Dead Horse Point State Park

Dead Horse Point State Park, on a narrow sandstone mesa jutting above the Colorado River canyon 9 miles from Canyonlands National Park near Moab, is universally regarded as one of the most spectacular scenic overlooks in the United States — a 5,900-foot promontory dropping 2,000 feet straight to the entrenched Colorado River below, with a 180-degree panorama taking in the canyonlands of the Colorado Plateau, the La Sal Mountains, the Canyonlands Island in the Sky district, and the sinuous Colorado River sweeping in a dramatic gooseneck meander far below.

The park takes its name from a grim frontier legend — the mesa’s narrow neck (30 yards wide) made it a natural corral; cowboys reportedly trapped a band of wild horses on the mesa and left some to die of thirst in sight of the Colorado River 2,000 feet below. Today, the park is one of Utah’s finest destinations, and its viewpoint regularly appears on lists of the greatest overlooks on Earth. Dead Horse Point State Park is a treasured natural icon of Utah.

Dead Horse Point State Park offers scenic overlook viewing (the primary and defining experience — the main Dead Horse Point overlook is 270 degrees of canyon panorama, one of the most photographed viewpoints in the American West; also the Rim Trail, which follows the canyon edge for 4 miles from the visitor center to the point), hiking the Rim Trail and Intrepid Trail system (mountain bike trails wind through the mesa; the Rim Trail is easily walkable and appropriate for all abilities), mountain biking the Intrepid Trail (a high-quality singletrack mountain bike system on the mesa top), stargazing (Dead Horse Point is a certified International Dark Sky Park — one of the finest dark-sky sites in the American Southwest), camping at the campground (excellent sites with mesa views), photography (sunrise and sunset at the main overlook are among the most photographed moments in Utah), and visitor center exhibits. The overlook, the mountain biking and the dark sky are the signature draws.

Spring (March through May) and fall (September through November) are the finest seasons for the overlook and hiking — the Colorado Plateau light is at its most dramatic, the temperatures are comfortable, and the La Sal Mountains (snow-capped in spring) provide a contrasting backdrop to the red canyon. Sunrise is the finest time at the overlook — the Colorado River 2,000 feet below fills with warm golden light before the canyon walls; the first light on the canyon is extraordinary. Summer is hot but the overlook and mountain biking are still excellent in the early morning. Dark-sky stargazing is superb year-round (winter skies are especially clear). Spring at sunrise is the definitive Dead Horse Point experience.

Dead Horse Point’s narrow-necked mesa has been known since the frontier era as a natural horse trap — the legend holds that cowboys in the late 19th century used the 30-yard-wide neck of the mesa as a natural corral by stringing brush and branches across it, capturing wild horses from the Canyon Lands. After selecting the best animals, they left the remaining horses behind on the mesa, where they eventually died of thirst within sight of the Colorado River 2,000 feet below (explaining the name). Utah State Parks established Dead Horse Point State Park in 1959. The viewpoint was used as a location in the film “Thelma & Louise” (1991) and the opening sequence of the series “Breaking Bad.”

Dead Horse Point sits atop the Wingate Sandstone mesa, a sheer-walled remnant of the Colorado Plateau landscape. Below the mesa rim, the cliff drops through Wingate Sandstone (Triassic, vivid red), Chinle Formation (also Triassic, the softer, multicolored shales that form the slope below the cliff), and then 2,000 feet down to the Colorado River in the Canyonlands basin. The river’s dramatic gooseneck meander below the point is the result of the river becoming entrenched in its meander pattern as the Colorado Plateau was uplifted — the river maintained its meander while the land rose around it, cutting ever deeper into the plateau. The meander, the entrenched canyon and the sheer sandstone mesa created the dramatic viewpoint.

Dead Horse Point State Park’s mesa-top and canyon-rim habitat supports desert wildlife — mule deer on the mesa (often visible near the campground), coyotes (active at dawn and dusk), collared lizards and desert spiny lizards on the warm rocks, Gambel’s quail in the canyon-edge shrubs, canyon wrens (singing their cascading call from the canyon rim — one of the finest sounds of the Southwest), and ravens and common ravens soaring above the canyon. Peregrine falcons nest in the canyon walls below the rim and are occasionally visible from the overlook. Pronghorn antelope are occasionally seen on the mesa top. Golden eagles soar over the canyon in winter.

