Backpacking Canyonlands National Park - Needles District - 5 Days Solo

This was a 5 day backpacking trip in the Needles District of Canyonlands National Park. The route includes almost all of the trails in the Needles including: Big Spring Canyon, elephant Canyon, Chesler Park, The Joint, No Name Canyon, Lost Canyon and Squaw Flat. October, 2019.
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[@davidwellen830]

I am 75 years old and last month I took a 3 mile out and back hike to Delicate Arch in Arches NP. That wouldn't be worth mentioning but it was 104 degrees the day I did it and it made me realize without a doubt that the kind of hiking you just took me on is WAY out of my range...so thanks a lot for the awesome video. I enjoyed the fact that you did a very through job of videoing your adventure and really showed us a great hike. Thanks again. I am now a new subscriber.

[@claraallen12]

David, Im old and fat and there are in and back hikes in Needles that I was able to do. Dont give up, Needles is fantastic. Wait till the weather is cooler, bring lots of water and electrolyte/salts and snacks and take your time.

[@pepejuan2924]

👍💪🏻

[@michaelmark3994]

what amazes me is the extra energy u spend to record your walking then going back to get your camera. but the red rock outdoes you. thanks for the extra to enliven the viewing

[@mccallfineart7589]

Fabulous quality photographs. You have such incredible energy. Bravo!

[@janlillis3676]

Thank you for your wonderful video the scenery and rock formations were breathtakingly beautiful thank you very much I would never be able to walk that far or carry that weight.

[@sunnyangel4521]

So far the best video the best comments the best scenery the very best eye for photography. I was around in 2009 but did not have equipement to do that hike. You are very pro and humble, not too much talking. I subscribe cause I want to go on what you do. Thank you very much.

[@tedwg7472]

Think I hiked in that exact same area a couple weeks ago. Some of the places you were hiking look so familiar. I remember that tunnel at the beginning.

[@martincarr2388]

I was imagining all it took you to film your action. The result is fantastic. I hiked from the Needles campground to Chesler Park with my sons in fall 2020. Great to see what the rest of the area looks like. Thanks! Good luck to you.

[@Befree-protectyourrightsToday]

Impressive video my friend! Nicely done - ton of effort filming your journey. Thank you for your efforts you have created a wonderful documentary film!

[@michaelrogers9898]

Watching this from 4 years ago beautiful views thank you . Uk

[@bluwtrgypsy]

Such an awesome place. Beautiful filming. Amazing how much you pack into that backpack. Always look forward to the next video adventure. Thank you. blessings

[@janlillis3676]

Thank you for your awesome video. You really have a good artistic eye. The pictures and the rock formation were out of this world. Thanks again.

[@maximbudnick]

Beautiful work!

[@pepejuan2924]

New sub… your videos are really really good 👍😁💪🏻🇺🇸

[@reggiebald2830]

Such gorgeous countryside!! Thanks!!

[@billj5645]

I watched it all, that's a great hike. I've backpacked there once many years ago, hiked there 3 other times, and did one of the Jeep trails. I'm ready to go back next year, I may try to train for another backpack.

[@OntarioHikingTrails]

Wow amazing scenery great video I look forward to seeing more

[@kimberlymaguire2710]

thank you so much for sharing this backpacking trip! this area of CNP is probably my favorite spot in the whole world! ive done similar trips in the past and was planning another one this spring for a course field project. with COVID currently shutting us down our class had to find virtual hikes as an option, this was the best one of this area and i appreciate you sharing all of the mileage with us!

[@WildlandExplorer]

Glad you enjoyed it! I feel similarly about CNP - been though the needles a number of times now and it hasn't gotten old yet. Here's to hoping national parks open back up to backcountry hiking again this year.

[@Tee-Ess]

Amazing trip. Really well done. You have a new subscriber.

