The 3.6-mile round trip hike to Murphy Point provides a peaceful outing with excellent views off the western end of the Island in the Sky. This is an excellent morning hike, when the sun first strikes the expansive canyons below the mesa. Alternatively, the wide western view also makes this a recommended sunset trail. There is only 150 feet of elevation to contend to, and the trail is downhill most of the way.

The route to Murphy Point starts as a wide dirt road and finishes as a cairn-lined sandstone track. Half a mile from the start, and not far past the remains of an old corral, you will come to a junction. The left fork descends 4.2 miles off the side of the mesa to White Rim Road. Turn right instead, and begin a straight course down the center of a peninsula in the Island in the Sky. There is a slight uphill grade as the land narrows, providing excellent early views off both side of the mesa.

The trail out to Murphy Point

The trail eventually turns left down a slope before turning back to the right and straightening out. Gravel is scarce now, so keep an eye on the cairns as the trail becomes less pronounced. One last left turn puts you on course for the mesa’s edge at the southern face of Murphy Point.

The Maze

There is some view from here. You can look all the way down the mesa toward Grand View Point, and beyond at Junction Butte. Below is an immensity of canyons designed by the Green River.

A horseshoe bend in the Green River around Turks Head

Looking southwest toward Ekker Butte

If you simply turn back here, you will miss out on some of the views that Murphy’s Point has to offer. Put in a little overtime and forge an off-trail clockwise loop along the edge of the point. This will expand your view to the south and west and expose new views to the north. After completing the bonus loop, retrieve the cairn lined trail and head out the way you came in.

A bonus view to the north

To get to the trailhead: From the Island in the Sky Visitor Center, drive south for 8.6 miles and turn right into the parking area for Murphy Point.

Use the map below to create your own directions:

View Canyonlands National Park in a larger map
Or view Utah Hikes in a larger map

Photos

 

                             

These photos were taken in June of 2010. Click to enlarge.

Nearby Trails

 

	White Rim Overlook This gradual 1.8-mile hike visits the end of a peninsula in the Island in the Sky with 300-degree views of the canyons below.
	Mesa Arch This half-mile loop visits a picturesque arch spanning across the mesa’s edge.
	Grand View Point This 2-mile hike travels along the mesa’s edge from Grand View Overlook to the southernmost point on the Island in the Sky.
	More trails in Utah Explore other hikes in Canyonlands National Park and elsewhere.

More Info

 

Murphy Point in HIKING CANYONLANDS AND ARCHES NATIONAL PARKS by Bill Schneider

Canyonlands National Park on Utah.com

Canyonlands National Park on wikipedia.org

The official website for Canyonlands National Park