Canyonlands Basecamp 

Meet your guide early for a brief orientation and then it’s off to the Needles District of Canyonlands National Park for our first hike. Our introduction to Canyonlands begins with the 7.5-mile loop through Squaw Canyon and Lost Canyon, offering slickrock vistas, quiet canyon stillness, and freshwater springs...a rare site in this otherwise dry landscape. After our hike, we will head to our secluded campsite, get set up, and settle in for the evening. Enjoy a delicious meal prepared by your guide. 

Driving Time: 2 hours Hiking 

Distance: 7.5 miles 

Lunch, Dinner 

We will have an early breakfast before we head out for a full day of exploring. Today we head further into the Needles District of Canyonlands National Park to explore this area that is famous for its unique landscape of colorful sandstone spires and endless canyons. Our destination for today is Chesler Park, a beautiful, grassy expanse surrounded by colorful rock spires. If time permits and we’re feeling adventurous, we can explore the nearby Joint Trail, featuring exciting, deep crevices sometimes no more than 3 or 4 feet wide! Afterwards, we return to our camp for another delicious dinner and settle down for some well-deserved rest.

Driving Time: 20 minutes 

Hiking Distance: 9 to 11 miles 

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner 

Another day of adventure and exploring! Today we head for a spectacular 150-foot high natural arch located deep in the Needles backcountry. We will trek through Elephant Canyon, a narrow canyon that features mostly flat hiking but fantastic scenery. The final quarter mile of the hike involves a steep scramble up a slope to the impressive view of our destination: Druid Arch. After some time enjoying the view and a picnic lunch, we will return the way we came. 

Driving Time: 10 minutes 

Hiking Distance: 11 miles 

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner 

For our final day, we’re off to enjoy one more day of Canyonlands’ endless panoramic views and redrock hiking. The hiking opportunities are many and varied, so the day can be customized to suit the abilities and desires of the group. Adventurous hikers might enjoy the scenic Peekaboo Trail. The Slickrock Trail is a pleasant walk through the unique geology of Canyonlands and provides a wonderful overall perspective. Or fill up the day with a variety of shorter walks to ancient ruins and incredible viewpoints. Whatever the group decides, the final day will prove an amazing and fitting conclusion to your Canyon Country adventure. The group will say farewell and part ways back in Moab around 4pm. 

Hiking Distance: 3-7 miles 

Breakfast, Lunch 

Driving Time: 2 hours

• A professional, licensed and medically trained guide
• All necessary gear: backpack, tent, sleeping bag, sleeping pad, trekking poles
• All cooking/eating gear: bowls, cups, utensils (your guide will prepare all meals)
• All meals from a light breakfast on Day 1 through lunch on the last day + trail snacks
• Roundtrip transportation from your hotel in Moab, UT
• Park entrance fees and camping permits

• Transportation to/from Moab, UT
• Lodging the night before/after the trip
• Clothing, raingear, and footwear
• Personal toiletries, sunscreen
• Water bottles/hydration bladder
• Headlamp or flashlight
• Guide gratuity (suggested ~15% of trip cost)

*Upon booking you will receive a detailed trip information packet

Most trips will accommodate 6 people plus one guide. On occasion, a group may be as large as 10 people plus 2 guides.

Children under the age of 12 are generally not permitted on regularly scheduled trips. This restriction may be negotiable on private tours. Please contact us with any questions regarding this policy.

In order to confirm a reservation, we require an initial deposit of $250 per person, with the final balance due 90 days prior to the trip’s departure. If you book a trip within 90 days of the trip’s scheduled departure, then full payment is due at the time of booking.

Once we confirm availability, you will be provided with an online registration link. Your deposit is payable online by Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover, or ACH transfer.

This trip will begin/end in Moab, UT and you will need to spend the night prior to your trip’s scheduled departure in Moab. You will want to fly into either Grand Junction (2 hour drive), Salt Lake City (4 hour drive) or Moab.

You will meet your guide at the specified hotel at 6:30am the morning your trip departs. The hotel breakfast starts at this time and we will eat together and have a brief orientation. We will go over the itinerary, expected weather (and how this might affect what clothing you bring…or leave behind), food, and answer any last-minute questions. We will also hand out day packs for anyone who needs them.

Expect to be back in Moab by 5pm at the latest on the last day of the trip. Many trips will return earlier but we cannot make any guarantees. In general, it is recommended that you do not plan to fly home on the same day your trip finishes. Since each trip has slightly different logistics, feel free to contact us with specific questions related to the expected return time for your trip.