[@AmyRoutt]

Nice intro haha I did a similar-ish trip last year. Love the needles! The joint was definitely my favorite part of the trail. There were some cool squeezes we went through off the joint trail, and had to take our packs off for it. Some people before us tried it but had to turn around because they couldn't get through the final squeeze haha I got lucky I'm so small (Omg 48lbs would SUCK)

[@WildlandExplorer]

Thank you! I wish I had had more time to explore some of those features. As you know, all that filming makes for slow miles! The heavy pack was difficult to wedge through the tunnel-slot-crack thing - the whole time you're wedged in it hoping the juniper logs you're standing on don't give way and fall into that slot canyon you're standing on top of!

[@AmyRoutt]

@@WildlandExplorer Haha I feel ya! Filming definitely makes a trip longer. Especially when you do the tripod, walk away, and walk back method. I actually don't do that on my solo trips, and I think it helps. Deciding if it is still worth it, because there is something valuable about having a person in the shot for perspective! I sure do appreciate the effort it took you to make this video. You got some great shots :)

[@milwaukeemotor5995]

this place looks massive

[@WildlandExplorer]

And the Needles District is only 1/3 of Canyonlands National Park! I hope to get to the Maze District soon if I can work out the vehicle logistics.

[@firedog451]

Wow, great vid! we’re heading there this May. I was wandering how much extra hiking you did to get those walking away shots! Great quality, We have a large 4k set and it’s stunning to watch this, How much water did you bring? Thinking there is no good water to filter

[@WildlandExplorer]

Thank you! I've pretty much got this down to a science now. Hikes that people do in about 5-6 hours take about 8-9 hours when I'm filming. A lot of it is just lining up and framing shots, checking exposure, etc. I tell people who hike with me that they need to change their expectations to 1.5 mph max, lol. I've only been to Canyonlands 3 times - each time it was either late Summer or early Fall. So I have no idea about water out there in May. But it's the kind of place where if you're backpacking - you'll have to carry a lot of water unless it has rained recently. I'd talk to the rangers about it for sure. Think between 8-11 liters if you're going for more than an overnight. That's why I did a figure-8 for this route to bring me back to the car to resupply halfway.

[@arizjones]

What type of camera are you using for this? You did a great job of filming and editing. Thanks for sharing.

[@WildlandExplorer]

Back then I was using nothing more than an iPhone XS, but it's the 512gb version to store all that footage. I was using an app called Filmic Pro which allows for a much higher bitrate and better controls than the built-in camera app. Nowadays I use a Panasonic G9 & and GoPro 8 in tandem.

[@GoWestPhoto]

How much water did you carry at the start? Did you see any at all along the hike? I've read that there typically is some available near Elephant Canyon.

[@WildlandExplorer]

There is most likely water at Elephant Canyon. I did not on that trip as it cut into my route plan. I carried 8 or 9L on the first 3 days and then resupplied water at my car on the figure-8 loop route and then carried another 11 liters for the remainder. 8 or 9L would have been fine on that section. I only did that because it was fall - there was really not any other water out there. In spring you can almost certainly find some.

[@GoWestPhoto]

Thanks for the reply! I really appreciate it!

[@Vito_Tuxedo]

Dude...what an amazing video, all the more amazing for the fact that you really did it solo. That morphed distance shot at 1:00:53 is amazing. No wonder it took so long to cover so (relatively) little distance...well, I mean apart from the strenuous demands of the terrain. Hiking the Needles District has long been a dream of mine...but until then, this is the next best thing to being there. Awesome job. Thanks for keeping the dream alive, brothah! 😎

[@sandsmine]

are you familiar with the UK fell walker, Wainright?

[@milwaukeemotor5995]

what a different landscape from the superstitons

[@anthonyrenaud5783]

Jeez, that's alot of walking back and forth placing your camera, shooting and walking back and forth to retrieve camera and editing. Great video and footage.

[@chadsanders2693]

We watch all your adventure backpacking videos excellent information!! Where do we find you on Instagram???

[@WildlandExplorer]

Thanks! I used to have the gram but I stopped with social media except YT a few years back. I'll occasionally post a few pics on YT when I get back from trips though.

