May 11, 20233 min read

Syncline Loop Trail

Friday, May 5, 2023

The Syncline Loop Trail encircles a geologic formation called Upheaval Dome. It is located in the Island in the Sky district of Canyonlands National Park. The trail can be taken in clockwise or counter-clockwise direction. I had done this hike four times previously. The first was with Marcus Irrek in 1984. The second was with Margie Macaulay in 1990. Third, I did a solo backpack down Alcove Spring Trail, returning via Syncline Loop in 1994. And fourth, I did a solo hike in clockwise direction in 2016.

The trail is 8.3 miles long. It descends sharply into a canyon that eventually leads out to a four-wheel only dirt and gravel road, which at the point of intersection with the canyon borders along the Green River as well.

The direction one travels is important because, according to the park rangers consulted, the counter-clockwise is the more difficult direction. This is due to a steep descent through a rock-field of boulders and scree, which is marked by cairns, but it is not well marked. This descent presented an obstacle for me, I will admit. It was very hard to follow the trail. I knew from past hikes it had some difficult sections, but without the clear guidance of a path or easily followed cairns, it was a challenge. I found myself walking along very steep rock sections, unsure that I was on the trail or not, and moving about these sections was a little hair-raising. There were several times I had to turn around as to go farther along was simply too dangerous looking and could not possibly be the intended “trail.” I managed to find my way, and I was very happy that I did not have to turn around and go back the way I had come. But for a little while there, it was a possibility I would do that.

The hike took about five hours. In comparing it to other strenuous hikes I have done within the past year, including Angel’s Landing at Zion National Park and Picacho Peak at Picacho Peak State Park in Arizona, I would conclude this one section of Syncline Loop rivals or surpasses those two due to the steepness of the trail, the lack of a clear path, and the danger of walking over rocks with no barrier or secure assistance such as the chains and/or cables at Angel’s Landing and Picacho Peak. There are steep drop-offs on those hikes, but the chains and cables provide a sense of security. Syncline Loop riled my nerves and sparked an adrenaline rush more than those other two hikes. Finding my way down this steep section, which was probably only a couple hundred yards long, took about me almost an hour. Another thing that accentuates the risk with this trail is there are very few others doing it, so one is kind of solo, on their own out there. I did not see one other person in the first three hours. I finally saw one person when I arrived at the bottom of that steep section. After that, I saw six other people doing the trail clockwise, some who told me they were told by park rangers to do it clockwise. One thing I found amazing is that when Margie and I backpacked to the Green River, we came down the trail counterclockwise, therefore negotiating our way with heavy packs. I would not want to do that again!

I’ll do it clockwise perhaps next time!