The Hayduke Trail


A Guide to the Backcountry Hiking Trail on the Colorado Plateau

Traversing six national parks (Arches, Canyonlands, Capitol Reef, Bryce, Grand Canyon, Zion), a national recreation area, a national monument, and various wilderness, primitive, and wilderness study areas, the Hayduke Trail is a challenging, 800-mile backcountry route on the Colorado Plateau. Whimsically named for a character in Edward Abbey’s The Monkey Wrench Gang, the trail begins in Arches National Park and ends in Zion National Park, stays entirely on public land, and traverses the complete variety of terrain available to hikers on the Plateau short of technical climbing.

Joe Mitchell and Mike Coronella pioneered Hayduke after concluding that a long trail—such as the Appalachian or Pacific Crest— was possible on the Plateau, thus introducing more people to these unique and threatened public lands. The Hayduke Trail includes detailed maps of the entire route, suggested cache points, and a wealth of description and tips for tackling this intense undertaking.

Hiking the entire route requires at least three months, though like other long trails it can be broken into smaller segments. The guide, featured in the March 2005 issue of National Geographic Adventure Magazine, is designed for experienced desert trekkers seeking a thorough-hiking experience on a well-tested route.

Joe Mitchell moved to Utah in the late 1980s. He lives with his wife in Heber City, Utah, where he is a fly-fishing guide with Four Season Outfitters.

Mike Coronella is the owner of Deep Desert Expeditions in Moab and an officer with Grand County Search and Rescue.


Table of Contents:

Warning!
Using The Hayduke Trail Guide
Introduction to the Hayduke Trail
About the Trail
Beware!
Water Concerns
Canyon Hazards
Navigation
Animals
Climate
Gear
Caching Food and Water
Pets and Pack Animals
Archaeological Sites and Artifacts
History
Geology
Leave No Trace!
Trail Ethics
Permits
More About the Route
Trail Raitings
Maps
Section 1 Arches National Park to Hurrah Press
Section 2 Hurrah Pass to Big Spring Trailhead, Canyonlands National Park
Section 3 Big Spring Trailhead, Canyonlands
National Park to Hite
Section 4 Hite to Poison Spring Canyon
Section 5 Poison Spring Canyon to the Burr Trail,Capitol Reef National Park
Section 6 Burr Trail, Capitol Reef National Park To Hole-in-the-Rock Road
Section 7 Hole-in-the-Rock Road to Round
Valley Draw
Section 8 Round Valley Draw to Willis Creek
Section 9 Willis Creek to Arizona Trail
Stateline Trailhead
Section 10 Arizona Trail Stateline Trail to Nankoweap Trailhead
Section 11 Nankoweap Trailhead to Horseshoe Mesa, Grand Canyon National Park
Section 12 Horseshoe Mesa to the North Rim,Grand Canyon National Park
Section 13 North Rim, Grand Canyon National Park to Hack Canyon
Section 14 Hack Canyon to the Weeping Wall,Zion National Park
Acknowledgments
Suggested Reading
How to Visit an Archaeological Site
 


Praise and Reviews:

"This is really quite a trip that takes one through extraordinary country."—Steve Allen, author of Canyoneering


"A challenge and goal worthy of serious consideration by any desert rat."—Dan Miller, author of High in Utah: A Hiking Guide to the Tallest Peak in Each of the State’s Twenty-Nine Counties