera will be working overtime. Bring plenty of film or have a large card ready to go. Be sure to have a good map. Trails Illustrated produces an excellent map of the Needles District.
And do not forget to bring plenty of water!HistoryPuebloan Indians occupied the Needles, growing corn, squash and beans, hunting deer and bighorn and gathering seeds, fruits and roots. This is the same culture that built the stone pueblos of Mesa Verde in Colorado, and their remnants are evident in just about ever Needles District canyon. Granaries, petroglyphs and pictographs are evidence of their presence, as well as the Archaic hunters that preceded them by 10,000 years.
Ute and Paiute cultures arrived around 800 A.D., followed by the Navajo in 1300 A.D., but their use of the Canyonlands area was understandably minimal. In the 1770s, Spanish explorers Escalante and Dominguez skirted the area, but trappers and traders from Santa Fe penetrated the complex terrain. Major John Wesley Powell explored the area during his 1869 expedition of the Green River, a trip he repeated years later. Mormon settlers that followed made their living as farmers, ranchers and prospectors.
In the late 1950s, Arches National Monument Superintendent Bates Wilson supported efforts to create Canyonlands National Park. Interior Secretary Stewart Udall began lobbying for the Park in 1961. In September of 1964, President Lyndon Johnson signed legislation establishing 257,640 acres as Canyonlands National Park. The Park was expanded in 1971 to the current 337,598 acres. Images
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