Spring 2026 - Idaho, Utah, Arizona, 5.2.26 - 5.27.26, Part 6: Canyonlands National Park/Druid Arch, Lockhart Canyon
Knowing we had a big day and that the temperatures would get uncomfortably hot, we got up at 5:10AM. After coffee and oatmeal, we got out to start hiking at 6:45AM. Perfect timing for the sunrise as we made our way through Chesler Park. .6 miles from our camp we came to the junction with the connector trail leading over to Elephant Canyon. At first it was flat as we made our way through some pinnacles but soon after we began our descent into Elephant Canyon.
Leaving our camp for Druid Arch
Sunrise in Chesler Park. The other camps are on the opposite side of this wall.
Once we started down into Elephant Canyon we ran into a series of obstacles. The first one was easy enough. It was a curved shelf and we simply found the lowest drop which was about four feet to get down below the shelf. Another spot had a steep angled section of slickrock that we then had to jump over to a different steep section of slickrock. An extra hand here was helpful. One of the tougher ones was a sheer drop of about six feet to a rock shelf but with a good handhold and foothold we figured that one out and continued. Around another corner we came to a huge cave which came in handy on our way back. Slowly but methodically, we worked our way down, down, down until we finally reached the floor of Elephant Canyon.
Finding the drop spot on obstacle number one
The trail at the bottom of Elephant Canyon in sight
Altogether there was maybe four or five sketchy moves but Bridgit handled them all with enthusiasm and a smile. She really wanted to see Druid Arch and a little danger wasn’t about to stop her. At the wash we headed up the canyon. The light was still really nice. We were down in the shade and the tops of all the pinnacles were lit up. It’s 3.5 miles from our camp at CP1 to Druid Arch. Just in case, I had brought my water filter. We saw a symbol of a spring on the Gaia app but there was nothing there when we arrived. A bit further we had to leave the wash due to a very large pour-off that would have been impossible to climb. A bypass trail climbed up above the wash (which also had a tricky move) and then paralleled the wash high above for a ways before once again dropping back down into the wash. Somewhere along this stretch we did see some water below the wash but it looked very hard to get to. We also found a large water pool under the pour-off but that water looked really skanky and even filtered I wouldn’t have wanted to drink it.
Beautiful views as we hiked up Elephant Canyon
After we had gone quite a way up the canyon we took a hard left and began to climb steeply. First we had to go up a steep gully of slickrock, then came to a ladder to climb up a small rock cliff and finally a super steep gully full of loose rock. We began to see one edge of Druid Arch but it really isn’t until you get to the very top of the gully that it turns right and levels out onto a rock plateau and you get a full view of Druid Arch right in your face.
The arch is gigantic! It stands a full 150’ high with two prominent holes, each one 85’ high and 20’ wide. It’s blocky appearance makes it look like it would be right at home in Stonehenge. Druid Arch is a fitting name.
One of the steep slickrock gullies
This small pond looked nice but had really bad water
So proud of my hiker mama!
End of the trail at Druid Arch Viewpoint
Druid Arch
We hung around at the viewpoint for about forty-five minutes or so. Several other people came and went as this is the most sought after sight in the Needles District of Canyonlands. If you day hike to Druid Arch it’s an eleven mile round trip. That’s a doable distance but that doesn’t include any other sights like Chesler Park or the Joint Trail.
It was getting late in the morning and the heat was really cranking up so we started heading back. It took a while to carefully pick our way down the gully and the steep slickrock back to the wash. By now the sun was high and the wash had little shade. If I had to guess, I would say temperatures down in the wash were close to a hundred degrees. Because we had less water for the total trip than we would have liked, we were careful not to drink too much on any given hike. Bridgit and I were both getting a bit close to heat exhaustion by the time we reached the connector trail to climb back out of Elephant Canyon. We were not looking forward to climbing up in the hot sun but slowly we kept making progress. We finally got back to the big cave about halfway up the canyon and took a long break there in the shade of the cave. Thinking this was a good spot for a lunch break we broke out our thin sliced bagels and peanut butter. Almost at the same time we took our first bite. We looked at each other and realized that neither of us had any saliva left and it was literally impossible to chew or swallow a peanut butter bagel. In a way it was comical how we realized our situation at the same time. Back into our packs went the rest of the lunch. We still had water and we continued to take sips all the way back to camp. We were not feeling great but it sure was nice when we got to the top of the canyon and it leveled out. A mile later we crawled back into camp, somewhat dehydrated but incredibly happy that we had made it to Druid Arch and back.
All I wanted to do was lie down which is what I did. Mike went out to the ledge. We had no cell service at all in camp or anywhere else in Chesler Park, but out on the ledge we got a strong signal so he made some calls related to his upcoming surgery and a bit later I checked the latest forecast.
