October 29, 2022

By Tim Briese

11.1 miles, 1300’ elevation gain, 6:25 roundtrip time

My primary objective on my fall hiking trip to Utah this year was to explore more of the area around Escalante, but I took a one day side trip to hike in one of my favorite places in the world, the Needles District of Canyonlands National Park. I planned to hike the ever favorite trail from Elephant Hill to Chesler Park and then loop back around via the Devil’s Kitchen on a few miles of trails that were new to me. I drove from Monticello to the park at dawn via scenic UT 211 and drove straight to the Elephant Hill Trailhead.

a view of north sixshooter peak on the drive into canyonlands

Parking was ample at this popular trailhead at this time of day and season. I embarked on the trail up the rocky slope to the south and the fun began immediately.

some rocky scenery along the route

the route goes through this narrow crack

This route engenders childlike wonder and excitement and I never get tired of it. Cairns guide you through a puzzling maze of fantastically beautiful rocky scenery - around colorful domes, across beige and red slickrock slopes, up improbable steps, through narrow slots. After a couple of miles the trail dropped down into Elephant Canyon and up out of it on the other side on the way to Chesler Park. I think the hike up out of Elephant Canyon is one of the most amazing stretches of the trail. I soon reached pinnacle-ringed Chesler Park and took a short break. I was especially aware today of the incredible overwhelming silence out here in the desert.

a view into the open expanses of chesler park

a view to the north from chesler park

I continued on the trail west along the north side of the Chesler. Shortly after a fun descent down a section of slickrock I reached another trail and turned to the north. 

cairns guided me down this short fun stretch of slickrock

I followed the trail through a scenic notch and continued on a sandy trail toward the Devil’s Kitchen. It was on this trail that I came upon the first other hiker I saw today.

the trail goes through a notch between the pinnacles at the right

a view to the south from the notch

looking back at the ridge of pinnacles from the trail to the devil's kitchen

At the Devil’s Kitchen I followed another trail a couple of miles back to a junction with the Chesler Park Trail. 

on the trail near the devil's kitchen

on the route back to the chesler park trail

an interesting lichen formation

Upon reaching the junction I retraced my steps back toward the trailhead. There were more hikers on the trail now, including some Europeans and some Asians speaking languages I did not know, and a couple from Florida and another from Washington with whom I visited. At mid-afternoon I tramped back to the trailhead which was now packed with vehicles and glanced at the license plates from all over the U.S., including Alaska. I loaded up and headed for Green River for the night.

some scenery along ut 211 on the drive back