Syncline Valley, Taylor Canyon in Mid Feb?

RichardHu

RichardHu

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Sep 3, 2025
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Hi all, first time poster here!

I am planning on doing a two night backpacking trip in Southern Utah over Presidents' Day Weekend in 2026 (2/14 - 2/16) and had my eye on the Syncline Valley -> Upheaval Canyon -> Taylor Canyon -> Alcove Spring loop in the Island in the Sky district of Canyonlands. I have plenty of solo experience on and off trail (winter R2R2R, Sierra high country, Picket Range, Wrangell-St. Elias) and one of my buddies also has a lot of solo experience off trail in the High Sierra but the other 2 in my group are pretty new backpackers (like 1-2 total nights in the backcountry each). I think given the time of year, the group experience, and the time allotted, the route should be reasonable but wanted to get a second opinion since my Desert Southwest backpacking experience is limited to a single R2R2R trip I did this February. Additionally, I had a few questions:

1. What does the water situation look like along this route in mid Feb, excluding the Green River? I found https://backcountrypost.com/threads/syncline-taylor-loop-island-in-the-sky.1980/post-21937 which suggests that there's plenty of water along the Syncline Trail in March (so I assume I should be fine there in Feb) but I couldn't find too much info about the water situation in Taylor Canyon.

2. What is the LNT guideline on disposing of human waste out in the desert? I know there's the whole cryptobiotic soil thing going on and I swear I read somewhere that everything has to be packed out in wag bags but I can't find where I read that from lol. Catholes or no catholes?

3. Is there any kind of weather instability out there I should be worried about at that time of year? I am expecting at most microspikes-level of snow (and most likely no snow at all) and stable weather.

4. Any other gotchas I should keep in mind? Like things you wished you knew before you went backpacking here or in similar areas?

Thanks!
 
2. What is the LNT guideline on disposing of human waste out in the desert? I know there's the whole cryptobiotic soil thing going on and I swear I read somewhere that everything has to be packed out in wag bags but I can't find where I read that from lol. Catholes or no catholes?
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It's always best LNT practice to pack everything out.

3. Is there any kind of weather instability out there I should be worried about at that time of year? I am expecting at most microspikes-level of snow (and most likely no snow at all) and stable weather.
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It can be brutally cold in Canyonlands that time of year for those used to CA or AZ temps, esp with the long nights. I'd personally opt for a southern AZ (e.g. Superstitions) trip with a less experienced group that time of year.

These dropped recently from NWS:
off02_prcp.gif

off02_temp.gif


History for Canyonlands near Murphy's Wash along the White Rim Tr (38.33000, -109.88000):
Screenshot 2025-10-19 at 9.18.20 AM.png
 
Hi Richard! Great to see you here on BCP after having met you this summer on the Goat Trail. I hope all's well!
 
I am not as familiar with the area as others will be, but can say that I did Valley of the Gods in late December and it dropped to 15 degrees at night and there was some snow during the day. If you aren't used to temps that low for long periods of time, and if you don't have the correct gear, it could potentially put a real damper on the trip. But it looks like Canyonlands won't be that cold when you are going, according to the graphic above.

I think most people with the correct gear can be warm down to the high 20s at night, and it is a gamble beyond that, but everyone is different and only you know your group and their gear.

If you do decide that it will be too cold, the Superstitions (mentioned above) is a great destination indeed, although it is central arizona, not southern.
 
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I did Syncline with a spur out to camp at the Green back in early March 2020. That comment you linked with the water sources looks about right. I don't believe there's much water in Taylor, but I have not been (for that reason). We got all our water from the Green, using aluminum sulfate to precipitate out all the gunk.

Weather was fine for us then, but that was a few weeks later in the year. I've backpacked in various parts of the Colorado Plateau in January and February, and the cold was manageable. Lows in the 10s and 20s, typically, with highs in the 30s-50s. I had the luxury of being able to decide on a trip with short notice though. There's certainly a chance of snow storms there, but it's more likely there won't be. The lack of daylight was harder than the cold for me. Micro spikes are a good idea because the shade will hold patches of ice.
 
I hiked the Syncline Loop section of the trail one February a number of years ago, didn't spend the night. I started around 11 a.m. and got out at dark. The daytime temps were fine, about right for hiking, but the late afternoon was downright cold, even with the heat generated from climbing out of the canyon. I would definitely take microspikes, as there's one section of the trail where you hold onto cables and that could get interesting if icy, though it wasn't particularly hazardous feeling (not much exposure). One nice thing about that time of year is you won't see many - if any - people.

I camped not too far away and my 5-gallon water jug was frozen solid the next morning. I've also been down Taylor and don't recall any water at all.
 
Jackson said:
Weather was fine for us then, but that was a few weeks later in the year. I've backpacked in various parts of the Colorado Plateau in January and February, and the cold was manageable. Lows in the 10s and 20s, typically, with highs in the 30s-50s.
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HAHA.....................you're in Bozeman where it gets cold.
 
Indeed. For the people new to backpacking, depending on where they are from coupled with little to no experience I would say low 10s are beyond many peoples comfort zones. However, it could just come down to making sure they have the right gear for the job.
 
Jackson said:
Hey I lived in Utah back then! Hahaha. I have always had a decent cold tolerance though...

You and @booksandhikes make a great point that cold tolerance is not universal and probably isn't something to mess with if you've got beginners not used to cold.
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Agreed, but hey, I think there’s also something to be said for just getting thrown into the deep end. As long as it isn’t life threatening it’ll at least be an experience to remember!

But I am reminded of my partner. She has been backpacking her entire life, her parents started bringing her with them before she could walk and she got me into it. She tries her best to avoid temps below 20, although she would go with me if there was a trip I really wanted to go on. Valley of the Gods was not easy for her. The way her circulation works, that kind of cold really affects her hands and feet negatively, and she is just more sensitive to the cold in general.

Interested to see what OP comes back with though. Don't wish to diverge the conversation too narrowly into weather considerations, when those he is traveling with may have no aversion to it at all.
 
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Janice said:
Hi Richard! Great to see you here on BCP after having met you this summer on the Goat Trail. I hope all's well!
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Hey Janice! Things are going quite well! The backpacking season has come to an end and I'm getting ready for the cold Midwest winter. If I'm ever in Michigan, I'll be sure to give you a shout! All the best to you, Andy, and your family
 
Thanks everyone for all the information, it's all super helpful. I'll think it through and make considerations accordingly!
 
booksandhikes said:
Valley of the Gods was not easy for her.
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I’ve camped in Valley of the Gods in the winter without a problem. Spent several nights there as a matter of fact. I stayed snug and comfy and warm with my big Springbar tent and tent heater and several bottles of propane. I'm tough. :)

I would’ve probably died without the heater. Mentally, if not physically.
 
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