Once dinner was over we assessed our situation. Despite our best efforts, it was clear we didn’t have enough water for another day, night and pack out. Mike was leaving first thing in the morning anyway to get back for his surgery. Bridgit and I had originally planned to stay another day, hike the five mile Joint Trail Loop but even if we had more water, we were pretty wiped after the hot day hiking to Druid Arch. On top of all that, the latest forecast had changed and the next day called for high wind gusts and possible rain squalls by the afternoon. It was clear that we would also forgo our final day and pack out the next morning. We took it in stride. I would have loved to see the Joint, a mile and half long narrow crack that you hike through as part of the Joint Trail Loop, but I was really happy with what we had already accomplished and the thought of blowing sand getting into everytrhing didn’t sound too appealing. We spent our final evening out on the ledge, each in our own thoughts about how much fun these last few days had been.
We got a very early start the next morning. One reason was just that we were eager to get back to the Navibahn and recharge. I also had a hidden agenda and wanted to get to the sweet view spot as early as possible to capture the morning light. We got up at 5:10AM and packed up camp. By 6:30AM we were back on the trail for the 3.2 mile hike out. I booked it back up to the gap at Chesler Park Overlook and was really pleased with the light so early in the morning. I didn’t need to drop down the other side to the rocky viewpoint we had found on our way in because almost the same view could be had from up higher at Chesler Park Overlook.
Lovely morning light from Chesler Park Overlook
This was the view I was hoping to capture and it turned out nicely
Mike planned to drive all the way back to Steamboat so we said goodbye and he disappeared down the trail. Bridgit and I were still very dehydrated even though we each had a full liter of water so we were dragging a bit on the way back. We were quite happy to finally get back to the trailhead and I stopped by the visitor center so we could refill the water bottles and take long big drinks. Just a mile further we pulled back into Needles Outpost and I stopped by the store there and got us two very ice cold lemonades. Oh my God, nothing had ever tasted so fine! It took us a couple of days of drinking gallons to fully recover from our Druid Arch hike. Back at the Navibahn, we took cold showers and had a nice nap. That afternoon we got hit with nasty wind gusts and even some rain. Looking in the direction of Chesler Park it looked even worse so I think we made a good call to pack out early.
Because we had hiked out a day early, we had a free day before we had to leave Canyonlands. I called Sarah and they came down the next day. They too had been drained by the heat and hiking miles. Since none of us were that exuberant about doing another hike, I offered to take them on a Jeep excursion. Neither of them had ever been jeeping so with air-conditioning blasting, we drove out to the Lockhart Basin Road and headed north. This road is rated intermediate, although most of it is easy. Our plan was to drive out quite a ways to a junction with the Lockhart Canyon Road. Along the way we drove past a small campground called Hamburger Rock. We saw several other great spots for dispersed camping. We drove right around the base of Needles Overlook and all along the way was classic western scenery with huge buttes and mesas stretching as far as the eye could see.
I had read that beyond the turnoff to Lockhart Canyon, the Lockhart Basin Road gets really rough and becomes a technical drive for hard core jeepers as it runs all the way to Chicken Corners near Hurrah pass and bavk to Moab. Lockhart Canyon remains intermediate which is more our style. We turned left and headed down into Lockhart Canyon. I had detailed mileages for various points in a book we were following. At one wash we came to an odd gate. Most gates are either metal swing gates or barbed wire and wood that you just pull aside. This one was a high cable across the wash with vertical fencelike slats of wood hanging down all the way across the wash. We contemplated it and then Brady lifted one off to the side while Bridgit and Sarah lifted the other one and I had just enough room to squeeze through. The last book entry said to cross a deep wash. Well we got to the edge of the deep wash and the road dropped very steeply into the wash. On the other side it was more like a vertical wall. I didn’t like the looks of it at all and being some thirty miles from the nearest anything, I didn’t think hiking out to get someone to tow me out of the wash sounded like something that would fill me with joy. Luckily, we were only .2 miles from the end of the road so we just left the Jeep and hiked to the end. At the end of the road we had reached the Colorado River. Large stands of tamarisk blocked our ability to hike to the water but there were some rocks we climbed to get views. There were also some faded pictographs on some of the rocks but also a lot of graffiti. We hung out for a bit and then drove back. We said goodbye to Sarah and Brady and they planned to drive to Needles Overlook to look down on where we had just driven on their way back to Moab.
Sarah and Brady’s first Jeep excursion ever!
The strange gate across the wash
My side of the deep wash
The far side of the wash. Much steeper than it looks!
The Colorado River at the end of the Lockhart Canyon Road
Lockhart Canyon. This would be a very pretty drive in the early evening before sunset.
Love this shot! We had fun!
On a side note. We were in Needles Outpost Campground for six days with no hookups. We still had a half tank of propane, the refrigerator maintained good temperatures and the batteries had tons of hours left before needing a recharge. We’ve had our share of issues since we first bought our rig but at the moment it seems like we’ve fixed all the problems. When it’s running properly, the Navibahn is our dream home. We LOVE our home on wheels and it suits us perfectly.