Alcove Spring Trail - 11.4 Miles Round-Trip

The Alcove Spring Trail runs 5.7 miles through Trail Canyon to the Taylor Canyon intersection in Canyonlands National Park. Its namesake comes from a spring that originates under a large alcove .5 miles from the trailhead.

Trail Map | Photo Gallery

The Alcove Spring Trail drops 800’ from the Island Mesa on a rugged path, then moderates on the canyon floor into a wash that leads all the way to Taylor Canyon.

The trail is highlighted by towering sandstone walls, two large alcoves and the Zeus and Moses spires.

Of trails leading off the mesa, Alcove Spring is arguably the most moderate (compared to Gooseberry, Lathrop, Wilhite, Murphy and Syncline):

The trail spends little time on the rim before negotiating steep sections of slickrock and loose rock to the base of Alcove Spring (.5 miles : 5,265’). Rough social trails explore this imposing overhang and heavily vegetated area, a worthy destination in itself.

It continues ruggedly down a winding path lined by Princes Plume, a feathery yellow-flowered stalk. Travel moderates considerably through .95 miles (4,890’) into a wide berth on the canyon floor. In wet years this terrace can be covered in wildflowers, notably the wiry purple heads of Scorpionweed. Primrose, lupine, mariposa lily, globe mallow and penstemon are also prevalent.

The trail curls north on a rolling, packed-dirt path deeper into the canyon, where another alcove is revealed around a large bend on the west wall (1.6 miles : 4,675’). This alcove is much further off trail, but offers a great look at the vegetated corridor running from its base to desert floor.

The trail undulates with a net descent across wash braids (2.15 miles) before dropping into the central wash (2.6 miles : 4,440’). Though well marked, anticipate this important entry-exit point on the return.

Travel eases in the wash on a straightforward route, hopping bends only a few times to avoid minor obstacles. The wash-trail is otherwise obstruction free and easy to navigate. Look for lizards along the way, and examine towering Wingate Sandstone walls that define the canyon.

The wash drops on a nominal grade with receding walls to your first look at the Zeus and Moses spires (5.25 miles : 4,245’). It continues to the sparingly-marked but obvious intersection with Taylor Canyon (5.7 miles : 4,198’), where you can pick up a short trail that circles the spires, or simply turn right up Taylor Canyon and improvise up to a great view.

Morning light is especially good on these wafer thin spires that are popular among climbers.

You may also turn left (west) down Taylor Canyon, which soon turns into a road that Ts up with White Rim Road at the Labyrinth campsite just off the Colorado River. The Alcove Spring Trail, Taylor Canyon Road, Upheaval Canyon and Syncline Loop Trail join to form an approximate 21 mile loop.