The Joint Trail

The Joint is a fascinating little section of trail in the Needles District of Canyonlands National Park. The high walls of the joint create a dark, shady and significantly colder little microclimate in the middle of the desert; be prepared for a big temperature drop as you enter their cool embrace. The road to the Joint Trailhead can only be accessed with a 4WD, high clearance vehicle, so the more popular way to hike the Joint is to tack it onto a trip around Chesler Park.

Although the Joint Trail looks and feels like one of the slot canyons commonly found in parks like Zion, slot canyons are created by water erosion, while “joints” are formed by massive fractures in the rock. Hiking along this trail is truly a unique experience and not one to miss on your visit to Canyonlands National Park.

From the Joint Trailhead, follow the path east for half a mile to the south end of the joint. Travel through the dark channel for a quarter mile until you emerge at the north end. Continue along the trail for another 0.7mi to the Chesler Park Campsite #2; this campsite marks the end of the Joint Trail.

You can either turn around and head back through the joint to the trailhead from the Chesler Park Campsite or continue exploring along the Chesler Park Loop.