little wild
horse canyon
Little Wild Horse Canyon is a slot canyon formed by water rushing through the cracks in the sandstone rocks of the San Rafael Swell. Hikers follow the canyon as it twists and turns through brightly colored and textured rocks. This popular hike is a great introduction to canyon exploration for beginners and families.
Little Wild Horse Canyon can be paired with Bell Canyon to make an 8 mile loop, but those who want an equally impressive but shorter slot canyon experience can hike as far into Little Wild Horse as they like and return the way they came. Be sure to carry water, and don’t enter the canyon if inclement weather poses the risk of flash flooding.
Hiking through Little Wild Horse, Ding and Dang, or one of the many other slot canyons in the San Rafael Swell transports a visitor back through time. These canyons began as a tiny crack in sandstone. Rushing water from flash floods eroded the rock, making these crevices larger and larger. Over the course of millions of years, the powerful forces of water and wind sculpted these once-tiny cracks into the deep, narrow canyons that twist and turn through the Swell today.
Little Wild Horse Canyon lies within the Crack Canyon Wilderness Study Area, which is known for pronghorn and bighorn sheep. Pinyon-juniper woodland dominates the high desert landscape with low, bushy, evergreens interspersed among great swaths of saltbush that provide grazing for wild animals and open range cattle.
The slot canyons of the San Rafael Swell offer visitors a wealth of exploration opportunities, but always exercise caution. These areas are extremely prone to flash flooding. Because the bare rock canyon walls can’t absorb water, rainfall collects within the canyon in minutes. ALWAYS check local weather conditions when hiking in slot canyons. If inclement weather is imminent, do not enter the slot canyon! Flash flooding WILL occur with rainfall! A flash flood can rush through the canyons at a deadly speed and sweep away everything in its path. Always monitor weather forecasts prior to entering a slot canyon, and observe all flood warnings.
Little Wild Horse Canyon is named for the herds of wild mustangs that have roamed the San Rafael Swell since the early 1800s. These wild herds originally descended from horses that escaped from travelers along the Old Spanish Trail trade route between New Mexico and California. To the south of Green River is the Robbers Roost Herd Area, home to wild mustangs and burros. The 1971 Wild Free-Roaming Horse and Burro Act declared these animals to be “living symbols of the historic and pioneer spirit of the West.” The Bureau of Land Management works to maintain a healthy balance between these wild herds and the other wildlife and livestock on public lands.
activities
Parking, pit toilets and an informational kiosk are located at the trailhead.
services
Location
From I-70 take exit 149 heading south on highway 24. At 35.1 miles turn right onto Temple Mountain Road. At 40.3 miles, turn left onto Goblin Valley Road. At 46.4 miles, turn right onto Wild Horse Road. At 51.8 miles, you have reached your destination.
ONLINE RESOURCES
https://www.blm.gov/visit/little-wild-horse-trailhead
