Dark Canyon Wilderness
With narrow, steep walls that block the light in the morning and late afternoon, Dark Canyon Wilderness is aptly named. Once home to a small segment of the widespread Anasazi Indians (Ancestral Puebloan)...
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net), where the full text continues.
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | U.S. Forest Service |
| State | Utah |
| Size | 46,360 acres (Wilderness Connect) |
| Designated | 1984, by Congress |
| Center point | 37.7709, -109.8548 |
| Night sky | Very dark ground, a faint glow at most (Black Marble reading 20) |
Boundary map
Boundary, simplified to about 0.005 degrees Federal campground Forest Service recreation site
The outline is the agency boundary simplified for display, so small parcels and inholdings may not show. The agency page has the authoritative map.
Weather by month
Large units span more than one climate. The station stands in for the center point, and the outer parts of the boundary can be warmer or colder.
Where to camp
No federal campground sits inside the boundary. 1 is within ten miles of it. Nearest first. Distances are from the campground point to the boundary edge, from the Campsite Atlas index.
Trailheads and sites
The Forest Service lists 1 recreation site inside this wilderness, among them 1 interpretive site. Each links to its page on fs.usda.gov, which carries the season, fees and current status.
- 2 miScorup Cabin Site ↗Interpretive site
Distance is from the center point of the boundary, not from a road or town.
Trails
9 named Forest Service trails enter this wilderness, 60 miles in all.
| Trail | Miles | Allowed uses |
|---|---|---|
| Woodenshoe Trail ↗ | 15.8 | |
| Dark Canyon ↗ | 13.4 | |
| Trail Canyon ↗ | 6.6 | |
| Peavine Canyon ↗ | 5.4 | |
| The Notch Trail ↗ | 4.6 | |
| Brushy Knoll ↗ | 4.5 | |
| Horse Pasture Canyon | 4 | |
| Rig Canyon | 3 | |
| Kigalia Canyon Trail | 2.7 |
Lengths and allowed uses come from the Forest Service trail layer by way of Trailhead Atlas, refreshed September 18, 2026. Trails in plain text have no page there yet.
Explore
Nearby on the other atlases
- 5.5 miNatural Bridges National Monument Visitor Center ↗Natural Bridges Nm, UT
Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.
Reference
Questions people ask
How big is Dark Canyon Wilderness?
46,360 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages Dark Canyon Wilderness?
The U.S. Forest Service.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is Dark Canyon Wilderness in?
Utah.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was Dark Canyon Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 1984.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Can I camp at Dark Canyon Wilderness?
No federal campground sits inside the boundary. The nearest is Natural Bridges Campground, 5.7 miles out. 1 in all are within ten miles. Camping inside a wilderness is usually allowed away from roads, with no facilities; the managing agency page has the permit rules.
Source: Where to camp
Where are the trailheads in Dark Canyon Wilderness?
The Forest Service lists 1 recreation site here, including 1 interpretive areas. Each one links to its Forest Service page.
Source: Trailheads and sites
How do I get to Dark Canyon Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 37.771, -109.855. Natural Bridges National Monument is 6 miles away. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
How dark is the night sky at Dark Canyon Wilderness?
NASA’s Black Marble night-lights image reads 20 on a 0 to 255 scale at the center point, very dark ground, a faint glow at most.
Source: NASA Black Marble
Which national parks are near Dark Canyon Wilderness?
Natural Bridges National Monument (6 mi) and Canyonlands National Park (26 mi). Park Atlas has fees, hours and alerts for each.
Source: Nearby on the other atlases
Are there historic places near Dark Canyon Wilderness?
1 National Register listing within 15 miles, including Natural Bridges National Monument Visitor Center.
Source: Register Atlas
Sources
- Boundary, name, acreage, designation year, states and description: Wilderness Connect.
- Campgrounds: the Campsite Atlas index of federal campgrounds, matched to this boundary at build time.
- Trailheads and sites: the Forest Service Recreation Opportunities layer, points inside the boundary.
- Trails: the Trailhead Atlas open-data file of Forest Service trails, matched on the wilderness each trail enters.
- Night sky: NASA Black Marble (VIIRS, 2016 composite) sampled at zoom 6 around the center point.
- Weather, alerts, air quality, river flow and earthquakes load live in your browser from NWS, AirNow, USGS and iNaturalist when you open the page.