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Why Tag-A-Long?
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Needles Backcountry Expedition (NDO)
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 Trip OverviewDetailed Itinerary
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The Big Picture
The Needles Mini Expedition
goes to a region of
Canyonlands National Park
which is
one of the most well-kept
secrets in America and
represents the very heart
and soul of the park. To
enter the really pristine
areas of the park, you must
either hike many miles or be
an accomplished
four-wheeler. Tag-A-Long
Expeditions removes these
boundaries by providing you
with four-wheel drive access
and guiding you to hidden
treasures of Canyonlands. As soon as you enter the Needles, you will feel the mystery of the ancient Anasazi who disappeared without explanation in approximately 1250 A.D. You’ll have plenty of time to attempt to sort out the puzzle as you hike to the points of interest and view the amazing remnants of a long-gone culture on this one-day expedition. Add to that stunning arches and windows carved out of rock over millions of years and some of America’s most incredible landscapes, and you’re off for the adventure of your life!
The Details
Your adventure begins early this morning at Tag-A-Long’s office
at 7:15 a.m. where we’ll board sturdy, air-conditioned 4X4 vehicles
at 7:30 a.m. for our trek into Canyonlands National Park. The drive to the park is especially scenic, and we’ll even stop to see a giant arch alongside the road. This arch is so big daredevil pilots have flown airplanes through it, but don’t try it on your own! The first hour or two also takes us past some fascinating historic sites such as the Home of Truth, a spiritual commune founded by pioneer Marie Ogden. We’ll also stop at Newspaper Rock, a large rock art panel literally filled with ancient American Indian and cowboy inscriptions. Continuing on the scenic highway along Indian Creek, we’ll pass Dugout Ranch, home to a modern-day, ecologically sensitive cowboy operation.
We’ll stop briefly at the Needles Visitor Center before beginning our four-wheel drive expedition down Salt Creek. Guides are challenged by the sandy creek bottom and expertly negotiate their way along the twisting wash. Their skill rewards guests with a rare opportunity to see the interior of this wilderness park complete with evidence of ancient cultures who once lived here.
A trip up Horse Canyon takes us to two natural stone arches, Castle Arch and the amusingly-named Paul Bunyan’s Potty. We’ll take a walk to more ancient Anasazi Indian rock art including the pictographs of 13 Faces and 9 Faces, along with several ruin sites. This part of the expedition gives you the opportunity to participate in a couple of easy walks. A delicious lunch prepared and served by your guide will restore your energy before we continue on to Peek-A-Boo Springs to travel on foot to view more ancient petroglyphs and pictographs.
Return around 5:00 p.m.
Please be advised if the
Horse Canyon trail is
closed, Tag-A-Long will
provide an alternative route
for you.
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S.E. Utah Detail
