Poison Spring Canyon | Dirty Devil

Hiking Poison Spring Canyon - Dirty DevilRoadside Attraction Poison Spring Canyon - Dirty Devil Poison Spring Canyon

Dirty Devil

Overview | Getting There | Route | Photos | Maps | Comments

Overview

Mon A chance of rain showers after 9am. Mostly sunny, with a high near 64. South wind 12 to 20 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%.
64° | 40°
Tue Rain showers likely before noon, then showers and thunderstorms likely. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 58. Southwest wind around 12 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%.
58° | 39°
Wed Sunny, with a high near 68.
68° | 35°
Thu Partly sunny, with a high near 69.
69° | 42°
Fri A chance of snow showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 52. New snow accumulation of less than half an inch possible.
52° | 33°
View Full Forecast
RATING: Roadside / Easy Hikes
LENGTH: 1+ days
SEASON: Any when roads are dry. Hot in the summer.
WATER: None, bring all you need. Wall Spring and the Dirty Devil are filterable but possibly low quality.
Mon A chance of rain showers after 9am. Mostly sunny, with a high near 64. South wind 12 to 20 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%.
64° | 40°
Tue Rain showers likely before noon, then showers and thunderstorms likely. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 58. Southwest wind around 12 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%.
58° | 39°
Wed Sunny, with a high near 68.
68° | 35°
Thu Partly sunny, with a high near 69.
69° | 42°
Fri A chance of snow showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 52. New snow accumulation of less than half an inch possible.
52° | 33°
View Full Forecast
hikeroadsiderock artdog friendlyfamily friendlybeginneraccess: high clearance

Poison Spring Canyon, south of Hanksville, is one of the few places with road access to the Dirty Devil River in its nearly 80-mile journey from Hanksville to Lake Powell and the Colorado River. The canyon, likely because of its access to the river, has a rich history. Pictographs and petroglyphs are evidence of ancient peoples traversing the canyon, will historic signatures from cattlemen attest to more recent history. The area was even the scene of fairly extensive mining exploration in the 1970s, which was responsible for many roads in the area.

Today, taking a drive down Poison Spring Canyon is a treat! The stunning canyon has much to see and do, and is quite dramatic. I've visited many times over the years, and seem to always forget just how pretty it is.

Road Condition Note: Described here is the drive down Poison Spring Canyon to where it crosses the Dirty Devil River. This section of road varies in roughness depending on when it was last graded, but I would recommend high clearance. On my trips, I've had a RAV4, Jeep Grand Cherokee, and Ford Ranger down the road, all without problem, though the lower clearance RAV4 required some careful driving in spots.

The crossing of the Dirty Devil, on the other hand, has a reputation for getting vehicles stuck. I would not recommend fording the river without at least another vehicle or two in the group, true high clearance 4-wheel drive, and appropriate recovery gear.
Camping Note: There are many good, primitive campsites along the way, particularly lower in the canyon.

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