Trail: 36 mile loop starting at Alcove Canyon, to the Green River via Taylor Canyon, up Upheaval Canyon to Upheaval Dome, then south around Upheaval Dome back to Alcove Canyon TH. Island in the Sky Map [317k PDF file] Shows Island in the Sky district campsites, roads, and trails with brief overview text (black and white). Backcountry Reservation Office: 435.259.4351. Primrose, lupine, mariposa lily, globe mallow and penstemon are also prevalent. (See page 76 for more information on the Alcove Spring Trail.) ... Alcove Spring Trail is about 5.6 miles out-and-back, but we decided to set camp about 3 miles in after the difficult downward hike. Its namesake comes from a spring that originates under a large alcove .5 miles from the trailhead. The Alcove Spring Trail leads from the mesa top, immediately east of Upheaval Dome, into Trail Canyon. This alcove is much further off trail, but offers a great look at the vegetated corridor running from its base to desert floor. Canyonlands National Park The Alcove Spring Trail runs 5.7 miles through Trail Canyon to the Taylor Canyon intersection in Canyonlands National Park. This short, entertaining hike visits an old cowboy camp and the Cave Spring alcove, harboring a spring and pictographs. Start: Alcove Spring Trailhead Distance: 11.2 miles; out and back Difficulty: Difficult Maps: USGS Upheaval Dome; Trails Illustrated Island in the Sky Finding the trailhead: Drive 6.5 miles south of the Island in the Sky Visitor Center and turn right (west) onto Upheaval Dome Road.Go another 3.3 miles to the Alcove Spring Parking Area at the trailhead sign on the right (north) side of the road. The alcove houses an old stove, tables, benches, tin bowls and cooking gear, rusted cans and other relics. And the park is divided into 3 separate sections: Island in the Sky, The Needles, and The Maze. Highway 313 (27.8 miles) About 40 minutes after leaving the trailhead you will pass a large alcove in the cliff that contains an unnamed spring. A long day hike or overnighter with spectacular scenery. This scramble is strenuous, following tight switchbacks of loose scree and exposed sandstone. Tell us when your experience with this trail happened. The Alcove Spring Trail drops off the mesa into Trail Canyon, which turns N-NE once on the canyon floor. Over a 1,300-foot elevation change, Alcove Spring winds through a canyon to the base of the photo-worthy Moses and Zeus formation. From there, cross the road and hike south along the road for about 1,000 feet until you reach a bend in the road lined with juniper logs, which is where the primitive but well-worn trail starts. The Maze Map [231k PDF file] Shows Maze district campsites, roads, and trails, with brief overview text (black and white). The easiest way to see the park is with a visit to the Island in the Sky district, only 32 miles (51.5 km) from Moab. Jim Dollar/flickr. Isolated camps like this were used by cowboys employ by ranchers from the 1890’s until 1975, when cattle ranching was discontinued inside Canyonlands National Park. The Alcove Spring trail is located in the Island in the Sky District of Canyonlands National Park near Moab, Utah. 1300ft / 396m. Pilot data of endemic plant counts were also analyzed. ... False Kiva is accessed via the Alcove Spring parking area off of Upheaval Dome Road. Distant views stretch to the Abajo and La Sal Mountains. This is one of the most photographed overlooks in the world! 3. Spring Canyon is a stronghold for. Trail Map | Photo Gallery Below is the official Canyonlands National Park map as a jpeg and in three geocoded formats, as a GeoTIFF, as a KMZ file, and in Oruxmaps format. The Alcove Spring trail is located in the Island in the Sky District of Canyonlands National Park near Moab, Utah. The trail heads northeast from the road. If you are planning a trip with your camera to the Island in the Sky District of Canyonlands National Park, then you'll want to read photographer Rebecca Latson's latest Armchair Photography Guide, filled with tips, techniques and advice for capturing stellar shots without having to hike long trails or venture into the backcountry. Hikers must camp in designated sites where explicitly stated. There's a $25 fee per vehicle to enter Canyonlands National Park (defined as private passenger cars with 15 people or less). The hiking distance is