Dark Canyon Wilderness Area, West of Blanding, Utah (98450349).jpg 1,600 1,200; 821 KB Dark Canyon Wilderness Area.jpg 2,272 1,704; 264 KB Dark Canyon Wilderness, Canyonlands National Park, and La Sal Mountains, Utah (98451546).jpg 1,600 1,200; 697 KB Above that some of the springs can dry up during drought. The only designated Wilderness in southeastern Utah, the 47,116-acre Dark Canyon Wilderness is located in a beautiful and remote section of the Colorado Plateau. Christy, her parents Tim and Julie, and I spent four days exploring the hiker's and scenic paradise of Dark Canyon over Memorial Day weekend. Designated in 1984 and managed by the U.S. Forest Service, the 47,116-acre primitive area holds the distinction of being the only designated wilderness in southeastern Utah. The adjacent BLM-managed Dark Canyon Primitive Area contains about 65,000 acres that run between Dark Canyon Wilderness and Glen Canyon National Recreation Area.The place earned its name from the steep, narrow canyons where the sun hardly ever reaches to the canyon floors. What a big stinking coincidence. Dramatic mountain peaks, deep valleys, and countless streams await on this fun backcountry adventure. Dark Canyon and its tributaries begin high on the edge of Elk Ridge at an elevation of 8,800 feet and cut through layers of sandstone and limestone to the upper reaches of Lake Powell and the Colorado River ending up at 3,700 feet. Horse Ranch Park Trailhead (start): 8,920 ft. top of Devils Stairway: 8,200 ft. Erickson Springs Trailhead: 6,820 ft. The upper canyon can easily be made a loop via Woodenshoe and Peavine Canyons. No good maps of that route to be . Visitors are dwarfed by steep, sculpted and terraced sandstone walls that shade the canyon in morning and late afternoon -- hence the name. Dark Canyon is a very rugged area, and many of the trails are very strenuous. The location, topography, and nearby roads & trails around Dark Canyon Wilderness (Reserve) can be seen in the map layers above. Neither privy to Abajo Mountains snow conditions and road openings nor in possession of a 4WD . Our Inspiration. Located in the Dark Canyon Wilderness Area, requires no permits or fees. Dark Canyon Wilderness can be seen through a variety of backpacking trips from short in-and-out trips to longer five to seven-day trips for experienced backpackers. Its walls can reach upward of 2000 ft. and it can be difficult to access near the lower stretches. Season: Spring. The Bears Ears National Monument is jointly managed by: Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Monticello Field Office 365 North Main | Monticello, UT 435-259-2100. Wilderness Vagabond! This trail is 56.0 mi long with an elevation gain of 3,759 ft. The Forest Service managers the upper end of the canyon; The USFS Dark Canyon Wilderness Area comprising 45,000 acres. Dark Canyon Wilderness is located in the heart of Utah's southeast canyon country. Blanding, UT 2 15.4 mi 24.8 km #2 Woodenshoe Trail (165) Easy/Intermediate. The North Fork of the San Jacinto River (more like a creek) is also located next to the campground. There, smack in the middle of a large area shown as Dark Canyon Wilderness was a cherry-stemmed, motorized route -- a mysterious, inexplicable, and totally intriguing road deep into a canyon. Dark Canyon always has water from about half way between Black Steer and Youngs Canyon all the way to the Colorado River. Trip Reports and Other Wild Stuff. Miles above the BLM managed part, deep in the USFS Wilderness. North of Fable Valley is a smaller rugged area managed as the Dark Canyon Natural Area, which is a non-WSA area with Wilderness Characteristics. This is a popular trail for backpacking, birding, and hiking, but you can still enjoy some solitude during quieter times of day. Route Description For those intrepid adventurers that are in search of a lengthy and challenging route through the Elk Mountains, the Dark Canyon Trail is the perfect route to experience the rugged landscape of Colorado. The best times to visit this trail are March through November. During the summer, water is scarce and hikers must be careful to plan accordingly. #2 Dark Canyon Wilderness, UT, Youngs/Lean-To loop. We will stop at an ancestral Puebloan dwelling for a view. Exploring Utah's Dark Canyon Wilderness (Bears Ears NM) Dec 18, 2018: Archives - Yahoo Canyons Group: Dark Canyon side canyon recommendations: Apr 26, 2011: Dark Canyon manufactures the toughest gear to survive the outside elements, with tactical advantages of modern engineering and design. Dark Canyon is the name given to a large canyon system in San Juan county of southeastern Utah. El Dorado National Forest. We slowly descend about 2,000 feet into Woodenshoe Canyon over about 8 miles. finger prints. The Dark Canyon Plateau strip . Find Dark Canyon Wilderness stock photos and editorial news