Needles
All those crazy sandstone spires do sort of look like needles poking into the sky. With over 60 miles of trails, you have ample opportunity to explore this cool district. Elephant Canyon/Druid Arch has perhaps the best view (as if one can really decide), but it's a push for most at 11 miles. For a serious backpack that skirts ancient archaeological sites (ancestral Puebloan Indian ruins), set your bootheels on the 22.5-mile (one way!) Salt Creek Canyon trail. The Needles requires more planning than Island in the Sky, just because it's a little farther out. There's a paved road leading in, but the hikes are all more strenuous and conditions more primitive. Get your packs ready, fill your water bottles (and please carry extra in your vehicle!), and make sure you're ready to play in a slightly wilder area of Canyonlands. Then descend into the crazy canyons of the Needles district...and have a blast experiencing its stunning natural beauty.
Attractions
Chesler Park
Chesler Park Loop / Joint Trail
Pothole Point Trail
Confluence Overlook
Big Spring to Squaw Canyon Loop
Roadside Ruin Trail
Elephant Canyon / Druid Arch
Lower Red Lake Canyon
Cave Spring Trail