Dark Canyon Travel Information
Dark Canyon is rugged, pristine and beautiful. It is an excellent
destination for those seeking to hike and camp in the wilderness in
relative isolation. Though a day hike is feasible, multi-day trips are
really necessary to adequately experience this area.
Dark Canyon is comprised of two areas. Upper Dark Canyon is a
designated wilderness area in the Manti-La Sal National Forest. The
canyon here is fairly open with stands of Douglas fir and ponderosa
pine. Elk Ridge, at 8,200 feet, forms its eastern and southern border
and is the source of the numerous tributaries feeding the upper
canyon. It is generally hikeable from late-May to October, though it
is generally wet and subject to flooding in spring. Summer
temperatures are moderate and water is abundant.
Lower Dark Canyon is a designated primitive area lying mostly on
BLM land. The canyon deepens and narrows as you head down canyon until
its orange-red walls tower nearly 1,500 feet overhead. The environment
here is more desert-like with pinion pine, juniper and cottonwood. It
is hikeable year round, though temperatures are most pleasant in the
spring and fall. Water is available throughout the lower canyon.
Dark Canyon is located in southeast Utah, east of Hite Marina on
Lake Powell and west of the Abajo Mountains. It is about 25 miles
northwest of Blanding and 15 air miles north of Natural Bridges
National Monument. View
Area Map.
To learn more about Dark Canyon, select a topic of interest from
the left-hand column.
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