Named after a character from Edward Abbey's The Monkey Wrench Gang, The Hayduke trail is an 800 mile long backcountry route that travels through some of the most scenic and remote terrain in the United States. It showcases some of the natural wonders of the Colorado Plateau region of the American southwest, linking together six national parks, as well as national monuments and recreation areas, state parks, wilderness areas, and wilderness study areas. Exclusively on public lands in southern Utah and northern Arizona, this out-of-the-way route will lead you through deep desert canyons, over high mountains, across rivers and ridges, always revealing pieces of the personality of this unique region.
--Beware! The Hayduke Trail is made up of pre-existing trails, routes, unpaved roads, cattle and game trails, ridges and drainages. The trail is not always apparent or obvious; strong navigational skills are necessary to safely and happily complete a trek in this beautiful, rugged region. This is a backcountry trail. It is not a beaten trail like the Appalachian Trail. There are no towns ahead to find supplies in; there are no shelters. The trail involves hiking and wading through rivers, often dealing with quicksand and tight brush. It involves scrambling over or around rock falls, and climbing up, down, and across steep talus slopes. There will likely be no one around, perhaps for days at a time. This is a desolate region, and care must be taken to enjoy (and survive) trekking through this occasionally harsh land. This is not "beginner" terrain: getting in over your head in this region can easily end your life. All travelers on the Hayduke Trail should know and adhere to Leave No Trace principles. A comprehensive guide to the Hayduke Trail, written by co-founders Mike Coronella and Joe Mitchell, is available from University of Utah Press.
The Hayduke Trail is set up in fourteen sections, each of which can be it's own backcountry adventure.
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To see tales of Mike Coronella and Joe Mitchell's adventures while out exploring routes for the Hayduke Trail, click here
For more information about the Hayduke Trail, please contact Deep Desert Expeditions
The following will help clarify descriptions in the guide:
Section 2--
DO NOT CACHE ITEMS IN NEEDLES!! DO NOT ASK TO CACHE ITEMS IN NEEDLES!! THE PEOPLE AT NEEDLES ARE UNWELCOMING TO HAYDUKE TRAVELERS--PLEASE TREAD LIGHTLY AS YOU PASS THRU THE PARK.
++after descending from Hurrah Pass, you'll come to private land called "Camelot" (they have camel tours), head left. You'll find river access in a wash a mile or so further down the jeep road.
++mile 23.1 drainage is marked by large manmade stone columns made to support a fence across the top of the drainage.
++35.1 should read "climb down broken layers on the left side of the plunge"; simply go halfway down the pour-off to a ledge which you can follow to the left.
++36.9 the route out of Indian Creek is somewhat obscured by the only large cottonwood tree on river left (or your right when going upstream)
++45.6 the second sentence should read "Then follow it northwest 0.5 miles until you reach a pour off into Little Spring Canyon
++46.7 Turn southwest and follow the bench up Little Spring Canyon 0.4 miles to a fork. You will have to contour up the eastern fork before crossing and returning to the SW arm (there is a faint trail)
Section 3--
++mile 30.4 very faint old double track. The pack trail starts at the register you'll come to, it does not follow the road. The pack trail is somewhat difficult to follow in places.
++38.5 the double track you're looking for is very faint and is just barely past the stock pond.
++40.2 watch for the game trail on the left side of the drainage; it will guide you past the pour-off ahead (it takes you to the rim)
++42.2 there is a fairly beaten track down the talus, the upper section was marked with cairns as it descends towards the back of the side drainage.
++45.0 there are 2 major pour offs; once again follow game trails on the left side to go up and around. The descent back to the floor after the second pour off is another steep one.
++51.9 regardless of which trail you follow along the creek, you will need to cross it many times.
++55.1 there is no need to go overland around the head of Sheep Canyon; there is a very distinct trail from rim top to the parking lot/trail head.
Section 6--
++miles can be saved in both lower Muley Twist and Hall's Creek by keeping a close eye out for cattle trails (and following them!).
++from the pass between the Red Slide and Middle Moody Canyon, look for the old mining track on the left side of the drainage that goes down to the west; that's your target. It can be reached by either side of the drainage, but do not attempt the drainage itself, it's too steep/loose. You'll follow that "road" just a short way until you see a shoulder that heads back down to the drainage bottom after you pass the pour off below the part of the road that you spotted from the pass (all the drainages ultimately lead to Middle Moody in this canyon so any doable shoulder will work).
Section 7--
++be prepared to find little or no potable water on the Kaiparowits; Last Chance will most likely have water, but it is salty/alkali.
Section 8--
++pg 156 should read "Round Valley Draw empties into Hackberry Canyon, another beautiful deep canyon that leads down to Cottonwood Wash, which in turn leads to the Paria River."
++mile 11.2 there is NO water in upper Hackberry. I was there 2 days after 2 weeks of rain. It was dry until I reached the spring/seep.
Section 9--
++7.5 climb over gate, follow road to ranch site, head south then west around fence, road will soon cross the creek. Stay on "main" road until you reach trail signs past mouth of Black Birch Canyon. Follow "Grandview Trail" to "Water Canyon".
++8.9 I did not see this road junction
++you'll come to the Under the Rim Trail at about mile 9.7
++Iron Spring was clear, running and well marked
++20.9 trail junction in Mutton Hollow not noticed
++23.4 road follows to south east, not southwest as described in guide, but I suggest following the road along lower Podunk a little further until you come to the Great Western Trail, which you'll follow southeast then east to Bulrush Hollow, then out to the Skutumpah Rd; the Trail follows Bulrush, simply follow the wash after you hit the Skutumpah Rd.
++there's water at a cattle tank alongside No Man's Mesa (you'll see it from the road/trail)
++on Park Wash Rd, when you come to an old corral on the right side (after road to Nipple Ranch), follow steep road up the drainage on other side of road to clear running spring (not on maps) ¼ mile up.
Section 10--
++the mileage in the guide differs from that of the AZ Trail; the route may be somewhat different than that in the guide, but generally the description follows the route.
++8.5 the junction here is the "Winter Road"; the AZ trail lists this as mile 11.
++We found plenty of water on the Kaibab in May '05.
Section 11--
++10.6 cut high on trail just as you exit canyon, ½ mile before river (trail will also lead you by route to granaries).
++14.4 there was a fairly consistent game trail above the mass of locust/tamarisk trees, faint in places
++32.0 you'll hit the river first at Escalante Creek; the trail is not as described in guide but is fairly obvious, well cairned
++38.3 follow creek bed through narrows in Seventyfive Mile Creek.
++39.7 the trail ascends to a bench above Neville's (but a river route looked possible), back down at Papago Creek, then ascends again by way of small rock climb.
++46.5 Miners Spring is also referred to as Page Spring.
++47.1 stay right once you reach the top; there's a sign to Cottonwood Creek shortly.
Section 13--
++There may be water in Kanab Creek intermittently (it was flowing at the mouth of Hack Cyn in June '05), there's water in the second cleft on the left above Jump-Up, up the narrow canyon a short way in a plunge pool. The last spring water is just above Showerbath Spring.
++Willow Spring in Hack Canyon is not fit for human consumption! Do NOT take water from this spring (according to BLM, it not only is highly alkali, but radioactive as well). Plan accordingly!