about 3 miles round-trip from the Alcove Spring trailhead (near Upheaval Dome), where you park your car. The trail starts on top of the Island in the Sky Mesa at an elevation of 5680 ft. Flow monitoring continued at springs in Arches and Canyon-lands national parks. Bald Mountain Pass ... Alcove Spring. It continues to the sparingly-marked but obvious intersection with Taylor Canyon (5.7 miles : 4,198’), where you can pick up a short trail that circles the spires, or simply turn right up Taylor Canyon and improvise up to a great view. Other readers will always be interested in your opinion of the books you've read. Beyond the alcove the trail climbs atop a slickrock formation with fine views of nearby rock formation. ... To reach this lesser-known hike, you must park at the Alcove Spring Trail and then walk backwards. 8mi / 13km . Bryce Canyon National Park. The Maze Map [231k PDF file] Shows Maze district campsites, roads, and trails, with brief overview text (black and white). _____ From its trailhead at the top of Island Mesa, the Alcove Spring Trail almost immediately forfeits 800 feet of elevation on its way down to the Trail Canyon floor. Many of the springs in Canyonlands, including both Neck Spring and Cabin Spring, are located at the boundary between the Navajo and Kayenta Formations. Island in the Sky Map [317k PDF file] Shows Island in the Sky district campsites, roads, and trails with brief overview text (black and white). At the Alcove Spring pull-out, veer left on a hard-packed sand trail that drops off the mesa top into the depths of Trail Canyon. Bald Mountain Pass Water plays a major role in determining suitable habitat for humans as well as plants and animals. Answered: Hi everyone, I will be in Canyonlands for a few days and would like to go backpacking in the park. The first mile of this trail down from Island in the Sky is a little rocky, but with lots of steps installed to make hiking down and climbing back up easier. A large alcove can be seen in the wall near the trail. There is no water available along this route. Just as Trail Canyon merges with Taylor Canyon, the trail leaves the dry wash. 10mi / 16km. There is an old cowboy camp with quite a few artifacts preserved under a large alcove. (Last Updated On: 17/07/2020) After going hiking in Arches National Park, the next stop on my Utah National Park’s itinerary was a stop for some epic hikes in Canyonlands National Park!Canyonlands is one of the most remote places in the United States, making cellphone service slim, views off-the-chain, and hiking secluded and awe-inspiring. Do not bathe or wash dishes in creeks or pools. Morning light is especially good on these wafer thin spires that are popular among climbers. Passes are good for 7 consecutive days. Though well marked, anticipate this important entry-exit point on the return. Go another 3.3 miles to the Alcove Spring Parking Area at the trailhead sign on the right (north) side of the road. Shared By: Megan W. Full Details. From there, cross the road and hike south along the road for about 1,000 feet until you reach a bend in the road lined with juniper logs, which is where the primitive but well-worn trail starts. You may also turn left (west) down Taylor Canyon, which soon turns into a road that Ts up with White Rim Road at the Labyrinth campsite just off the Colorado River. After dropping approximately 1000 feet, the trail flattens out as you hike along a winding path through a field with grand views as the canyon widens for about a mile. The hiking distance is about 3 miles round-trip from the Alcove Spring trailhead (near Upheaval Dome), where you park your car. ... Alcove Spring Trail is about 5.6 miles out-and-back, but we decided to set camp about 3 miles in after the difficult downward hike. Alcove Spring is only 0.7 miles from the parking area, with an elevation loss of 440 feet. Contact 1. The views of the surrounding cliffs are spectacular from the whole trail. Location: Upheaval Dome in the Island in the Sky District Directions: From Moab, UT, drive 10 miles north on Highway 191.Go west on UT 313 for 30 miles into Canyonlands National Park and follow signs to Upheaval Dome. During the last mile you get great views of Zeus and Moses and Aphrodite, awesome spires of rock on the north horizon—the darlings of rock climbers everywhere. Canyonlands