Something is evoked in people when they envision hiking in the Southwestern United States. The unique and remote terrain triggers that wanderlust for exploration in remote and untouched places that few travel. There is that excitement and fear of the terrain and elements mixed with the calm and clarity of the scenery. In the late 90s, two men who had a great affinity for the Southwest, Mike Coronella and Joe Mitchell, wanted to do something that would encourage more to venture to those hard to reach places and explore. They decided to create a route that would connect the best of the Southwest in one continuous 800mi thru-hike. The result of their efforts is a backcountry route now known as the Hayduke Trail.

The guidebook was released in 2005. Maybe a handful to a dozen or more attempted to thru-hike the Hayduke each spring and fall the first decade. Now, as more have completed a Hayduke thru-hike, word has spread and much of the fear of the unknown has been dispelled. Those seeking more remote and challenging experiences are now turning to the Hayduke as numbers are growing and a couple dozen are heading out each spring and fall. I was one of those hikers in 2015 and this is an overview of my experience over two months hiking from the National Parks of Arches to Zion through Canyonlands, Capitol Reef, Bryce Canyon, and Grand Canyon National Park.

Hayduke Trail Overview

To understand the Hayduke Trail, it’s important to understand its namesake. George Washington Hayduke is a fictional character in Edward Abbey’s 1975 novel The Monkey Wrench Gang, set in the Colorado Plateau. Those not familiar with Abbey’s work and his influence should know he was deeply passionate about the deserts of the Southwest.

The Hayduke is a route, not a trail. Unlike other well-known long distance trails in the U.S., the Hayduke is not signed in any way. The route does connect many well-known and traveled trails, but between those trails is much remote backcountry travel through washes, canyons, rivers, and dirt roads. There is often scrambling required (our route had one class 4 chimney climb) and we had some exposure along the trail as well. If we were to get hurt or need assistance, there is not a high chance that another person would walk by, or that there would be an immediate exit to civilization.

Yes, this all comes off as quite intimidating and daunting. That is why so few have chosen to hike the Hayduke Trail. There is more mystery and suspense around the Hayduke Trail than most other trails given how few have fully hiked it. Reading and hearing experiences from previous Haydukers makes the endeavor more realistic and approachable. My goal here is to hopefully lift that veil over the Hayduke and show that it isn’t as unattainable as many may think.

I will honestly say that the Hayduke is not a comfortable trail to hike. Mostly due to the discomforts that are inherent to desert hiking. The most influential element in hiking in the desert is water. It will dictate the pace and daily schedule of each day. Long water carries are to be expected along the Hayduke Trail and they become the new normal. If a carry is less than 4L, that is to be celebrated. Once the long carries are accepted mentally as a given, the body seems to follow. By no means will the carries become comfortable, but they are just part of the overall discomfort that comes with hiking the Hayduke.

The Hayduke Trail in Arches National Park.

Water on the Hayduke Trail

There is a data book for the Hayduke Trail that helps with knowing where water can be found and the chances of water actually existing at those sources. Unfortunately, there are a lot of maybe sources that have you either gambling that they will be flowing, or carrying extra in case the source is dry. Another fun factor in this is the alkalinity of the water in many of the sources. There are a lot of minerals in the water and there is nothing that can be done to change or avoid alkaline water. So not only is the weight a discomfort, but the water is not the cool quenching relief you’ll crave. Each hiker has their own reaction to alkaline water and my stomach was not a fan. I learned to carry more of non-alkaline water when I knew I was approaching an alkaline source as the level is mentioned in the data book notes.

In addition to the long water carries, there are often long food carries along the Hayduke. Six to ten day legs are common and combining that with heavy water carries can make the simplest of hiking uncomfortable. Fortunately, there is a way to minimize carries along the Hayduke. There are many places for hikers to cache food and water for themselves and I wish I had chosen that option. I had a pride in not caching and later came to realize that caching in the field is not different than my cache (in the form of a package) waiting for me at a post office. Those that cached could be on a more relaxed schedule and were not pushing big miles with unnecessarily heavy packs to make it to the next water source or town. That would be the biggest lesson I wish I had learned before taking on the Hayduke and I do think that it would have greatly impacted my overall enjoyment and comfort along the trail had I cached.

