Pros & cons
PROS
- Wheelchair-friendly paved path
- Instant big-view payoff
- Easy add-on to rim trail network
CONS
- Often clogged with tour groups
- Too short to satisfy hikers
Dead Horse Point Overlook parking lot at road’s end inside the park
Unfenced 2,000-ft drop; watch children, dogs, and windy conditions
What to Expect
This is more a victory lap than a hike: about **200 feet one-way (≈0.04 mi)** on a paved, level walkway from the Dead Horse Point overlook parking lot to the lip of a 2,000-foot cliff. Wheelchairs, strollers, and toddling kids all roll out to the same blockbuster bend in the Colorado River—no sweating required.
Why Go (or Skip)
If you’ve never seen the famous gooseneck, this is the front-row seat. The whole outing, gawking time included, fits in a coffee break. Photographers love first and last light when the canyon walls ignite; crowds love those times too, so solitude is unlikely. Serious hikers may feel cheated unless they tack on the longer West or East Rim loops that start nearby.
Logistics
Park at the signed Dead Horse Point Overlook lot, follow the obvious paved spur, and mind the no-guardrail edges once the pavement ends. Leashed dogs are welcome but keep paws well back from the rim. No permits beyond the standard state-park entrance fee are needed.
Elevation
0.1 mi · 15 minWhere it starts
38.5054, -109.7294Wildlife on this trail
Near The Colorado Overlook Trail
All places →All trails →
0 mi awayShafer Canyon Overlook TrailShort spur to huge Shafer Canyon views, quieter than the Point.Easy · 1 mi · 30 min
0 mi awayWest Rim TrailMesa-top slickrock ramble linking uncrowded overlooks and Dead Horse PointEasy · 3.6 mi · 2.5 hr
0 mi awayMeander Overlook TrailShort spur to a quieter rim view of the Colorado’s big U-turnEasy · 1.6 mi · 45 min
0 mi awayRim Overlook TrailShort spur to wide-open canyon vistas perched 2,000 feet above riverEasy · 2 mi · 1 hr
0.2 mi awayDead Horse Point State Park Mountain Bike RentalsTrailhead bike rentals for scenic, beginner-friendly mesa singletrackTrailhead · Restroom
0.6 mi awayPyramid Canyon OverlookQuiet rim viewpoint on the Great Pyramid loop with big canyon viewsScenic Viewpoint
0.8 mi awayDead Horse Point State Park Entrance StationPay your fee and grab a map at the gateEntrance Station · Pullout
1.1 mi awayBig Chief OverlookQuiet rim overlook with potash mine views and distant La SalsScenic Viewpoint