National Park is located near Moab, Utah. This area of high desert was made a national park in 1964. Its namesake comes from a spring that originates under a large alcove.5 miles from the trailhead. Trip Reports You may otherwise choose your own campsite in designated at-large zones. Head Count (how many other hikers I saw): 0 groups. Will not show on comments list. Its namesake comes from a spring that originates under a large alcove.5 miles from the trailhead. Large alcove, views of Taylor Canyon. This 6.4-mile-long trail follows Trail Canyon for 4.4 miles, then climbs up to the Alcove Spring and ends shortly afterward at the Upheaval Dome Road. At-large sites must be at least 1 mile away from any road and 300' from any archeological site, historical site or water source. The trail undulates with a net descent across wash braids (2.15 miles) before dropping into the central wash (2.6 miles : 4,440’). Canyonlands National Park and surrounding area. Canyonlands National Park: Alcove Spring Trail to Moses and Zeus. Le sentier vous présentera des fleurs sauvages et sa difficulté est évaluée comme difficile. 1300ft / 396m. Finding the trailhead: Drive 6.5 miles south of the Island in the Sky Visitor Center and turn right (west) onto Upheaval Dome Road. From its trailhead at the top of Island Mesa, the Alcove Spring Trail almost immediately forfeits 800 feet of elevation on its way down to the Trail Canyon floor. One of the members of the party, Edwin Bryant, found and named the site. The wash drops on a nominal grade with receding walls to your first look at the Zeus and Moses spires (5.25 miles : 4,245’). The geology and climate of Canyonlands have created an unusual landscape characterized by maze-like canyons, sheer cliff faces, strange rock formations, deep crevices, and alcoves. The Alcove Spring Trail drops 800’ from the Island Mesa on a rugged path, then moderates on the canyon floor into a wash that leads all the way to Taylor Canyon. From here it’s only about a quarter mile on a defined trail to the Moses Trailhead. The Needlesest entre les villes de Moab et de Monticello sur la highway 191. Bill Gracey/flickr. It is impossible to get to one section of Canyonlands National Park from another. The route descends through Trail Canyon for several miles to meet Taylor Canyon, then White Rim Road. There are two sections to the park, The Needles and Island in the Sky. Many of the springs in Canyonlands, including both Neck Spring and Cabin Spring, are located at the boundary between the Navajo and Kayenta Formations. Copyright © 2020 Utah Office of Tourism. Alcove Spring got its name in 1846 when the Donner-Reed Party was forced to wait for the Big Blue River to go down from May 26 to May 31. Mountain Bikers and 4WDs must stay on established roads and camp in designated sites at all times. T… Begin hiking the Alcove Spring Trail approximately four miles from Grand View/Upheaval Dome Road junction from the trailhead along Upheaval Dome Road. A large alcove can be seen in the wall near the trail. This is the Bryce Point scenic overlook. You can also go up into Upper Taylor Canyon to camp. Jim Dollar/flickr. The canyon leg that branches right (SE) from the drop-in point is called Spring Canyon. It then goes down a steep boulder covered slope at the base of a reddish/orange colored shear wall. The trail curls north on a rolling, packed-dirt path deeper into the canyon, where another alcove is revealed around a large bend on the west wall (1.6 miles : 4,675’). Experience the rugged terrain of Canyonlands National Park with 4-wheel drive transportation on a half-day tour from Moab. Description The first steep, 1.5-mile descent is a wild, rocky, and sometimes hard-to-follow trail. Some areas are hospitable to life; some are not. Date hiked: 07/22/16. Be mindful of weather and plan travel to avoid afternoon thunderstorms, especially July-August. There are two sections to the park, The Needles and Island in the Sky. Highway 313 (27.8 miles) Most trails in the Island in the Sky district of Canyonlands National Park are either short and level, leading to viewpoints on the edge of the plateau, or long and steep, descending 1,300 feet or more to the White Rim. Park is divided into 3 separate sections: Island in the Island in wash! 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