Forget The Grand Canyon Rim-To-Rim, This Hike In Utah's Canyonlands Is Easier And Just As Epic

The Grand Canyon's Rim-to-Rim hike is an iconic, bucket-list backpacking trip, and one that just about every avid hiker dreams of completing. But lately, that dream has been fitfully out of reach, as multiple disruptions and trail closures have made it a hard trip to plan and execute in 2026. Not to mention, the route's nearly 5,000 feet of elevation gain can be daunting to most travelers. Instead, you can satisfy your desire for an epic desert adventure by undertaking a more remote, yet equally scenic, loop through Utah's Canyonlands National Park: the Druid Arch to Chesler Park Loop. With just 1,866 feet of elevation gain overall, it's significantly easier on the knees. 

The 14-plus mile route journeys through some of the most spectacular scenery the Canyonlands' Needles District has to offer. And just like the Rim-to-Rim, this loop made Outside magazine's list of the 10 best national park backpacking routes. The route described here combines two of the Needles District's best features into one long lollipop loop hike, with a 4-mile side trip to the unique Druid Arch, so-named because of its eerie resemblance to Stonehenge. All along this route, you'll encounter astonishing geological wonders, from the tall, striated spires that give the Needle District its name, to narrow slot canyons and wide open desert vistas.

Like the Grand Canyon, Utah's Canyonlands has some of the Southwest's most vibrant canyon views. While most visitors flock to the park's Island in the Sky, the more remote Needles District offers both panoramic vistas and up-close views of the region's unique geology. Although this route is easier than the GC Rim-to-Rim hike, it's still a challenging undertaking with magnificent rewards.

One section of trail winds through narrow crevices formed by broken rock. Hiking through Chesler Park, you'll also encounter countless stunning sandstone structures, including the spires that give the Needles District its name, towering over plains of sandstone knobs. Some of these scenes resemble planetary landscapes out from sci-fi space opera, with undulating geological formations you won't see elsewhere. "Really fun and diverse terrain," writes one Tripadvisor reviewer about Chesler Park. "Often felt like a 'Star Trek' planet set! Every turn was a new scene." Note that hikers on AllTrails report a lot of variability in the distance covered, because at times the trek involves navigating through sandy washes and over slickrock between rock cairn markers, rather than following a distinct trail.

Many dayhikers visit Chesler Park alone as a 10.6-mile lollipop loop hike, but to include Druid Arch, you'll continue on, adding the out-and-back stretch to the rock formation. Like the Grand Canyon Rim-to-Rim, some hardy hikers do this as a long day hike, but it's more meditative and rewarding as a backpacking excursion. As the National Park Service notes, the last bit of trail through Elephant Canyon involves hiking through a sandy wash (which can be a weary, tiring slog), then some scrambling and one ladder climb. While water is sometimes available on the trail, the NPS advises bringing all you need instead of counting on finding a water source.

From Moab, it's 80 miles to the Elephant Canyon Trailhead, where all hikes to Druid Arch and Chesler Park begin. The unpaved road is passable to the trailhead by most passenger vehicles in dry conditions. There are many easier arches to visit on a road trip through Utah's Mighty 5 national parks, but Druid Arch, while remote, is also special. When you reach the 150-foot keyhole monolith, you'll immediately realize the journey was worth the immense effort. "It is just an astonishing place," writes one Redditor. "I think the visual impact when you get up there beats anything in Arches."

Many superb canyon view campsites are located in Elephant Canyon, on the way to, or back from, the arch. You'll need a permit to backpack in Canyonlands, and as of 2026, the reservation fee was $36, plus $5 per night, per person, for up to 14 nights, with a group limit of seven people. With campsites in both Chesler Park and Elephant Canyon, you have choices as to how to break up your hike, but most prefer to hike clockwise for the better view reveals. One added benefit you get from spending the night is a breathtaking stargazing experience, as Canyonlands is an International Dark Sky Park. The night sky here is so dark that, according to the Canyonlands Natural History Association, "Under the right conditions, common binoculars may even reveal the rings of Saturn."