In Canyon Country

Hayduke Highlights

Now that I’ve realistically laid out the not-so-great parts, I do want to say that the Hayduke Trail is jam packed with an amazing variety of hiking! There were countless days where I felt like I’d had three different hiking days in one given the vastly varied terrain and experiences. There are canyons filled with boulders, washes with deep sand, slickrock to speed over, pour-offs filled with water to slide into, steep scrambles in/out canyons, road walking of all sorts, wading in rivers for miles, hitching a raft across the Colorado River in the Grand Canyon, quicksand in water so murky you can’t see the bottom, slot canyons so narrow you can reach out and touch both sides, ruins and petroglyphs from ancient inhabitants…just uniquely amazing experiences that make it all worth it at the end of the day.

There are many highlights along the Hayduke and the popular alternates that can be reached as a day hike or weekend venture. Some of the main ones that come to mind are Devil’s Garden in Arches, Peekaboo Trail and Dark Canyon in Canyonlands, the 11,419’ highpoint of Mt. Ellen in the Henry Mountains, Lower Muley Twist Canyon in Capitol Reef, Coyote Gulch in Glen Canyon, Round Valley Draw, Hackberry Canyon, Bryce Canyon, Buckskin Gulch, Grand Canyon, and Zion.

In Canyonlands National Park

Navigation

Many prospective hikers ask about navigation. The Hayduke is a unique kind of “choose your own adventure” type of experience with many alternates and ways to make each hike unique. There was even a pair of brothers also out last spring that were out for three months, no phone, no gps, and no towns. They cached the whole way to avoid going into town and basically worked off the descriptions in the guidebook to help with navigation with a compass and overview maps of the area. For those seeking more beta, there is a wealth of info and even a gps track available online to assist those wanting a backup to map and compass. Be aware that it is more time consuming to navigate solely by map and compass and to factor in that extra time if that’s your preference.

Following the Arizona Trail section of the Hayduke Trail.

Final Thoughts on the Hayduke Trail

Given all of this, it’s safe to say that 2-3 months along the Hayduke is not feasible nor desirable for most people. The good news is that the Hayduke guidebook does a great job of splitting the trail into 14 sections that can be done in any order or just to pick and choose parts. It’s a great way to get out and have that experience that Edward Abbey so encouraged others to seek. Experience the Southwest as it’s intended. Get out of the car, hike in a bit, and get scratched up. Invoke the inner Hayduke that lies within all of us and have fun exploring.

Need to Know

Information

Head over to hayduketrail.org for links to Hayduke resources and previous hiker journals. The Hayduke goes through 6 National Parks, so permits and reservations are a more significant factor in planning than most other trails. The priority for most thru-hikers is obtaining the Grand Canyon Permit as early as possible before they fill up. Permits are also needed for the other 5 National Parks, but some require purchase in person. All part of the fun of hiking the Hayduke!

Getting There

Most start the Hayduke Trail at Arches National Park and walk westbound. There are multiple start locations. The Klondike Bluffs Trailhead is even an easy 8 mile hike directly from the Moab Airport. The trailhead is also just 30 minutes from Moab, UT on BLM 142/Klondike Bluffs Rd off US-191 North.

Best Time to Go

The most ideal window to complete a 2-3 month full thru-hike of the Hayduke is in the Spring (~March-June) and Fall (~Sept-Dec).

Maps & Books

The original guidebook for the Hayduke is The Hayduke Trail: A Guide to the Backcountry Hiking Trail on the Colorado Plateau. USGS topos can be utilized to navigate and for getting to and from the trail and for big picture navigation, the applicable sections of the Delorme Arizona Atlas & Gazetteer as well as their Utah Atlas can be useful.

The Author

Erin “Wired” Saver is a long distance backpacking blogger that has hiked over 10,000 miles since 2011 including hiking’s Triple Crown (Pacific Crest Trail, Continental Divide Trail, and the Appalachian Trail). She is well known for her detailed daily hiking journals that can be found on her blog at walkingwithwired.com.

Editor's Note: This article by contributor Erin "Wired" Saver originally appeared in Issue 26 of TrailGroove Magazine. You can read the original article here for additional photos and content.