Lower Muley Twist Canyon — Post Loop

Lower Muley Twist Canyon — Post Loop is a 15.4-mile circuit from The Post Corral. It crosses the Waterpocket Fold on Post Cutoff, follows Lower Muley Twist south, then returns north by Halls Creek. This is the lower-canyon outing; the upper loop from Burr Trail Road, the full-canyon routes, and the Hamburger Rocks side trip are different itineraries. Choose this one if you want a remote, all-day canyon hike and have the navigation experience for an unmaintained route.

Post Cutoff climbs steeply west from The Post, over loose slickrock with serious exposure. One roughly 100-foot section is especially exposed; wet or icy rock makes it more dangerous. The crossing earns broad views across the Waterpocket Fold, but it demands your attention as much as your camera. At the signed junction, turn south into Lower Muley Twist.

The canyon runs south for more than eight miles before bending east into a narrow stretch of high walls. Its big alcoves are the memorable feature: erosion has undercut Wingate Sandstone to leave deep overhangs above the wash. Look for white Navajo sandstone streaked with dark desert varnish, alongside rust-colored Wingate and Kayenta layers. Where the canyon opens beneath an alcove, a frame that keeps the wash in view helps show the scale of the overhang.

Near the canyon’s end, Big Thomson Mesa’s high cliffs come into view. Watch for cairns on the north (left) side of the wash: the loop climbs a low ridge northeast to Halls Creek and saves about half a mile compared with staying in the drainage. This is an easy place to lose the line. If you do stay in the wash, it reaches Halls Creek after about half a mile; from there the route still turns north toward The Post.

The return follows remnants of an old road through the main canyon for about 4.6 miles. Keep the line visible on a topographic map; the road remains and cairns are not a maintained trail.

From 1881 to 1884, this canyon served as a wagon route for Mormon pioneers heading south toward San Juan County. Its name reflects how narrow and winding the route was thought to be: enough to twist a mule. The canyon’s layered walls and undercut alcoves make that folded route visible in the rock, not just on the map.

The route is not maintained, and cairns or signs may be missing. A topographic map, navigation skills, and enough water for the whole trip matter here; water sources are unreliable. The Park Service recommends spring and fall. Summer heat is extreme, and monsoon storms can cause sudden floods in these narrow canyons. Overnight camping requires a free backcountry permit. Dogs are not allowed on park trails or in the backcountry.

From the Burr Trail and Notom-Bullfrog Road junction, drive about 2.2 miles south on Burr Trail, then take the half-mile spur to the old corral parking area. The approach is on dirt; mud and flood damage can make these roads impassable, and Burr Trail may require high clearance. The 15.4-mile figure starts and ends at The Post.