Elephant Hill Loop - Devils Lane Grabens

The pictures on this page make up a good part of the Elephant Hill Loop 4WD road in the Needles District. I don't recommend you walk this road if you are looking for a hiking destination but the road is certainly interesting and portions of it are often required when hiking to various destinations in the Needles. If driving, get ready to be challenged, know your vehicle capabilities, this road is for experienced drivers only in high-clearance vehicles with good tires. Getting over Elephant Hill is nutty, as it drops off the back side. The rugged switchbacks are too tight for a vehicle to maneuver so one switchback must be done while driving backwards. In another area is The Squeezeplay, where the trail passes through an extremely narrow slot, just wide enough for a vehicle. The with is roughly 80 inches but the ground is off-camber which tilts a vehicle over, increasing its width. Other areas on the loop are just sand and easy going but scattered along the way are more hills with large ledges and deep holes to avoid. The Devils Kitchen Campground is a spectacular spot with camps located underneath cliffs, many inside alcoves that shelter them from the rain. These are some of the finest car camping locations in North America. Devils Lane is in The Grabens, especially scenic at its south end, but not as intimate as the hiking trail in the Cyclone Canyon Grabens.

Elephant Hill Loop - Devils Lane Grabens

Canyonlands National Park - Needles District