Rating:
Round Trip Distance: 1.5 miles
Difficulty: Easy
Elevation: 5907 - 5964 feet
Cellphone: 2-4 bars
Time: 1 hr.
Trailhead: Dead Horse Point Visitor Center
Fee: $15/vehicle
Attractions: Scenic overlook, picnic area, partially wheelchair accessible
Dead Horse Point Overlook is located in the Dead Horse Point State Park near Moab, Utah. Dead Horse Point is connected to the rest of the mesa by a narrow neck of land. A short trail loops around the entire point providing views of the canyons on either side. This trail in its entirety is included in the post for the Rim Trail but since most visitors to the park will hike only this short loop or a portion of it the decision was made to create a separate post just for the area of the overlook.
The first part of the trail up to the main overlook and a short section of the rim is wheelchair accessible.
The trail passes through a shelter that provides a little relief from the sun during the hot summer months.
Visitors don't have very far to go to see their first spectacular view from Dead Horse Point. The Colorado River can be seen below the point snaking its way around one of its many horseshoe bends.
At times rafters can be spotted on the river heading downstream to the confluence of the Colorado and the Green River. From there they pass through the world renowned Cataract Canyon and on to Lake Powell where their trip ends. The river has a leisurely laminar flow at this point but in Cataract Canyon the rapids can get big enough to swallow a house.
From the main overlook the trail follows the rim all the way around the point and back to this spot. There are more overlooks along the way with breath taking views of the surrounding canyons and distant mountains.
There are many places where visitors can stop to rest and contemplate the beauty of the millions of years of erosion from the persistent flow of the river and the canyon widening effects of countless storms.
Across the canyon to the west a road can be seen coming down to the White Rim area of Shafer Canyon from the Island in the Sky District of Canyonlands National Park.
The trail continues around the point passing by one of the group picnic sites.
After passing the picnic area the trail gets a little more primitive. There are a few minor ledges to scramble over but the trail is well marked with cairns and plenty of wear.
At the narrow neck of land the trail crosses to the other side of the access road.
On this side of the point the trail is more friendly to baby strollers with concrete and pavement filling in the sections between the slickrock.
The peak in the middle of the picture is called the Great Pyramid. Besides another glimpse of the Colorado River this side of the point offers more spectacular canyon views as well as a distant view of the La Sal Mountains and the area around the Moab Valley and Arches National Park.
