DEAD HORSE POINT STATE PARK — If you are looking for breath-taking views that don’t require a lot of miles of strenuous hiking, head down to Dead Horse State Park and hike the East Rim Trail.

Located about 45 minutes from Moab, Dead Horse Point State Park often gets overlooked as an outdoors destination because it is in between two of Utah’s “Mighty 5” national parks: Arches and Canyonlands. However, the 5,300-acre state park is well worth a visit because it is much less crowded and offers spectacular views.

If you decide to plan a trip, I would recommend spending a weekend and renting one of the park’s three yurts. It makes for a fun, unique experience that is different from your usual tent or RV camping. The yurt includes a bunk bed and pull-out futon couch and sleeps six people. It is quite roomy and offers air conditioning and heating so that it can be used year-round.

The yurt also has a skylight so that you can star gaze from the comfort of your bed. And trust me, you will want to do some stargazing- the skies are incredible down there. However, the yurts are quite popular and reservations fill up quickly, so you will need to make a reservation several months in advance.

If you only have time for a day visit, then be sure to at least hike the East Rim Trail. The trailhead is located behind the park visitor’s center which is located off the main park road, state Road 313. Several hiking trailheads also begin at the visitor center so be sure to read the signs or ask a park employee where the trail starts. The trail is well-marked with cairns and signs throughout the entire hike. Also note that mountain biking is not allowed on the trail and only pets on leashes can go on the trail.

As its name suggests, the East Rim Trail follows the east canyon rim 2,000 feet above the Colorado River towards the end of the plateau— Dead Horse Point. Hikers will walk along the plateau and can enjoy continuous canyon views along the 1.5-mile trail. The trail is basically flat the entire hike and is good for families with young children.

Along with the expansive, canyon overlooks, hikers can also view the bright blue solar evaporation ponds which are used to harvest salt that is transformed into plant fertilizer.

About halfway to Dead Horse Point, hikers have the option of taking a .25-mile detour off the main East Rim Trail to go to Basin Overlook, which offers a closer view of the canyon. There are several other overlooks toward the end of the hike as well, but they are right along the main trail.

For part of the last .25 miles, the trail will run alongside the main road in a skinny area of the plateau known as “the neck.” The trail will eventually turn into a paved path and will converge with the parking lot and bathroom area near the lookout at Dead Horse Point. At the Dead Horse Point lookout —the end of the plateau— hikers can see a gorgeous gooseneck in the Colorado River and the views are spectacular so be sure to take a camera with you.

While you can technically drive through the park to the lookout of Dead Horse Point, I would highly recommend hiking so that you can get the gorgeous views and see more of the canyon during the trek. If you want to see a different side of the canyon, you can hike the 2.5-mile West Rim Trail on the way back so you can see a new view. Both trails begin and end at the visitor center and offer different views of each side of the canyon.

Related Stories:

4 activities to enjoy in Dead Horse Point State Park

Although named after a sad legend, Dead Horse Point State Park offers a variety of outdoors activities and is known for its gorgeous views.

Because the entire hike is on top of a plateau at high elevation, be sure to pack plenty of water and wear sunscreen because there is no shade along the trail and it gets quite hot during the summer months.

Difficulty: Easy

Distance: 3 miles roundtrip

Time: A little over an hour

Related topics