Druid Arch/Chesler Park Dayhike

danger02ward

Love the Mountains!
Joined
Mar 1, 2016
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401
After snowshoeing all winter and spring I thought it would be nice to head south and hike on some beautiful slickrock for a nice change of pace. Druid arch in the Needles section of Canyonlands has been on my list for quite some time. After reading a blog from a good friend where he combined the Chesler park loop with the Druid arch hike for one nice long dayhike I knew that's what had to be done. My 21 year old son agreed to join me on my adventure. We headed out on Friday. He wanted to take it easy the first day as we would have a long 16 mile hike ahead of us on Saturday. So we stopped in the ever popular but beautiful Arches national park and hiked to Tower Arch for our short Friday adventure. This is looking out from Tower Arch.
IMG_0970.JPG
Can't go into Arches and get a picture of only one arch so I had to make a short jaunt to get a picture of Skyline Arch.
IMG_0979.JPG
Then we drove to Monticello where we had a delicious hamburger and onion rings and roughed it in a cheap motel. We were quite surprised after driving 6 hours south to wake up to snow. Here is our view Saturday morning from downtown Monticello on the way to canyonlands.
IMG_0986.JPG
From Monticello we had a one hour drive ahead of us to get to the Needles section of Canyonlands. We arrived at the Elephant Hill Trailhead at 8:30am.
IMG_1099.JPG
Early in the hike we hit this nice junction on our way to Druid Arch.
IMG_0988.JPG
The trail was well marked with cairns along the way. After 5 miles up elephant canyon we were treated with the incredible views of Druid Arch. The arch is quite large and impressive. The picture does not do it proper justice.
IMG_0999.JPG
Looking back up elephant canyon from Druid arch the view was spectacular.
IMG_0998.JPG
Then we headed back down elephant canyon looking for the turn off for the Chesler park loop trail. We planned to hit the Chesler park loop going clockwise so we could see the famous joint trail early on in the loop.
Beautiful views of the Needles along the way.
IMG_1026.JPG
On the way to the joint trail we were treated with these wonderful views.
IMG_1032.JPG
IMG_1034.JPG
Chesler Park is a truly beautiful place. The views were simply incredible.
IMG_1039.JPG
The famous joint trail.
IMG_1045.JPG
IMG_1055.JPG
IMG_1057.JPG
After the joint trail you drop down onto a jeep trail for a short ways before climbing back up into Chesler park. This is the view looking down towards the jeep trail.
IMG_1059.JPG
Here is the view of Chesler park after climbing back up from the jeep trail continuing the loop.
IMG_1062.JPG
More beautiful views in Chesler Park.
IMG_1070.JPG
IMG_1077.JPG
IMG_1085.JPG
After completing the Chesler Park loop we were rewarded with this awesome view looking back towards elephant canyon.
IMG_1082.JPG
Can't get enough of the beautiful views.
IMG_1095.JPG
There were some lovely cactus blooms in both red and purple along the way.
IMG_1058.JPG
IMG_1091.JPG
We got back to the car at 4pm after hiking 16 wonderful miles and spending 7.5 hours in this most beautiful place. Then we had a nice 6 hour drive ahead of us to get back home.
 
That had to have been an awesome trip! Beautiful shots!


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I have recently been thinking. "I need to do this sooner than later!" Glad I re-found this report. I had been wondering how reasonable a day this route would be. The question "Am I underestimating The Needles?" had invaded my thoughts.
 
I have recently been thinking. "I need to do this sooner than later!" Glad I re-found this report. I had been wondering how reasonable a day this route would be. The question "Am I underestimating The Needles?" had invaded my thoughts.
We underestimated the Needles the first time.... It took us 2 attempts to make it to Joint Trail. First time we started too late, it was in November, short days, lots of up and down and non stop spectacular photos opportunities. Second time we left Moab super early and arrived at Elephant Hill TH at dawn. We hiked out via Chesler Park to the end of Joint trail and returned the same way (so we didn't do the full loop or Druid Arch).
Needles and especially Chesler Park are just stunning, as the pictures above show- best hike during a 7 week trip :)
We are coming back soon to see Druid Arch.... and hike more in Needles.
 
