Neck Spring Trail

Neck Spring Trail is a 5.6-mile loop from the Shafer Canyon Overlook lot, usually 3 to 4 hours. It drops off the mesa into a sandstone basin with springs and old ranching remains, then opens toward Taylor Canyon before a steep slickrock climb returns to the rim. The NPS rates it moderate and lists 418 feet of elevation change. It is a good half-day choice if you want a longer walk beyond the familiar mesa-top overlooks. Cairns mark the route; going counterclockwise takes you to the basin and spring before the steeper climb.

From the west side of the lot, the route drops a small hill, crosses Island in the Sky Road, then descends through a sandy basin dotted with piñon, yucca and blackbrush. It follows the cliffs past alcoves and old watering troughs. Around 1.4 miles, you reach Neck Spring. A curved metal trough and pipe remain, but the trough no longer works and dense brush makes the seep hard to reach. There is no potable water along the trail, so do not plan to refill here.

Past the spring, rolling sandy benches and small drainages lead to the Taylor Canyon overlook. A stout arch sits high on the canyon's north wall just beyond it. Give yourself a moment to find the arch, and keep some of the wall in the frame so its scale reads against the canyon.

The loop crosses a creek bottom that may be flowing, then climbs steeply over ledges and slickrock ramps. Cairns matter on the open rock, and they can be easy to miss when you are watching your footing. The return crosses broad slabs, crosses the road again, and follows the Neck toward the lot. Stay on the cairned route: cryptobiotic soil crust can take decades to recover from footprints, and adding new cairns only makes navigation harder.