BLM · Utah

Little Wild Horse Canyon Wilderness

A popular slot canyon within the San Rafael Swell and near Goblin Valley State Park, the main narrows of the Little Wild Horse Canyon Wilderness can be reached after just ten minutes walking from the trailhead, though they are easily missed as the entrance is a concealed slit in the right side of the canyon. A walk in the narrows takes one through the twisting canyon, with high walls on either side, sometimes only a few feet apart. The water that shaped the canyon has left its mark on the rock, leaving beautiful shapes and textures behind. Bell Canyon is adjacent to Little Wild Horse Canyon and is often combined in a loop hike. Little Wild Horse Canyon is the longer and more spectacular of the two.

Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net).

Official page at Wilderness Connect ↗
Little Wild Horse Canyon Wilderness
Photo from Wilderness Connect, wilderness.net
DesignationWilderness
Managed byBureau of Land Management
StateUtah
Size5,479 acres
Designated2019, by Congress
Center point38.64° N, 110.83° W
Night skyVery dark ground, a faint glow at most (Black Marble reading 31)

Boundary map

1 outline

Boundary, simplified to about 0.005 degrees Federal campground

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

NOAA climate normals →
Weather by month near Little Wild Horse Canyon Wilderness20°30°40°50°60°70°80°January: 0.50 inches of precipitationFebruary: 0.64 inches of precipitationMarch: 0.78 inches of precipitationApril: 0.66 inches of precipitationMay: 1.00 inches of precipitationJune: 0.51 inches of precipitationJuly: 0.82 inches of precipitationAugust: 0.89 inches of precipitationSeptember: 0.90 inches of precipitationOctober: 1.22 inches of precipitationNovember: 0.50 inches of precipitationDecember: 0.40 inches of precipitationJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanuary: 28.9°F averageFebruary: 35.2°F averageMarch: 44.4°F averageApril: 51.7°F averageMay: 61.4°F averageJune: 72.0°F averageJuly: 78.7°F averageAugust: 76.2°F averageSeptember: 67.1°F averageOctober: 53.7°F averageNovember: 39.8°F averageDecember: 29.4°F average0 in0.5 in1 in1.5 inTemp °FInches
The line is the average temperature and the bars are average precipitation at Goblin Valley Sp, 8 miles from the center point at 4,960 feet, station USC00423254 in the NOAA monthly climate normals for 1991 to 2020. Precipitation totals about 9 inches a year.

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

Campsite Atlas →

None of the 4 federal campgrounds within ten miles sit inside the boundary. Nearest first. Distances are from the campground point to the boundary edge, from the Campsite Atlas index.

Explore

Guidebooks for Utah

We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.

  • Hiking from here to Wow: Utah Canyon Country
    Kathy Copeland, 2018
    Find at Bookshop.org
  • Hiking Utah's high Uintas
    Jeffrey Probst, 2016
    Find at Bookshop.org
  • 100 classic hikes Utah
    Julie K. Trevelyan, 2016
    Find at Bookshop.org
  • Best Easy Day Hikes Canyonlands And Arches National Parks
    Bill Schneider, 2023
    Find at Bookshop.org
  • 60 Hikes Within 60 Miles: Salt Lake City
    Greg Witt, 2019
    Find at Bookshop.org

Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.

Reference

Questions people ask

How big is Little Wild Horse Canyon Wilderness?

5,479 acres.

Source: Wilderness Connect

Who manages Little Wild Horse Canyon Wilderness?

The Bureau of Land Management.

Source: Wilderness Connect

What state is Little Wild Horse Canyon Wilderness in?

Utah.

Source: Wilderness Connect

When was Little Wild Horse Canyon Wilderness designated?

Congress designated it in 2019.

Source: Wilderness Connect

Can I camp at Little Wild Horse 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 Little Wild Horse Canyon Wilderness?

A point inside the boundary is at 38.638° N, 110.825° W. The official page carries directions and the office address.

Source: Wilderness Connect

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.
  • 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.