Upper Muley Twist Canyon

Upper Muley Twist Canyon is a 9-mile round trip from Strike Valley Overlook parking: walk 1.7 miles up the wash to Saddle Arch, complete the 5.6-mile canyon-and-rim loop, then return down the same wash. Set aside about seven hours. This is an unmaintained backcountry route, not a built path. It rewards hikers who can read terrain and are comfortable with exposed slickrock; the cairns can be easy to miss. Start clockwise by continuing up the canyon from Saddle Arch. That puts the more gradual climb first.

The approach follows an easy wash, mostly a steady walk between canyon walls. Peekaboo Arch is visible near the trailhead; Saddle Arch marks the loop junction 1.7 miles in. The short Strike Valley Overlook spur starts at the parking area and is separate; its 0.4 miles one way are not included here. At Saddle Arch, follow the route sign and choose your direction around the canyon-and-rim loop.

Beyond Saddle Arch, the wash narrows among slickrock walls and arches. The narrows begin about 2.3 miles farther up the canyon. Floods and rockfall can change obstacles, so the passage may not look exactly as it does on a map. Old painted letters on one wall mark the corner of a uranium-mining claim; no date or claimant is known.

The standard route bypasses a difficult pour-off by climbing the canyon’s east, or right-hand, wall. The cairned turn is easy to walk past. A difficult pour-off blocks the slot near its start, and an impassable drop stops it farther in; follow the east-side bypass instead of descending into the slot. After it rejoins the wash, a sign marks the steep climb out to the rim. Expect exposed slickrock and some scrambling; wet or icy rock makes the climb harder.

The rim route crosses open slickrock, a short steep notch, and ledges before a signed descent returns to the canyon floor. Cairns are subtle, and the sign for the descent is easy to miss. Keep checking the line as the terrain changes, especially where the route skirts edges or crosses a saddle. The rim section is the exposed part of the hike, with wide views across the Fold toward the Henry Mountains.

The trail follows the Waterpocket Fold, where Navajo and Wingate sandstone layers were tilted by the uplift that formed the long ridge. Erosion stripped protective Kayenta rock from parts of the Wingate, leaving the arches and unusual openings along the canyon. Saddle Arch is the route’s clearest landmark; the view from the rim makes the scale of the folded rock easier to read.

The 9-mile distance starts at Strike Valley Overlook parking, reached by a rough 2.9-mile canyon road that generally requires high clearance and 4WD. Passenger cars usually stop at the lower trailhead about 0.3 mile from Burr Trail Road; walking from there makes the round trip 14.8 miles. Check current road access with the park before driving. The road is not part of the mapped hike, and its condition changes.

Spring and fall are the best seasons. Summer heat can be extreme, water in the canyon is unreliable, and flash-flood season typically runs from mid-June to mid-October. Carry all the water you need and avoid entering narrow canyons when storms threaten. Pets are not allowed on trails or in backcountry areas. A free backcountry permit is required for overnight trips.