Finally a long weekend away from work, and ski season still only just begining, what better place to hang out the the Utah desert. Permits in hand for the Chesler Park #2 site in the Needles District of Canyonlands National Park, the three of us gathered mid day Wednesday (the day before Thanksgiving), for a last minute run down of gear we would need. The intent was to drive to Moab on Wed, get an early start Thurs into the park and spend the next couple of days backpacking and hiking around. With only one previous trip into the Needles, the main focus was to see as much as possible, and given the short duration of our trip and the short days this time of year we opted to set up camp in one location and explore from there.
Day 1 - Thanksgiving Day
Waking to the sun just a couple miles up Potash Road from UT 191, we managed to get the tent and bags put away fairly quickly and hit the road. A quick stop for breakfast and then just over an hour into the Needles from downtown Moab. Checking in at the visitor center as quick and painless, with the exception of finding a working faucet to fill water (lucky we had 5 gal in the car). After ditching the car at the Elephant hill parking lot, we finally hit the trail. Just over 4 miles to the Chesler Park camp site and the weat
her couldn't have been better for the hike in. Nothing but clear skies and nice 50 degree weather. Just over halfway there and the views back to the North gave us our first shots of the prominent rock formations. We made camp in just a few hours even with th
e three of us stopping to shoot photos every few min (Well over 1000 photos in all), and got everything set up and put away with plenty of daylight to burn. Knowing we had limited daylight left, we took off along the Joint Trail to the Southwest to explore the area a little before dark and before the cold set in. Finding our way back in the last of the light, we quickly made dinner as the temperature started to fall. We called it an early night and retired to the tent for a little reading around 7:30 and were asleep around 8:00.
her couldn't have been better for the hike in. Nothing but clear skies and nice 50 degree weather. Just over halfway there and the views back to the North gave us our first shots of the prominent rock formations. We made camp in just a few hours even with th
e three of us stopping to shoot photos every few min (Well over 1000 photos in all), and got everything set up and put away with plenty of daylight to burn. Knowing we had limited daylight left, we took off along the Joint Trail to the Southwest to explore the area a little before dark and before the cold set in. Finding our way back in the last of the light, we quickly made dinner as the temperature started to fall. We called it an early night and retired to the tent for a little reading around 7:30 and were asleep around 8:00.Day 2 - Black Friday
We woke on Friday to bitter temperatures as the sun began to light the sky. The overnight lows were in the low 20's and ice had formed on the inside of the tent. Quickly getting breakfast ready (nothing like instant oatmeal), so we could get on the trail, we decided to venture to the Southeast and vist Druid Arch. Only a 6 mile round trip hike, but 6 miles of up, and down, slots and sandy washes. The trail took us back to the upper portion of Elephant Canyon where we found the reminants of the snow two weeks before in a standing pool. From up here on the slick rock, we droped into the canyon and headed up the wash. While packing at the car, we made the decision to carry enough water for the entire 
trip (6 liters each) and not go looking for water along the wash to Druid Arch. In the bottom of the dry stream bed is supposed to be the most reliable source of water in the Needles, the only problem 
is it was frozen over. The final push up to the arch includes a short steel ladder and a steep incline over a talus field, but the strenuous final climb is well worth the view. Druid Arch and a shot looking back down the canyon from below the arch.
trip (6 liters each) and not go looking for water along the wash to Druid Arch. In the bottom of the dry stream bed is supposed to be the most reliable source of water in the Needles, the only problem 
is it was frozen over. The final push up to the arch includes a short steel ladder and a steep incline over a talus field, but the strenuous final climb is well worth the view. Druid Arch and a shot looking back down the canyon from below the arch.
The head wall was showered in light as the sun began to move to the West and cast a shadows on the viewing area of the arch.
Day 3 - Heading Home
With the idea of seeing more of the park, we decided on Sat morning to take a different route out from the way we came in. This route would take us back along the first mile we took to Druid Arch and then down the canyon instead ofo up, eventually meeting up with the trail we came in on. As the sun came high into the sky we could see the weather that was moving in, an indication that we had timed our trip for perfect weather. And as the we headed out we were treated with great views looking back into the park.