[@chadsanders2693]

@@WildlandExplorer thanks!! We watch your videos and I track your adventures while watching, so I know the trail your on, doing homework before we go is fun and helpful! HNY

[@MountainTopHomestead316]

Nice, we were there a few weeks ago as well. Didnt get to see needles district unfortunately. Looks beautiful man!

[@tomquinn03]

Thanks for sharing this video, I really enjoyed it! The picture is so crisp and clear I watched it in full screen mode and felt like I was right there with you! If you feel like adding any more, showing the map and your route at the end of each day would be cool, it's just neat to follow along. But honestly, the content is fantastic as is, I really enjoy your videos.

[@WildlandExplorer]

I completely agree shots of the map with explanations of my route would have been helpful. I almost did that... chalk it up to my being too lazy! I did provide a link to my GPX route in the video description, if that helps you at all. I think I will be doing more inclusion of maps in future trip videos. Thanks for the feedback and for following along!

[@mikeday62]

So then, why do they call it the joint trail? 🗿 💨

[@WildlandExplorer]

I couldn't possibly comment 😆

[@LiboltAdventures]

Man... you made a movie dude. Really enjoyed this. Amazing views, pretty humbling being around giant objects like that. A real reminder of how small we actually are.

[@rayrasmussen4936]

After watching your Muir trail video, I checked out this one. Also nice to revisit the Needles District of Canyonlands NP. And again, nice video techniques. I take it that you occasionally backtrack and put your camera on a tripod for the shots of you climbing, hiking. Very effective. Ray Rasmussen

[@histolee]

Great Video detailed explanation I'm touched It's a place I want to go

[@JimBobele]

This is the most detailed video I could find from the needles district. It covers so many areas. And so detailed with such quality footage. Thanks a lot for this bunch of information. I planned a trip to the needles last year but we all know what happened and I had to postpone it to 2021. But I'm still unsure if we can travel from Europe to the US in 3 month. Since I will have only a very short time at the needles I'm trying to figure out the most interesting route. But honestly it looks like all of them are great. My planned Route: Squaw-Flat TH -> Big Spring Canyon -> Squaw Canyon -> Elephant Canyon -> Chesler Park And on day 2: Joint Trail -> Chesler Park -> and then back on the more northern route back to Squaw Flat TH Man I'm so excited. I hope this will happen this year... How much water do you suggest per day? I am thinking of about a gallon per day. Would that be enough? If it's not to hot of course Best regards from Germany

[@WildlandExplorer]

I think your route sounds reasonable as long as you start the days early. Something to keep in mind is recording video slows me down a lot. That entire trip could probably have been done in 4 days... maybe even 3 days by the average fit hiker. I would advise against backpacking the Needles in summer. Late September is earliest in the fall season I would personally go out below 6000ft elev. in red rock country. The sun can really bake you. In general I'd carry 8-10L water for 3 days dry as you likely won't find any water out there except in spring. Hope you get your chance to go, thanks for watching!

[@JimBobele]

@@WildlandExplorer I stumbled across this video again after watching your Ansel Adams loop where I will be hiking this year, Mammoth Lakes to Tuolumne meadows. My trip to the Needles in 2022 was successful. And man, it blew my mind away. The needles area is out of this world. It was a hot experience though since I only could do the trip in August, temperatures have been in the 90ies. But it was so worth the sweat. The memories will last forever. I wish this place would be around my home... Happy hiking

[@janice1122]

I'm planning a backpacking trip in the Needles for next spring and found your video to be really helpful and BEAUTIFUL! Thanks for taking the time to film and edit all of this!

[@WildlandExplorer]

Thank you! My aim is to help show how these places really are, hope it’s a great hike!

[@davidbell9130]

stunning scenery-i wish you good travels always

[@davidbell9130]

stunning scenery-i wish you good travels always

[@sunnyangel4521]

Saw it again, too beautiful. Quality job

[@potatothorn]

Absolutely stunning Video. Super sharp and incredibly well shot and put together/ looks great on the big screen/ the occasional artifacts mostly worked out to looking like they were part of the transitions, no big deal at all. I could go on forever so i'll just say an hour and a half of AWESOME!! thanks so much for taking us with you, love Canyonlands..

