The Armchair Traveler Ritual
Before we step onto this sandy canyon floor, set the scene: Pour a glass of ice water, imagine the soft crunch of red sand under your boots, and listen for the sound of a trickling stream echoing off massive, towering red cliffs that make you feel tiny. Let's go exploring!
⚡ The Quick Scoop
The Drive: A classic Moab hike located just off the incredibly scenic UT-128 (River Road).
The Challenge: A 4.3-mile moderate round-trip that requires crisscrossing a stream multiple times!
Must See: The Morning Glory Natural Bridge (the 6th longest natural rock span in the U.S.!).
Shauna's Rating: 💎💎💎💎 (4 out of 5 Diamonds - docking one for the icy parking lot!)
Grandstaff Canyon is definitely GRAND. It speaks highly of a trail if it can be even more spectacular in the snow and winter as it is in the other months. This is that trail and more.
I love hikes that are around 4-5 miles and have a "WOW" moment of something beautiful at the end. This trail perfectly fits that. As I was walking, I was shocked at the scale of this hike. I wondered, how do you ever describe this? The river is so beautiful that you get to walk along and cross over multiple times. The cliffs are just huge and GRAND in their size, towering in front of you and on both sides of you.
👇 Choose Your Path
Dancing Across the River
I have successfully crossed all these stream crossings without an issue, and honestly, it is a fun challenge! It becomes a game of finding the absolute best rocks to step on to make it across dry.
However, you definitely need to be prepared. On this specific winter trip, I met a couple with a little daughter, and she was in absolute tears. I think she had slipped and gotten her feet wet, and in those freezing temperatures, it looked like she was on the verge of frostbite. I tried to offer help, but to this day, whenever I think of this trail, I worry about that sweet little girl! Please wear waterproof shoes if you are hiking this in the cold!
The gorgeous, winding stream running through the bottom of the canyon.
The Winter Danger (Ouch!)
If you hike this canyon in the winter, you absolutely need spikes or crampons. I always have my spikes in my backpack when it is winter because they are SO handy for making slick trails very easy to handle.
⚠️ The Tailbone Tragedy
As I got out of the car, I received a quiet prompting to put my spikes on. But my "natural man" discounted it! I thought, "I will wait until the trail gets bad to put them on, because the paved parking lot won't be good for the spikes."
Well, BAM. I hit a slab of ice right off the parking lot and was on my butt before I could even blink. I broke my tailbone again! Isn't that exactly how life works? We get a prompting trying to help us avoid an issue, we ignore it, and then afterwards we say, "Yeah, I definitely should have listened!"
I stubbornly pushed through and finished the 4.3-mile hike, but of course, it just got more and more painful. I had so much more planned for this trip, but I ended up grabbing a pillow to sit on and driving all the way home because my backside couldn't handle a single step more!
Beautiful (but slippery!) icicles forming along the stream bank.
Morning Glory Arch
The 4.3 miles is a wonderful workout, yet it does not feel that long, for it is so interesting. You are constantly crossing rivers, and the terrain is fun to navigate. At the end, you are rewarded with the magnificent Morning Glory Natural Bridge.
🪨 The Grand Reveal
I had read so many people criticizing this arch online, saying it was "too close to the wall," "hard to film," and "maybe not worthwhile." Because of those low expectations, I was absolutely blown away!
It is the 6th longest natural rock span in the United States, and it is truly massive. I was so pleasantly surprised and deeply awed by it. What makes it even more magical is a cute little natural spring coming down on the left side. The trickling water adds such a beautiful ambiance, echoing perfectly in the area surrounded by those steep cliff walls.
It is fun to see Morning Glory Natural Bridge from the front, but it is also fun to see it from above. There is only about a 15-foot crack between the cliff behind it and the arch in front!
Looking straight at the front of Morning Glory Natural Bridge.
Shauna's Blessing: The Grandness of Unity
This canyon has a fascinating history. For a long time, it was named "Negro Bill Canyon" after William Grandstaff, a Black frontiersman who ranched cattle here in the 1870s. Eventually, people felt the name was prejudiced, so they officially changed it to Grandstaff Canyon.
While the intention was good, I sometimes worry that in changing the name, we risk erasing the legacy of the cute, brave Black man who discovered and survived in this amazing, rugged place.
✨ Conquering Together
I believe that all cultures and all people are beautiful. Yes, standing in a place like this with its towering, massive walls makes us feel incredibly small. But as we link together in love and realize we are all one, and we are all connected, it feels like we can conquer absolutely anything.
United and together is how great things happen. That can only happen when we stop freaking out about colors or nationalities, and we simply treat everyone with love. Our Heavenly Father's love is huge and GRAND like this canyon, and it is meant for every single one of us.
360° VR & Interactive Maps
Make sure you rotate around so you can see everything! If you are on a phone, you can insert it into a VR headset for a fully immersive experience.
360° Video at Morning Glory Arch
(Beware this does have some motion, but I tried to be super kind with it!)
Cinematic 2D Version
🗺️ Pro Tip for Homebound Explorers!
To get the ultimate interactive experience: Click "View on larger map" on the maps below. Then, grab the little yellow dude (Pegman) in the bottom right corner and drag him onto any of the blue dots or blue lines. This drops you right into the 360° view so you can look around freely!
Google Earth Street Views
The Arch Approach:
Walking the Stream:
Shauna's Survival Guide
🗺️ Adventure at a Glance
- 🏞️ Location: Moab, Utah (Off UT-128 / River Road)
- 🥾 Hike Difficulty: Moderate (Level 2) - Stream crossings required!
- 📏 Distance: 4.3 miles round trip
- 📈 Elevation Gain: ~400 feet
- ⭐ Appropriate For: Ages 7 and up!
- 📍 Getting There: Google maps does a great job finding this trailhead. As you are traveling to Moab from the North, turn left on UT-128 and it is only about 3 miles down that road.
- 🗺️ Download Maps: I strongly suggest you download the map of the area on Google Maps before you go, and have an EXTERNAL GPS Receiver!
- 🥾 Pair it Up: If you want to pair this hike with another cool adventure, just down UT-128 a few more miles you will find Fisher Towers. It is another amazing hike that is bound to please! (Check out my Fisher Towers post here!)
✨ Ask the Moab Guide
Curious about navigating the river, the broken tailbone story, or the history of William Grandstaff? Ask our AI Guide!
The Magic is Yours
Grandstaff Canyon is a stunning reminder of the immense, grand beauty of the earth and the strength we find when we journey together. Even when you slip and fall (and end up driving home on a pillow!), the magic of this trail stays with you. Just remember to pack your spikes, listen to those quiet promptings, and always keep your heart open to the beauty of every person you meet.
🥾 Easter Egg Hunt: Did you spot the hidden Hiking Boot emoji in today's story? Tell me where you found it in the comments!
Sending Love and Positive Vibes,
Shauna @ VRGetaway
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