Grabens in the Needles

Combining the Confluence Trail with Lower Red Lake Trail in the Needles of Canyonlands National Park makes for a geologically-fascinating overnight backpacking trip.

This hike rocks.

The confluence of the Colorado and Green Rivers is geographically important because it divides Canyonlands National Park into three districts- the Needles (where this photo below was taken from), ISKY (top), and the Maze (left).

The more sediment-rich Green River (left) mixing with the Colorado River at the Confluence.

The Lower Red Lake Trail provides the easiest route down to the Colorado River. But I think the real treat is getting to see two of the really old rock formations (the Paradox and Honaker Trail Formations) and also learning about the formation of grabens, which are steep-sided valleys.

Fossils in the Honaker Trail Formation (like these crinoids) date back to 286 to 320 million years ago when this whole area was covered in a shallow sea.

The yellow rock layer is the Paradox Formation which was crucial for shaping the fins, arches, and grabens high above it.

Grabens are rock formations that are broad avenues bordered by steep rock walls that run very strait. The NPS has a good description of their formation here.

But first you have to get to the grabens and hike out past Cyclone Canyon, on the Confluence Trail.

While the Confluence Trail has only 220 feet elevation gain/loss, there is still plenty of scrambling. Long legs are recommended for this trail.

After crossing the deep Elephant Canyon, a high point in the trail is reached via a metal ladder. In the maze of canyons,  familiar places like Junction Butte and the La Sals are reassuring visual anchors.

Sitting with a map and compass and trying to figure out how I will ever get over to the Maze and to Mount Ellen.

The Lower Red Lake Trail drops about a thousand feet but is well-marked and not as sketchy as I feared.

Keep your eyes peeled for the green limestone rocks that contain fossils of the sea creatures that were living during the Pennsylvanian period.

A deer stares at me for a while then decides to head down-canyon to avoid me. Unfortunately, that’s the direction I’m going too. I come upon him after each bend and he looks at me before making his way further down-canyon until we reach the Colorado River.

Tracks of humans and deer in the mud flats along the Colorado River.

After walking upriver for a bit, I turn around and trace my steps back. I hike past dark, hoping to get to a high point to optimize full moon viewing. Darkness comes quickly, so instead, I opt for a cryptobiotic soil-free spot at the edge of this graben.

My permit is for the Grabens/ Red Lake Zone which means plenty of spots to choose from.

 In the 14 hours between sunset and sunrise, there is time to read about the formation of grabens (in this PDF) and learn that John Wesley Powell was the first to describe the grabens system during his 1869 and 1871 expeditions. Thankfully, the geology paper is thick and dense and (mostly) distracts me from other thoughts that come up in the long hours of darkenss.



On my second day, I return via the Devil's Lane jeep road. Deep sand makes for tough walking but at least my pack is lighter after drinking most of my water.

An elevated perspective of the grabens

Overall, this is a great place to visit in winter and there look to be many side-canyons to explore. If I did this trip again, it'd plan on spending more time down on Lower Red Lake Trail checking out the fossils.
 
More information

Do not expect to find water in the grabens. I carried all the water I'd need for both day.

Winter is a quiet time in the Needles. No other people were encountered on this weekend overnight trip.

In winter (late November to early March), overnight backpacking permits are available at the Needles visitor center via a self-registration system.