Jun 23

West Rim to East Rim Trail in Dead Horse Point State Park

Welcome to Travel Tuesday! If gorgeous, expansive views of canyons are your thing, this is definitely a must-see, especially by way of the West Rim to East Rim Trail in Dead Horse Point State Park!

Have you ever been to #DeadHorsePointStatePark? Check out this beautiful #hike! #VisitUtah #hiking @UtahStateParks

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West Rim to East Rim Trail in Dead Horse Point State Park

Distance: 5.5 mile loop
Elevation: 908 ft
Difficulty: Moderate
Duration: 2 hours
Trailhead Address: Pony Expresso Coffee Shop, Moab, UT 84532 / Dead Horse Point State Park, UT-313, Moab, UT 84532
Parking: Lot available at Dead Horse Point Overlook Trailhead
Admission: $20 (for up to 8 people in a car; valid for 3 consecutive days starting on the date of purchase)

The name of this park honestly makes me really sad (+ angry), but one of the legends is cowboys rounded up wild mustangs roaming across the mesa top and herded them over to a narrow area that served as a natural corral. There, they chose the horses they wanted and left the others to die.
…
ANYWAY.
I decided to “start” at Dead Horse Point Overlook and take the west to east rim route, but people usually start at the Visitor Center! (Dead Horse Point Overlook itself is this state park’s main attraction–it’s truly beautiful!
West Rim to East Rim Trail in Dead Horse Point State Park | @fairyburger
The West Rim is the longest hiking trail in all of Dead Horse Point State Park. It’s generally less populated than the East Rim, and is fairly well marked by rock cairns.
West Rim to East Rim Trail in Dead Horse Point State Park | @fairyburger
The East Rim gives you beautiful views of the La Sal Mountains and is pretty flat throughout. You can also hike another 0.5 miles to check out the Basin Overlook spur.
West Rim to East Rim Trail in Dead Horse Point State Park | @fairyburger
West Rim to East Rim Trail in Dead Horse Point State Park | @fairyburger
There are a few lookout points — Meander Overlook, Shafer Overlook, and Spur Overlook, that can extend your hike some more (I took most of them other than Bighorn Overlook Trail and thought they were well worth it!).
Distances (one-way):
  • The Neck (0.4 mi)
  • Meander Overlook (1 mi)
  • Shafer Canyon Overlook (1.3 mi)
  • Wingate Campground (1.6 mi)
  • Rim Overlook (2.1 mi)
  • Big Horn Overlook (3.3 mi)
  • Kayenta Campground (2.2 mi)
  • Visitor Center (2.5 mi)
West Rim to East Rim Trail in Dead Horse Point State Park | @fairyburger
You can also tack on the Visitor Center Nature Trail, which is only 1/8th of a mile round trip. There are trail-side exhibits here that highlight common desert plants + trees + it also explains the bright blue solar evaporation ponds off in the distance!

(Dogs aren’t allowed on this trail, but you can go mountain biking here!)

I actually did a lot of soul searching (of sorts) on my road trip last summer and spent an afternoon here journaling at a table outside the visitor center. There’s no wifi here and pretty spotty cell service, so if you’re looking for a place to unplug/disconnect from society, this is perfect. (They have clean bathrooms, food options, an ice cold water fountain, and helpful staff too!)

It’s also super, super dark here, so I really want to come back someday to check out the night skies from here!Dead Horse Point State Park | @fairyburger - If you're visiting Canyonlands National Park, make sure you stop by at Dead Horse Point State Park to hike the West Rim to East Rim Trail!

  • Have you ever been to Dead Horse Point State Park?
  • Where do you go/What do you do when you want to disconnect from the world?

Permanent link to this article: https://www.fairyburger.com/west-rim-to-east-rim-trail-in-dead-horse-point-state-park/

14 comments

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  1. This is gooorgeous, those views are truly amazing Farrah! I always love your posts.

    It is really sad about the name though – it just shows people can be such dicks to animals. :( Are there still wild horses in the area?
    Josy A recently posted…Belcarra Regional Park – Jug Island and Admiralty Point TrailsMy Profile

    1. Aww, thank you! :]! I’m sorry I’ve been gone for a while (it feels like longer since all my posts are currently scheduled, haha).

      I’m super sad about the name though–I hope it’s just a myth, but I wouldn’t be surprised given how …people…are. There aren’t any more wild horses there. :[ (Or at least, none that I know of. I definitely didn’t see any.)
      Farrah recently posted…The Goblin’s Lair (Chamber of the Basilisk)My Profile

  2. These are such breath taking photos! I always learn so much about the West through your posts. They inspire me to hop in my car and explore that area more!

    1. Aww, thanks so much! <3 I hope you get to sometime! I miss traveling so much!

    • Kathie on June 28, 2020 at 11:50 am
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    I’ve sat at Dead Horse Point but never thought to hike there. This is incredible. Love rim to rim adventures.

    1. Me too! I’d love to go back sometime to watch the sunrise and sunset–it’s so beautiful there!

  4. What a beautiful and great day hike! We haven’t (yet) made it to Utah but we definitely need to go and this would be a great part of our trip. Love your details and photos. Thanks for sharing!

    1. Thank you! It is such a beautiful place to visit–if you’re a fan of the outdoors, there is a world of places to explore in that state alone! *-* I hope you get to go sometime!

  5. Sooo beautiful! Sad story about the horses though. I hope it’s not true!
    Anyway, what an amazing spot to explore. Sounds like you did so much hiking. I missed it. Did you do all that in a day?
    I also love that you came to this spot, disconnected, and journaled. I really need to take an opportunity to disconnect too. I’m not even sure if I could. I think I’d have to do exactly this. Go somewhere that has no cell service.
    Thank you for sharing this beautiful spot!
    Lauren Elena recently posted…In Five Years: Literary Date Option #1My Profile

    1. I hope it’s not true either! :[

      I did this hike on one of the mornings of my road trip and spent the afternoon (it was so hot, haha) hanging out in the shade and journaling! :] It’s so hard to disconnect these days even if I want to! Escaping to nature or somewhere with terrible/nonexistent cell service tends to be the best way for me to accomplish it these days, hehe. :P

  6. I saw several sunsets here – love this little park. Good coffee at the little stand too!

    1. It’s such a pretty park! I enjoyed their super cold water fountain, hehe. *-*

  7. We went to Dead Horse State Park twice in one day in the summer of 2018. We went during the day to check it out so my husband would know exactly where we should go back for sunset pictures. I a recap if you’re interested – we met the coolest guy who was biking from the southern most tip of Argentina to Alaska that summer.
    Debbie @ Deb Runs recently posted…Runfessions of a Simple Girl Trying to Master Internet Stuff and GadgetsMy Profile

    1. That’s so awesome! I really want to go back someday to check out the sunrise and the sunset! I found the recap on your blog–that sounds like such an awesome adventure! *-*
      Farrah recently posted…Ultimate Coffee Date: July 2020My Profile

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