Upper Davis Canyon | Needles District

Hiking Upper Davis Canyon - Needles District Hiking Upper Davis Canyon

Needles District

Overview

Wed Sunny, with a high near 70. South southwest wind 10 to 20 mph, with gusts as high as 35 mph.
70° | 48°
Thu Sunny, with a high near 62. West southwest wind 5 to 10 mph.
62° | 36°
Fri Mostly sunny, with a high near 66.
66° | 36°
Sat Partly sunny, with a high near 68.
68° | 44°
Sun A chance of rain showers before noon, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 61.
61° | 42°
RATING: Moderate
SEASON: Fall, Winter (if no snow), Spring
GEAR: Standard Hiking Gear
WATER: None
Wed Sunny, with a high near 70. South southwest wind 10 to 20 mph, with gusts as high as 35 mph.
70° | 48°
Thu Sunny, with a high near 62. West southwest wind 5 to 10 mph.
62° | 36°
Fri Mostly sunny, with a high near 66.
66° | 36°
Sat Partly sunny, with a high near 68.
68° | 44°
Sun A chance of rain showers before noon, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 61.
61° | 42°
Five Face Panel - Davis Canyon
Five Face Panel - Davis Canyon

If you are looking for a remote section of the Needles District to visit, Davis Canyon is a good choice. The canyon is situated on the eastern boundary of the park, requiring a high-clearance four-wheel drive to visit. On our visit, no one had signed into the register in a month, and we saw no recent signs of visitation.

The canyon itself is home to the Five Faces Panel, a stunning pictograph panel. It also has several ruins and granaries to visit, including Log Ruin, a unique ruin that has a large structure built out of wood instead of the usual rock.

This place is a lovely area to simply wander, soak in the atmosphere, and enjoy the desert scenery without the crowds. There are at least 5 small arches along the hike for those with a sharp eye.

Note: The hiking is mostly in a sand-floored wash. This can be fairly strenuous hiking. Be sure to bring plenty of water, especially if the temps are warm.

On our trip, surprisingly to me, there didn't seem to be one well-used social trail, but instead a web of smaller trails. Try to stay on a social trail when possible to minimize impacts.
Log Ruin - Davis Canyon
Log Ruin - Davis Canyon

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