° Sundance Trail
° Sundance Trail Map

Wildlife/Grazing
Dark Canyon has many interesting wildlife species. At upper elevation black bear, deer, elk and mountain lions may occasionally be seen. In the lower elevations there are desert bighorn sheep, ringtail cats and bobcats. Coyotes are found at all elevations, as there are many species of birds. Livestock use of the BLM administered Dark Canyon Primitive Area is very limited because of the extremely rugged terrain. Grazing occurs primarily in Fable Valley and on mesas above the canyons. A cattle trail through Fable Valley is used each year to move livestock between Beef Basin and Dark Canyon Plateau. Grazing use is restricted to winter and spring. Lower Dark Canyon is not grazed by livestock.

TrailheadsWeather and Road Conditions: 
The lower elevation trailheads in Dark Canyon are extremely hot in summer; spring and fall are the preferred times to travel.  Upper trailheads, often inaccessible in spring due to snow or mud, are pleasant to hike in the summer, but the lower one hikes into the canyon, the more oppressive temperatures become.  Seasonal rains come from mid-July to September, which may cause flash flooding and lightning.  Road conditions vary greatly with the weather. Generally, roads are slippery when wet. High clearance vehicles are recommended and slick road conditions may require four wheel drive, but most trails are accessible by regular passenger cars under dry road conditions.  Elk Ridge reaches 8,800 feet and the road is generally open only from May through October.  Certain portions of the road are in shade and snow melt comes late.  Check first with the Forest Service and BLM before using these roads.

 Trailheads

• The Sundance Trail is the primary access route into the lower portion of Dark Canyon.
• Fable Valley is part of the BLM’s Dark Canyon Primitive Area. The valley is approximately eight miles long and can be reached by one of two trailheads. The southern trailhead from Dark Canyon Plateau is more easily accessible; the northern trailhead from Beef Basin is very hard to reach. Fable Valley does not get extensive back country use. It has been historically used by cattle; currently livestock do not graze here on a regular basis. 

More specific information about all trailheads managed bye the BLM and U.S. Forest Service can be found in The Dark Canyon Trail Guide published by Canyonlands Natural History Association. This can be found at:  http://www.cnha.org

Detailed maps showing road and trail access are available at the office of the U.S. Forest Service and the BLM in Monticello, at the Monticello Multi-Agency Visitor Center, and at Canyonlands Natural History Association  (http://www.cnha.org)

Sundance Trail Entrance to Dark Canyon

The Sundance Trail can be reached from Utah State Highway 95 (U-95) by a series of dirt roads. Although it is generally passable by car, these roads may at times require a vehicle with up to six inches of clearance. Roads may be muddy/impassable during and after rain. 

1. From the turnoff to Natural Bridges National Monument, travel west on U-95 for approximately 35 miles to the sign marking the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area boundary. Drive about 1.4 miles further on U-95 and turn right onto the first dirt road after the White Canyon bridge (just before milepost 53 on U-95). After you turn, you will see the San Juan County (SJC) road 2731 signpost.  Travel five miles on 2731 to a Y-intersection with SJC 2081. Turn right on 2081.

2. If coming from Lake Powell on U-95, travel about a mile east from the Hite Marina turnoff. Turn left onto a dirt road directly across from milepost 49. This road is marked SJC 2081. Travel about four miles to a Y-intersection with SJC 2731. Stay on 2081.  This is where the two routes meet, so from either direction, after about 3.4 miles from this intersection, there will be a Y-intersection where you do not turn, but the road becomes SJC 256.  Stay on 256 for about 3.5 miles until you see a wooden BLM sign for the Sundance Trailhead. Continue to the parking lot. Walk the two track from the parking lot to the trailhead and to the edge of the canyon. From here, the trail descends to a 50% talus slope and 1,120 vertical feet into Dark Canyon.

This is a strenuous hike!

Sundance Trail Map

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