Water in the Needles

[Craiger]

I'm looking for some advice from the sage experts in this forum. I will be spending 4 days in the Needles in early April (about two weeks from now) and I'm wondering how much water I REALLY need to pack and how much I can expect to find on the trail. I know the NPS will tell me I need to carry a 40 gallon drum on my back the whole time so I'm a little skeptical.

Does anyone have a better guess as to how much water I might find in the Needles this time of year given the precipitation we've had this winter? We're spending one night as BS2 and two nights at EC3. I've heard there are springs nearby, especially in the vicinity of EC3. What are the odds that I can find water, say, on the trail to Druid Arch? If you were headed out, how much water would you pack and what would you say the odds were of finding some near BS2/EC3? If anyone has GPS coordinates of springs around that area I'd much appreciate hearing about it.

Thoughts?

TIA

 

[LarryBoy]

Yep, you should find water along that stretch of trail between EC3 and the spur trail to Druid Arch.

Big Springs Canyon may also have water.

 

[Jimmy]

I'm looking for some advice from the sage experts in this forum. I will be spending 4 days in the Needles in early April (about two weeks from now) and I'm wondering how much water I REALLY need to pack and how much I can expect to find on the trail. I know the NPS will tell me I need to carry a 40 gallon drum on my back the whole time so I'm a little skeptical.

Does anyone have a better guess as to how much water I might find in the Needles this time of year given the precipitation we've had this winter? We're spending one night as BS2 and two nights at EC3. I've heard there are springs nearby, especially in the vicinity of EC3. What are the odds that I can find water, say, on the trail to Druid Arch? If you were headed out, how much water would you pack and what would you say the odds were of finding some near BS2/EC3? If anyone has GPS coordinates of springs around that area I'd much appreciate hearing about it.

Thoughts?

TIA

I was there about the exact same time last year for 5 days, and there was plentiful water on the trail to Druid Arch and almost directly under the EC3 site was a very large pool (though not nearly as good quality as further up the trail to Druid). Our first two nights in Chesler Park were bone dry, and we were glad that we carried 1 gal/day for those 2.5 days especially with some long day hikes. We were all out of water by the time we reached EC2 on day 3 so were very happy to find abundant, very good water sources. That said, I have no clue what the precipitation has been like this year.

 

[Jammer]

I've always found plenty of water in April/May in upper Elephant Canyon -- curious to hear how it was for you this year.

 

[Craiger]

I've always found plenty of water in April/May in upper Elephant Canyon -- curious to hear how it was for you this year.

Turns out there was plenty of water in Big Springs Canyon, Squaw Canyon, and on the trail up to Druid Arch. There was also a pool right below our campsight at EC3.