10 Best backpacking trails in Moab

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Best backpacking trails in Moab

4.6(2,364 reviews)

Explore the most popular backpacking trails near Moab with hand-curated trail maps and driving directions as well as detailed reviews and photos from hikers, campers and nature lovers like you.

Top trails

Loop trail around Upheaval Dome in Canyonlands National Park: Islands in the Sky. This strenuous backcountry route follows the washes on either side of Upheaval Dome. Spur trails partway around the loop provide access to the center of the crater and the White Rim Road. These spurs add additional milage. There is one designated campsite along the trail. An overnight permit is required for camping. Go clockwise for a more gradual uphill journey back to the trailhead. If you'd like a bit...

#2 - Murphy Trail Loop

4.7(405)

•Hard

•10.0 mi

Descends into canyon, crosses Murphy's Hogback to White Rim Road, then returns via Murphy Wash.

#3 - Mount Peale Trail

4.4(164)

•Hard

•5.1 mi

This route takes you on an off-trail scramble to the summit of Mount Peale. It begins by hiking along an official, marked trail. Several miles, including the last few miles to the summit, take you along an undesignated, non-maintained route that is completely off trail. This section is not maintained by the USFS. It is advised to download your map ahead of time and feel comfortable navigating off-trail before attempting this route. You'll begin at the La Sal Pass. Follow the trail to a "Y"...

#4 - Alcove Spring Trail

After a short distance the trail descends steeply for around 1.5 miles and 1,000 ft, the trail flattens out until you get to a dry, sandy gravel river bed which you follow until you get to the Moses & Zeus Trail

#5 - Shafer Trail OHV Road

A picturesque easy walk across the mesa top leads to a spectacular drop off down a very steep canyon wall. It’s an amazing spot to contemplate the forces of nature. Continue down this difficult trail that requires some use of hands. Turn around at the bottom of this challenging descent or continue walking out the flat mesa as far as you wish. From this point onward, there are expansive vistas of the White Rim with its buttes and canyons. This is a difficult descent from the Island in the...

#7 - Mount Peale and Mount Tukuhnikivatz Loop

4.7(50)

•Hard

•7.7 mi

Heads up! Part of this route takes you along an off-trail unmarked route. You'll also be traveling along alpine talus on an off-trail route for several miles. Some sections of scrambling are also required. The scramble across Razor Fang is a Class 3-4 scramble. It is a good idea to download your offline map ahead of time, in addition to bringing a paper copy of your map as backup. Since much of this route is above tree line, it is a good idea to bring a wag bag to limit impact to the alpine...

#8 - Murphy Wash Trail

The Chisholm Trail is a connector route between the Navajo Rocks and Horsethief trail systems

#10 - Taylor Canyon Loop

4.5(25)

•Hard

•19.3 mi

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Trail reviews for Moab

Adam Arnett

Jan 4, 2025

Not crowdedGreat views

Difficult with a heavy backpack, but extremely worth it. I camped at the syncline campsite halfway through the loop and saw a bunch of shooting stars, I also saw some mountain goats on the second day! Taking preemptive ibuprofen kept my knees from hurting too much.

Syncline Loop

John Hollenberg

Mar 7, 2025•Hiking

Easy to parkNot crowdedGreat conditionsGreat views

Hiked 3/7/25 for a total of 5.5 miles round trip. Temperature started at 35 degrees and eventually got up to 50 degrees. With 10 MPH wind was pretty cold the first 30 minutes. We are experienced backpackers with over 50 years backpacking all over the High Sierra. Now 70 years old but in good health. There is a granary 0.6 miles from the trailhead which was really cool. It is on the left side of the trail (going in) and 30-40 feet off the trail. We didn't notice it on the way down, only saw it on the way back up. The steep trail down the canyon is well marked with cairns but VERY steep and more rugged than any regular trail I have ever hiked. Frequently had to use hands and mostly put away hiking poles going down. Very hard on the quads if you are only used to doing regular steep trails. Had to sit down a few times to safely get down some of the larger rocks. Still class 2 but a VERY rough class 2. Once we got off the steep descent the trail was very pleasant and views were fantastic. We did not see anyone else on the trail during the entire hike. The hike back up was tiring but easier as the risk of slip and fall was minimal compared to the downhill. Glad we went on the hike, but planning to skip Lathrop which appears to be even steeper/rockier.

Parking: Entry fee, Free

Difficulty: Strenuous

Wilhite Trail

Frequently asked questions

What is the longest backpacking trail in Moab?

According to AllTrails.com, the longest backpacking trail in Moab is Hayduke Trail. This trail is estimated to be 796.0 mi long.

Which backpacking trail has the most elevation gain in Moab?

Moab: With an ascent of 111,961 ft, Hayduke Trail has the most elevation gain of all of the backpacking trails in the area. The next highest ascent for backpacking trails is Mount Peale and Mount Tukuhnikivatz Loop with 3,438 ft of elevation gain.