[@magicb0y]

Just came across your video. It looked like an awesome trip! What a wondrous and beautiful country we live in. Thank you for sharing your adventures with all of us!

[@zimmerfraugudrun]

Thank you very much, i enjoyed your trip so much. We were there some years ago and so it was a beayfull hike from elephant hill to chessler park and back. Thank you for good memories and i know it is a lot of work to do such a movie all alone.

[@WildlandExplorer]

Thank you! I want to go back there, hopefully this year!

[@zimmerfraugudrun]

@@WildlandExplorer it must be quiet silent there, because all the tourist from most parts of the world can not come. I love these land and i hope i can com back some day. The first trip we hiked to the confluence overlook and we did a huge detour, because we choose devils lane and not the straight way, luckily on the way back we used the right path and when we came back to elephant hill the full moon was looking down on us.

[@ahbenjamin2889]

Thank you so much for uploading this video. My dream is one day to make it to Canyonlands. Did you come across any wild animals ... snakes etc.

[@WildlandExplorer]

Hi there, thanks for watching! There isn't a lot of wildlife out there. Pretty much just mice. In fall there really aren't even bugs to speak of. You have to protect your food from rodents as all of the campsites are heavily used.

[@southwesthardypalms]

I have come across Chuckwallas, a few Rattle Snakes, and a Sonoran Mountain King Snake in Canyonlands during the spring.

[@thomasvega8247]

These views are amazing, I cant help but think how many thousands of years of erosion and the different climates did this area go through to make such a majestic landscape. Thanks for bring this to us! Hike on and ill be following you throughout your adventures!!

[@garycolvard3021]

This video was great. I'm planning to do some longer day hikes in the Needles District and if I had any doubts about the scenery being worth the trip you've done a wonderful job of capturing that with your camera. Thanks

[@brettsellers2899]

Love it. I am going there tomorrow.

[@WildlandExplorer]

Hope your trip goes well! It's hard to have a bad time in the Needles.

[@DavidHerringtonOutdoors]

This is my new favorite backpacking video. I have to get up there. I'm absolutely blown away by the area! I've got to pick your brain on planning out something like this. Appreciate the videos again buddy, and all the work you put into these. You've really made me fall in love with backpacking Arizona, I can't wait to add Utah

[@WildlandExplorer]

Thanks! I've been to Canyonlands like 3 times now. Never gets old. I'd definitely recommend the joint trail out there. It's the kind of place you bring a heavy pack full of water. And you gotta get permits in advance. Hopefully I'll make it out to Utah again this year. I'm trying to put together a website to further elaborate on the details of these trips to hopefully help people with route planning.

[@louisbunster4266]

Great video! I’m using it to help me plan my trip to Chesler Park. I’m not sure how you got Island in the Sky district (north of you) and the La Sal Mountains (east of you) in the same line of sight. Could you clarify? Thank you so much though for the detailed descriptions. You’re the best.

[@billj5645]

From needles district, Island district is due north, LaSal Mountains are about 45 degrees over to the northeast. This would be easy to get in a photograph but one would be on one side, the other on the other side. Looking to the northeast you are looking towards Needles Overlook which would be more in line with the mountains and the cliffs along needles overlook look very similar to the cliffs at island district near Grand View Point and Junction Butte.

[@johnatkison5941]

What a movie, absolutely beautiful. The scenery in the introduction (first minute and a half) and the music that accompanies it are beyond words. What is the music piece you used for the beginning? I want a copy of that piece. Again thanks for all the hard work you put in making this masterpiece.

[@WildlandExplorer]

Thanks John! Most of the music I use is from the KZbin audio library which is all royalty free. I can't remember the intro piece but you can search by instrument type and mood.

[@furuyamala]

I stumbled upon your channel today and love this video so much. The scenery is beautiful, and you captured it so well. Thanks for sharing. This was really enjoyable to watch as I plan my own trip to the Needles this spring.

[@WildlandExplorer]

Thank you! It's one of my favorite places. You'll have a blast, the needles is perfect in spring. You'll probably find more water than I did.