Turtle Canyon Road

Turtle Canyon Road is a 58-mile out-and-back trail that starts in Horse Canyon and climbs to the top of the Book Cliffs, then traverses and drops into Turtle Canyon. This trail is very scenic with many beautiful views of the San Rafael Swell and the surrounding mountains. Most of this trail is rated 2 with loose rocks and erosion damage under 12" in height/depth. As you drop into Turtle Canyon, the erosion damage is up to 12" in depth. Several water crossings are up to 12" deep within the last 5 miles of the trail. Keep your eyes open for wildlife along the entire trail and the 'Rock Monster' between 22 and 24 miles (image in the photos). This trail can become more challenging after an afternoon rainstorm. Recommend not running this trail for a few days after a heavy rainstorm. Range Creek is managed by the Natural History Museum of Utah and requires a permit for travel;do not expect to take that trail back as a loop. See http://nhmu.utah.edu for access information for Range Creek.