Rough Canyon Rim

Rough Canyon Rim traverses out and back to the edge of Canyonlands National Park, the boundary for the Island in the Sky district and the Green River labyrinth. The trail's name comes from Rough Canyon to the south, but it adequately describes the driving experience. The first half of the route is quite scenic with mild terrain, while the second half is more challenging and less scenic. The trail wraps around the north side of a large sandstone dome known as Whitbeck Rock, while Beehive Butte is likely to catch your eye in the distance to the west. You’ll trek across grassy prairies with the occasional juniper tree, eventually descending down toward the park boundary fence. The trail ends at the park boundary, where vehicle access stops. The hike to the rim above Taylor Canyon on the now-closed trail is over 1.2 miles.