 Horseshoe Canyon is a separate unit of Canyonlands National Park situated 20 miles north of Hans Flat Ranger Station. A spring fed creek within the canyon provides nourishment to flowers, grasses, sage and cottonwoods creating a bit of a sanctuary within the arid surrounding desert. The main attraction of this pretty canyon, however, is the Great Gallery -- a collection of life size pictographs created by an archaic Indian culture that existed from 8000 B.C. to 450 A.D. These pictographs may be the most impressive such collection in the country. The Horseshoe Canyon Unit is accessible from Hans Flat from the south or on 2wd dirt roads from the northwest. The road from Hans Flat is rough but navigable by high clearance 2wd vehicles in dry weather. Most persons coming from Hans Flat drive to the canyons northeastern corner and descend on a steep difficult 4wd road into the canyon. The road ends along the canyon floor and a hiking trail leads another 1-1/2 miles to the Great Gallery. A less used and more difficult route from Hans Flat approaches the canyon's southern rim. A hiking trail there descends 600 feet (1-1/2 miles oneway) to the Great Gallery. More information is available in our coverage of Canyonlands National Park.
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