After snowshoeing all winter and spring I thought it would be nice to head south and hike on some beautiful slickrock for a nice change of pace. Druid arch in the Needles section of Canyonlands has been on my list for quite some time. After reading a blog from a good friend where he combined the Chesler park loop with the Druid arch hike for one nice long dayhike I knew that's what had to be done. My 21 year old son agreed to join me on my adventure. We headed out on Friday. He wanted to take it easy the first day as we would have a long 16 mile hike ahead of us on Saturday. So we stopped in the ever popular but beautiful Arches national park and hiked to Tower Arch for our short Friday adventure. This is looking out from Tower Arch.
View attachment 54469
Can't go into Arches and get a picture of only one arch so I had to make a short jaunt to get a picture of Skyline Arch.
View attachment 54491
Then we drove to Monticello where we had a delicious hamburger and onion rings and roughed it in a cheap motel. We were quite surprised after driving 6 hours south to wake up to snow. Here is our view Saturday morning from downtown Monticello on the way to canyonlands.
View attachment 54470
From Monticello we had a one hour drive ahead of us to get to the Needles section of Canyonlands. We arrived at the Elephant Hill Trailhead at 8:30am.
View attachment 54471
Early in the hike we hit this nice junction on our way to Druid Arch.
View attachment 54472
The trail was well marked with cairns along the way. After 5 miles up elephant canyon we were treated with the incredible views of Druid Arch. The arch is quite large and impressive. The picture does not do it proper justice.
View attachment 54473
Looking back up elephant canyon from Druid arch the view was spectacular.
View attachment 54474
Then we headed back down elephant canyon looking for the turn off for the Chesler park loop trail. We planned to hit the Chesler park loop going clockwise so we could see the famous joint trail early on in the loop.
Beautiful views of the Needles along the way.
View attachment 54475
On the way to the joint trail we were treated with these wonderful views.
View attachment 54476
View attachment 54477
Chesler Park is a truly beautiful place. The views were simply incredible.
View attachment 54478
The famous joint trail.
View attachment 54479
View attachment 54480
View attachment 54481
After the joint trail you drop down onto a jeep trail for a short ways before climbing back up into Chesler park. This is the view looking down towards the jeep trail.
View attachment 54482
Here is the view of Chesler park after climbing back up from the jeep trail continuing the loop.
View attachment 54483
More beautiful views in Chesler Park.
View attachment 54484
View attachment 54485
View attachment 54486
After completing the Chesler Park loop we were rewarded with this awesome view looking back towards elephant canyon.
View attachment 54487
Can't get enough of the beautiful views.
View attachment 54488
There were some lovely cactus blooms in both red and purple along the way.
View attachment 54489
View attachment 54490
We got back to the car at 4pm after hiking 16 wonderful miles and spending 7.5 hours in this most beautiful place. Then we had a nice 6 hour drive ahead of us to get back home.
After snowshoeing all winter and spring I thought it would be nice to head south and hike on some beautiful slickrock for a nice change of pace. Druid arch in the Needles section of Canyonlands has been on my list for quite some time. After reading a blog from a good friend where he combined the Chesler park loop with the Druid arch hike for one nice long dayhike I knew that's what had to be done. My 21 year old son agreed to join me on my adventure. We headed out on Friday. He wanted to take it easy the first day as we would have a long 16 mile hike ahead of us on Saturday. So we stopped in the ever popular but beautiful Arches national park and hiked to Tower Arch for our short Friday adventure. This is looking out from Tower Arch.
View attachment 54469
Can't go into Arches and get a picture of only one arch so I had to make a short jaunt to get a picture of Skyline Arch.
View attachment 54491
Then we drove to Monticello where we had a delicious hamburger and onion rings and roughed it in a cheap motel. We were quite surprised after driving 6 hours south to wake up to snow. Here is our view Saturday morning from downtown Monticello on the way to canyonlands.
View attachment 54470
From Monticello we had a one hour drive ahead of us to get to the Needles section of Canyonlands. We arrived at the Elephant Hill Trailhead at 8:30am.
View attachment 54471
Early in the hike we hit this nice junction on our way to Druid Arch.
View attachment 54472
The trail was well marked with cairns along the way. After 5 miles up elephant canyon we were treated with the incredible views of Druid Arch. The arch is quite large and impressive. The picture does not do it proper justice.
View attachment 54473
Looking back up elephant canyon from Druid arch the view was spectacular.
View attachment 54474
Then we headed back down elephant canyon looking for the turn off for the Chesler park loop trail. We planned to hit the Chesler park loop going clockwise so we could see the famous joint trail early on in the loop.
Beautiful views of the Needles along the way.
View attachment 54475
On the way to the joint trail we were treated with these wonderful views.
View attachment 54476
View attachment 54477
Chesler Park is a truly beautiful place. The views were simply incredible.
View attachment 54478
The famous joint trail.
View attachment 54479
View attachment 54480
View attachment 54481
After the joint trail you drop down onto a jeep trail for a short ways before climbing back up into Chesler park. This is the view looking down towards the jeep trail.
View attachment 54482
Here is the view of Chesler park after climbing back up from the jeep trail continuing the loop.
View attachment 54483
More beautiful views in Chesler Park.
View attachment 54484
View attachment 54485
View attachment 54486
After completing the Chesler Park loop we were rewarded with this awesome view looking back towards elephant canyon.
View attachment 54487
Can't get enough of the beautiful views.
View attachment 54488
There were some lovely cactus blooms in both red and purple along the way.
View attachment 54489
View attachment 54490
We got back to the car at 4pm after hiking 16 wonderful miles and spending 7.5 hours in this most beautiful place. Then we had a nice 6 hour drive ahead of us to get back home.
Great photos !!! We love the Needles too. Thanks for sharing
 
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