Saturday, June 14, 2008

Confluence Overlook Trail

The Confluence Overlook Trail in the Needles District of Canyonlands National Park is an 11 mile round trip to the point where the Green River and Colorado River Flow together. The trailhead is at the west end of the main park road.
The first segment descends into the canyon and crosses to the other side.  Like many of the hikes in Canyonlands the trail climbs up and down in rough canyons and follows along the canyon bottoms or along the rims. 
Some of the spots along these trails seem impossible, but there are often helpful ladders or steps arranged to make the trip a little easier. These spots are a reminder to stay on the trails and keep your eyes alert for the rock cairns marking the route. 
There are several high points along the up and down route where views of the nearby LaSal Mountains or the amazing Needles are visible.

Close to the confluence point, there are roads that allow vehicles and mountains bikes to arrive.
The view that keeps you going is the point deep in the Canyonlands to see the mighty Colorado, flowing from the right meeting the Green River from the left. The view is from about 1000 feet above the streams.

The two rivers flow together to the south toward Cataract Canyon, and further to Lake Powell behind the huge Glen Canyon Dam. It was a relatively cool June day, about 70 degrees F. and it took me 5:00 hours to complete this trip, spending only 10 minutes at the overlook. I finished the last of my 2 liters of water about 10 minutes before the finish.


                                  

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