Just 5 minutes east of our little Cabin at Moab RV and Campground, was the Grandstaff Canyon Trailhead. Previously named Negro Bill Canyon, this trail was a great early to mid-day hiking option. Not to mention, there’s a beautiful arch that lies at the end!
This trail is often overlooked because it isn’t in either of the popular nearby National Parks, but it was one I knew well from my visit last year in May because it’s a dog-friendly hike. I had come to Moab on my first ever solo road trip in 2017 for some much needed “me time” and wow did I get it! The pup and I had started this hike early and only saw a few people the entire time. We did leave early to avoid the mid-day temps and crowds.
You begin the hike at the small parking lot right off of 128 along the Colorado River. There is a trailhead sign and a reminder to hikers that there is Poison Ivy along this trail. Keep and eye out because I did see some. Between the sandstone walls runs a small creek with lush green vegetation which made for some wonderful views. The trail is fairly flat with some inclines over larger rocks but nothing to intensive.
As a reminder, this trail does request that all dogs are kept on a leash. On my first trip here Pepper, my husky, had spotted a snake and thankfully I had her on the leash next to me! She’s also very fond of bee’s but i’ll save that story for my post at Fisher Towers, another trail in Moab.
Grandstaff Trail is rated as a moderate hike and is 4.3 miles round trip with a handful of small creek crossings throughout the canyon.
For those asking on social media about my outfit, I’m wearing my fav black Under Armor funnel-neck hoodie I got at an outlet mall in AZ ( sadly no longer in stock ) and my army green moto pants from Amazon. I also got a chance to rock my new Bionica hiking sandals which did great on the few creek crossings. They had some awesome grip over both the trail and rocks. If you want to check them out they can be found here.
I hope you get a chance to visit this Arch and all its “Glory”. 🙂 At a span of 243 ft it is a remarkable place to see and quite a tricky one to photograph. I recommend a wide angle lens or doing a panorama to capture it all.
Grandstaff Trail to Morning Glory Arch Overview:
- Moderate Hike
- 4.3 Miles Round Trip from Parking Area
- There is poison ivy in this trail. Be careful.
- 4-5 shallow creek crossings
Images Credit: Timothy Cheston & Ashley Ann