pictures from Getty Images. Its walls are consistently 1,500 to 2,000 feet high for its 30-mile length from the forests of Elk Ridge to Cataract Canyon. Water will be intermittent the first few days, but will become more abundant as we proceed downcanyon. To reach the ten different trailheads that provide access to the Wilderness, visitors must ascend roads to the top of the Elk Ridge Highlands which may be snowdrifted into early summer in heavy snow years. Where is the best place to hike in Dark Canyon Wilderness? Dark Canyon Dark Canyon is an amazing place. Short and more technical, but more reliable water, especially down in the canyon bottom. The Dark Canyon Wilderness, designated . Gila Wilderness 2 visits, 2019, 2015 (15 total days, 165 total miles) Oregon. Located in the Manti-La Sal National Forest, Dark Canyon Wilderness earned its name for its high canyon walls that block sunlight in the early morning and late afternoon. Shop for dark canyon wilderness wall art from the world's greatest living artists. Eric Ashley. The lower portion of Dark Canyon is part of the 62,000-acre BLM Dark Canyon Primitive Area. Blanding, UT . The volunteer group b. Natural Bridges National Monument. The distance between the two trailheads is just a few miles, so if you don't have a car shuttle this loop hike is definitely still possible. According to users from AllTrails.com, the best place to hike in Dark Canyon Wilderness is Dark Canyon Loop, which has a 4.0 star rating from 22 reviews. The latitude and longitude coordinates (GPS waypoint) of Dark Canyon Wilderness are 37.6984932 (North), -109.8951266 (West) and the approximate elevation is 7,582 feet (2,311 meters) above sea level. All campsites are first-come, first-serve. Wildlife roam the area, with sightings of mule deer, bighorn sheep, a few black bear and occasionally a cougar. The Dark Canyon is one of the many hiking trails Colorado has to offer at an intermediate level. The Dark Canyon Wilderness, designated in 1984, encompasses 45,000 acres. Seven Pines Trail leading to wilderness camps and on to San Jacinto Peak, Mount San Jacinto State Park and its Panorama Point Trail (universal access, 1-mile . The Utah Wilderness Coalition Proposal; Dark Canyon is arguably the wildest canyon in southern Utah. Dare to say Dark Canyon Dark Canyon 2008: Horse Pasture to Sundance Trail . I'm relying on the description in Allen's book and some internet reports for route finding up and out of Lean-To, so that'll be the sketchy part. Activities: Hiking, Scrambling, Canyoneering. Great swimming holes in MAY. Dark Canyon is over thirty miles long, and there are many other hiking opportunities along its length. California Central Coast (i) Big Sur (i) Santa Cruz Mountains. Something to keep you interested in Dark Canyon. The Dark Canyon Wilderness is a unique forested pocket tucked into the heart of southeast Utah's wild canyon country. Dark Canyon's sheer, redrock walls and narrow slots conjure the Southwest's most iconic parks. Choose your favorite dark canyon wilderness designs and purchase them as wall art, home decor, phone cases, tote bags, and more! Eagle Cap Wilderness visit, 2018 (16 days, 182 miles) Strawberry Mountain Wilderness visit, 2018 (4 days, 34 miles) Utah. Choose your favorite dark canyon wilderness photographs from 213 available designs. Dark Canyon Wilderness is a designated Wilderness Area in the heart of southeast Utah 's canyon country, part of the Bears Ears National Monument. there are 2 strips at or near Dark Canyon. But unlike its higher-profile neighbors, this 47,000-acre wilderness south of Canyonlands and east of Lake Powell remains utterly undeveloped. Our Sundance to Dark Canyon Backpacking tour explores Robbers Roost, Fable Plateau, and Bears Ears in this Grand Canyon-like setting that has a little bit of everything; sweeping views of the Dark Canyon Country, cross-country hiking and exploration, deep and spectacular narrows, fascinating . In terms of size and amount of wild, remote scenery, Dark Canyon is equalled only by the San Rafael Swell for areas of Utah not part of an NPS preserve, though it was briefly within the BLM-administrated Bears Ears National Monument. Trip Report. Dark Canyon Wilderness visit, 2020 (7 days, 72 miles) Grand Gulch Wilderness Study Area visit, 2019 (9 days, 109 miles) Each day of the hike offers new sights and different scenery. From these trailheads, you descend into the canyons that . That landscape makes Capitol Reef Country perfect for outdoor activities such as hiking, biking, horseback riding, ATV tours, hunting, fishing, wildlife viewing, or just a quiet picnic! Visitors are dwarfed by steep, sculpted and terraced sandstone walls that shade the canyon in morning and late afternoon -- hence the name. On the trail! Along your journey, keep an eye out for small ruins that add scale and