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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