Murphy Loop Trail
in Utah
A great full-day hike, the Murphy Trail offers outstanding views from atop the Murphy Hogback and White Rim Road. This trail starts at the same trailhead as the moderate Murphy Point Overlook Trail. Pay close attention at the junction.
Roundtrip Distance: 10.8 mi (17.4 km) Time: 5-7 hrs Elevation Change: 1,448 ft (441 m) Difficulty: Strenuous– Mesa Top to White Rim Hike Description: After descending the switchbacks, most hikers travel the loop counter-clockwise: crossing Murphy Hogback with outstanding views, descending the unpaved White Rim Road for a mile, then ascending via a wash through dramatic geologic layers to the switchbacks again. Bring: Water (at least 1 L per person, per hour), snacks, sturdy footwear, headlamp, map, and be prepared for, sun, rain, heat, or cold. Accessibility: This trail can be rough, uneven, and requires walking up and down a rocky hill and stone steps.
It is not accessible to wheelchairs. In winter, there may be snow or icy conditions; we recommend traction devices for hikers. Dogs are not allowed on this trail. Service animals are allowed in national parks.
- States
- Utah
- Trail type
- National Park trail
- Centroid nearest city
- Salt Lake City, UT · 198 mi · ~6 hr drive
- Centroid coords
- 38.3550°, -109.8638°
About Canyonlands National Park
This trail is inside Canyonlands National Park, a national park managed by the U.S. National Park Service. Conditions, road status, trail closures, and reservation requirements are published on the park's NPS page — check it before driving in, especially in winter or during major weather events.
Entrance fee: $30 per vehicle (verify current rate on the park page). An America the Beautiful annual pass ($80) covers entrance to all NPS units.
Official NPS trail page: https://www.nps.gov/places/murphy-loop-trail.htm
Park homepage: https://www.nps.gov/cany/index.htm
Plan your hike
Maps + permits: long-distance trails like this often require permits for through-hiking, backcountry camping, or specific sections (especially in National Parks). Check with the maintaining organisation listed above and the relevant land manager before booking travel.
Water + supplies: water sources vary seasonally on most U.S. trails. Carry a filter and consult current trail-condition reports — through-hiker journals (PCT-L, AT Reddit, etc.) and the maintaining organisation publish regular updates.
When to go: hiking seasons vary widely with elevation, latitude, and snowpack. Through-hikers traditionally start the AT in March-April (Springer northbound) and the PCT in late April (Campo northbound). High-elevation western trails (CDT, JMT, Wonderland) generally aren't passable until July.
If you've hiked Murphy Loop Trail and have current notes (water sources, trail closures, permit changes), tell us at /contact — we update pages as we learn.
Other trails within 50 miles
Murphy Point Trail
0 miles from this trail's centroid
Gooseberry Trail
2 miles from this trail's centroid
White Rim Overlook Trail
2 miles from this trail's centroid
Mesa Arch Trail
2 miles from this trail's centroid
Grand View Point Overlook and Trail
3 miles from this trail's centroid
Wilhite Trail
4 miles from this trail's centroid
Sources
Trail data on this page is compiled from OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), the maintaining organisation's public-facing materials, and Wikipedia (CC BY-SA where excerpts are quoted). Distance, terminus, and descriptive text for nationally-designated trails are hand-curated from federal land-manager websites and trail-association sources. We do not modify the underlying data; this page presents what is already publicly recorded. To suggest corrections, see our methodology page.