history to this already incredible landscape. The Raggeds Wilderness spans both the Gunnison and White River National Forests in a 65,443 acres swath. The lower part, unfortunately, is on BLM land and is not within the boundaries of the wilderness . Season: Midsummer through mid-fall. Paul Barry 2 years ago in a Maule M-5. The Dark Canyon Wilderness is located in southeast Utah near the town of Blanding. Virgin River Gorge. A wilderness volunteer group does trail maintenance on a scenic hiking trail that winds through Dark Canyon, Horse Pasture Trail, Utah. The upper parts of the trail are usually covered with snow from mid . Immense fields of avalanche lily surround Lost Lake Campground west of Kebler Pass. The Dark Canyon drainage is pri-marily administered by the U.S. For-est Service and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). Arkansas (i) California. The area includes 47,116 acres and is comprised of both pine-covered high country and stark desert-like canyon basins. The shuttle went smoothly and Bob returned via the Bears Ears . The saga of Dark Canyon 08 finally closed yesterday, after a 3-day wait for the roads to dry on Elk Ridge so Bob G. and I could complete the shuttle. 13.2 mi 21.2 km #1 Dark Canyon West Trail (006) Intermediate. The 62,000 acre wilderness area, initially added with the Wilderness Act, is a rugged extension of the northern canyonlands. There is a long dry stretch, but one can cache water where needed via a 4WD road down into Peavine Canyon. Hiking Project is built by hikers like you. It takes an average of 19 h 48 min to hike. Dark Canyon Campground has 15 campsites for tents, trailers and small RVs and is located hear the town of Idyllwild in the San Bernardino National Forest. From another random site, on a random bench.this stuff is everywhere. The BLM administers the low-er end of the canyon as a primitive area; the Dark Canyon Primitive Ar- The terrain is rugged with numerous water crossings when the water is high, and passes through diverse and beautiful landscapes. Lower Dark Canyon, designated a primitive area, for the most part is governed by the Bureau of Land Management. It's a Wilderness Study Area and was briefly included in the newly-formed Bears Ears National Monument, before being removed as part of the downsizing by the Trump Administration. The finest workers in stone are not copper or steel tools, but the gentle touches of air and water working at their leisure with a liberal allowance of time. Visitors are dwarfed by steep, sculpted and terraced sandstone walls that shade the canyon in morning and late afternoon -- hence the name. Generally considered a challenging route, it takes an average of 6 h 18 min to complete. Dark Canyon Wilderness Area. Select from premium Dark Canyon Wilderness of the highest quality. View a map of this area and more on Natural Atlas. . This one is below Youngs Canyon. Elevations: 1260 ft. gain, 3360 ft. loss. Looking east . Wanting to save those for a longer day trip, we settled on the Dark Canyon Trail in the Raggeds Wilderness area of the Gunnison National Forest, a mere 45 minute drive from Paonia. This trail intersects with the Dark Canyon North Fork Trail (206) at 2.4 miles, Trail Canyon Trail (007) at 5.9 miles, and the Woodenshoe Trail (165) at 12.3 miles. Over the course of three sunny, pleasant days of backpacking during a peak season for hiking in this remote, sparsely populated corner of Utah, we encountered just nine other people in the Dark Canyon Wilderness, which protects more than 45,000 acres of the 1.35 million acres comprising the Bears Ears National Monument. That blue swath indicated two things: 1) a giant chunk of land that The Bears Ears Intertribal Coalition and President Obama had seen fit to give monument designation to was no longer protected as a national monument; 2) as the color blue on the map legend indicated, it was full of uranium. 1 Like, 0 Comments. Date Climbed/Hiked: May 24, 2008. The upper part of the canyon is part of the Manti-La Sal National Forest, and since 1984 it has been protected as the Dark Canyon Wilderness Area. The satellite image associated with this strip (on this site) shows the strip to the south along Woodenshoe RD at 37 49.420N 110 05.341W. Traditionally, Dark Canyon is divided into upper and lower reaches. Full Details. Dark Canyon Wilderness Area is located in San Juan County, Utah, west of Monticello and north of Blanding. The Dark Canyon North strip is better condition. The Dark Canyon Wilderness and Primitive Area Complex is truly one of America's last frontiers. . HDT JBPHXAZ Member Joined Apr 2, 2018 Messages 31 Jan 5, 2020 #10 HAHAHA! White Mountain Apache Reservation. The only designated Wilderness in southeastern Utah, the 47,116-acre Dark Canyon Wilderness is located in a beautiful and remote section of the Colorado Plateau.