Dark Canyon Wilderness
With narrow, steep walls that block the light in the morning and late afternoon, Dark Canyon Wilderness is aptly named. Once home to a small segment of the widespread Anasazi Indians (Ancestral Puebloan), the canyons included in the area (Dark and Woodenshoe Canyons and their tributaries) make up the roughly horseshoe-shaped Dark Canyon Wilderness. This is an extraordinarily beautiful and remote section of the Colorado Plateau where sculpted and colored walls of Cedar Mesa sandstone rise above the canyon floors. You may see evidence of the Ancestral Puebloan culture in the form of structures, rock art, or artifacts. Remember, it is against the law to remove or disturb any archaeological resources you may encounter.
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net).
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | U.S. Forest Service |
| State | Utah |
| Size | 46,360 acres |
| Designated | 1984, by Congress |
| Center point | 37.77° N, 109.85° W |
| Night sky | Very dark ground, a faint glow at most (Black Marble reading 20) |
Boundary map
Boundary, simplified to about 0.005 degrees Federal campground Forest Service recreation site
The outline is the agency boundary simplified for display, so small parcels and inholdings may not show. The agency page has the authoritative map.
Weather by month
Large units span more than one climate. The station stands in for the center point, and the outer parts of the boundary can be warmer or colder.
Where to camp
None of the 1 federal campground within ten miles sits inside the boundary. Nearest first. Distances are from the campground point to the boundary edge, from the Campsite Atlas index.
Trailheads and sites
The Forest Service lists 1 recreation site inside this wilderness, among them 1 interpretive site. Each links to its page on fs.usda.gov, which carries the season, fees and current status.
- 2 miScorup Cabin Site ↗Interpretive site
Distance is from the center point of the boundary, not from a road or town.
Trails
9 named Forest Service trails enter this wilderness, 60 miles in all.
| Trail | Miles | Allowed uses |
|---|---|---|
| Woodenshoe Trail ↗ | 15.8 | |
| Dark Canyon ↗ | 13.4 | |
| Trail Canyon ↗ | 6.6 | |
| Peavine Canyon ↗ | 5.4 | |
| The Notch Trail ↗ | 4.6 | |
| Brushy Knoll ↗ | 4.5 | |
| Horse Pasture Canyon | 4 | |
| Rig Canyon | 3 | |
| Kigalia Canyon Trail | 2.7 |
Lengths and allowed uses come from the Forest Service trail layer by way of Trailhead Atlas. This trail list was copied from Trailhead Atlas on November 1, 2026 and is copied again on each weekly run. Trails in plain text have no page there yet.
Explore
Nearby on the other atlases
- 5.5 miNatural Bridges National Monument Visitor Center ↗Natural Bridges Nm, UT
Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.
Guidebooks for Utah
We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.
Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.
Reference
Questions people ask
How big is Dark Canyon Wilderness?
46,360 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages Dark Canyon Wilderness?
The U.S. Forest Service.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is Dark Canyon Wilderness in?
Utah.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was Dark Canyon Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 1984.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Can I camp at Dark Canyon Wilderness?
Camping inside a wilderness is usually allowed away from roads, with no facilities, and the managing agency page has the permit rules. The federal campgrounds within ten miles are listed under Where to camp.
Source: Where to camp
How do I get to Dark Canyon Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 37.771° N, 109.855° W. Natural Bridges National Monument is 6 miles away. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Which national parks are near Dark Canyon Wilderness?
Natural Bridges National Monument (6 mi) and Canyonlands National Park (26 mi). Park Atlas has fees, hours and alerts for each.
Source: Nearby on the other atlases
Are there historic places near Dark Canyon Wilderness?
The National Register has 1 listing within 15 miles, including Natural Bridges National Monument Visitor Center.
Source: Register Atlas
Sources
- Boundary, name, acreage, designation year, states and description: Wilderness Connect.
- Campgrounds: the Campsite Atlas index of federal campgrounds, matched to this boundary at build time.
- Trailheads and sites: the Forest Service Recreation Opportunities layer, points inside the boundary.
- Trails: the Trailhead Atlas open-data file of Forest Service trails, matched on the wilderness each trail enters.
- Night sky: NASA Black Marble (VIIRS, 2016 composite) sampled at zoom 6 around the center point.
- Weather, alerts, air quality, river flow and earthquakes load live in your browser from NWS, AirNow, USGS and iNaturalist when you open the page.