Round Trip Distance: 1.2 miles
Difficulty: Easy
Elevation: 4831 - 4852 feet
Cellphone: 0 bars
Time: 1 hr. 30 mins.
Trailhead: Secret Spire Safari Route
Fee: none
Attractions: Scenic hoodoo
The Secret Spire is located in the Dubinky Wash area northwest of Moab, Utah. The spire, or hoodoo, sits majestically atop a dome of sandstone high above a branch of Spring Canyon. Four wheel drives and OHVs can drive within a hundred yards or so of the site by following the Secret Spire Safari Route. Others can park about a half mile away and enjoy a little longer hike to get there. Enroute you can check out Juniper Arch which is only a short distance off the trail.
To get to the trailhead follow UT-313 measuring 8.4 miles from the junction of Highway 191 and Highway 313 and turn right onto the Dubinky Well Road at the sign for the Lone Mesa Campground. Turn right again after another 1.5 miles where a sign points toward Dubinky Well. Continue for another 5 miles and turn left where a sign points toward Dripping Spring. After another 2 miles bear left to stay on the Secret Spire Safari Route. A good landmark to head toward is Tombstone Butte which dominates the landscape. After another mile the Secret Spire Safari Route travels around the south side of the butte and splits at the sign in this photo.
Stay on the main road by going to the right and continue for another 2.6 miles past Tombstone Butte, keeping to the left at the fork that is marked with a sign for Dripping Spring and Spring Canyon Point. Two wheel drive vehicles will want to park at this point and begin hiking from here.
This part of the Secret Spire Safari Route is an easy hike as it alternates between outcrops of slickrock and sand.
At a bend in the road near the quarter mile point Juniper Arch can be spotted off to the right of the trail.
The scenic little arch is well worth getting a closer look by hiking across the slickrock where it sits near the top of a sandstone butte.
Continuing on along the road there is a fork that comes up with a sign that points to the right. This is one of those 'all roads lead to Rome' things where it doesn't actually matter which way you go because both routes reunite at the Secret Spire parking area.
If you drove this far its time to get out and walk for the last couple hundred feet.
The Secret Spire hoodoo looks like a big mushroom that is growing right out of the rock.
Walking around the area you can get some nice views of Spring Canyon as it makes a straight shot down to the Green River which is just under 5 miles away.
If you keep following the Safari Route for almost another mile it reconnects to the road that leads on out to Spring Canyon Point. A person could go to the right at this point and make a loop out of it.
