Syncline Loop, Island in the Sky District. This is a tough, scenic hike that is well worth the effort. I hiked the loop clockwise -- it starts off with a steep descent into a canyon wash. After pleasantly hiking the wash for awhile I was lulled into thinking that the rest of the 8.3 miles would be similarly pastoral -- bad assumption. Shortly after passing the cutoff to Upheaval Canyon (3.1 miles), I was free climbing some crazy boulders, a few of which featured significant exposure. After that there’s one more big climb and several miles of canyon hiking until you’re back at the trailhead. I highly recommend this one -- the terrain is primitive and pristine.
Big Spring Canyon, Needles District. This is a classic canyon hike. The trail makes a loop with Squaw Flat Trail. This is a good choice for an easy, scenic day hike. It starts off with a mad slickrock scramble that gets you into the Canyonlands frame of mind in a hurry.