Dead Horse Point State Park is a Colorado Plateau mesa-top ecosystem — sparse pinyon-juniper woodland on the mesa, blackbrush and Mormon tea in the dry areas, cryptobiotic soil crust between plants (alive and critical to desert stability; never walk on the black, knobby crust), and the dramatic canyon-edge habitat where ravens and peregrines exploit the updrafts. The International Dark Sky designation protects the exceptional night sky — the mesa’s remoteness from light pollution (the nearest city with significant light pollution is Moab, 10 miles away, with a small glow) makes it one of the finest dark-sky sites in the Southwest. Protecting the cryptobiotic crust, the canyon rim and the dark sky sustains the ecological and astronomical value.

Dead Horse Point State Park holds an iconic place among the scenic overlooks of Utah — universally regarded as one of the most spectacular canyon viewpoints in the world, the site of the famous “Thelma & Louise” ending (though the actual filming was done here), a star of the “Breaking Bad” opening sequence, and one of the most photographed canyon panoramas in America. Its combination of the 2,000-foot drop to the Colorado River, the gooseneck meander, the La Sal Mountain backdrop and the Colorado Plateau canyon landscape makes it exceptional. Dead Horse Point is a cherished icon of Utah.

Dead Horse Point State Park is 9 miles from Moab, Utah, via UT-191 north from Moab, then UT-313 west to the park entrance. The park is adjacent to Canyonlands Island in the Sky district (the two parks share the UT-313 access road). The drive from Moab takes about 25 minutes. Moab has full resort services (hotels, restaurants, gear shops, bike rentals). A Utah State Parks fee applies. The campground (excellent) requires advance reservation. Check Utah State Parks for current fees, campground availability and any road conditions before visiting.

Utah State Parks manages Dead Horse Point State Park. The canyon rim is the most critical safety and conservation feature — stay behind all barriers and fencing at the overlook and along the Rim Trail (the drop is 2,000 feet; the edges are real and unprotected in many areas). Cryptobiotic soil crust is present on the mesa top — walk only on designated trails or rock surfaces; never step on the black, knobby crust. The International Dark Sky designation requires minimizing light pollution — use red-light headlamps at night; do not use white flashlights or vehicle headlights carelessly in the campground. Pack out all trash. The overlook area can be crowded at sunrise; give other photographers space.

The canyon rim has unprotected edges in many areas along the Rim Trail — maintain safe distances from the edge at all times, especially with children. The 2,000-foot drop is vertical in many places. Summer temperatures exceed 95°F on the mesa; carry water and start hiking before 9 AM. Flash floods are not a concern on the mesa top but check conditions if venturing into any side canyons. The Intrepid Trail mountain bike system has technical sections; check difficulty ratings before attempting. Respect the canyon rim, the summer heat and the technical mountain bike terrain.

Utah State Parks vehicle fee required. Camping requires advance reservation (reserve well ahead for spring weekends). International Dark Sky Park rules apply for the campground (minimize light pollution). No collecting of rocks or formations. Pets on leash. Mountain biking on designated trails only. No off-trail driving. Pack out all trash. Check Utah State Parks for current rules and campground availability before visiting.

Canyonlands National Park Island in the Sky district (adjacent — Mesa Arch and the Grand View Point overlook are 10 minutes from Dead Horse Point on the same UT-313 road), the town of Moab (9 miles east — Utah’s premier outdoor-recreation hub, with world-class mountain biking on Slickrock Trail, river outfitters for Colorado River trips, and excellent restaurants), Arches National Park (30 minutes from Moab), the Colorado Riverway (one of the finest flat-water canoe routes in the Southwest — put in at Moab and float the Colorado Canyon), and the La Sal Mountain Loop Road (a paved forest loop climbing into the La Sal Mountains to 10,000 feet, accessible from Moab) define the region. Dead Horse Point and Canyonlands Island in the Sky are best visited together on a single day from Moab.

Arrive at the main overlook at least 30 minutes before sunrise and set up your camera on the east-facing canyon wall below the point — the moment the first sunlight hits the Colorado River 2,000 feet below and turns the canyon walls amber and gold is one of the finest photographic moments in the American West. For mountain biking, the Intrepid Trail’s Big Chief loop is the finest Moab-area mesa-top ride — technical singletrack with canyon-edge views that rival the overlook. Book the campground months in advance for spring weekends (it sells out immediately). Combine Dead Horse Point and Canyonlands Island in the Sky in one day — they share the same access road and complement each other perfectly.