Rainy Day Hike in the Needles District

May 2019  |  Canyonlands National Park, Utah

In mid May we met up with family from Germany in the Needles District of Canyonlands National Park in Utah for a couple days of camping and hiking. Our timing wasn't great, as it rained more than I've ever seen in the desert! But we did get one somewhat dry-enough day for my brother-in-law and I to do the ultra-classic hike to Chesler Park and Druid Arch.

Rainy weather over the Needles District.

Rainy weather over the Needles District.

Volker basks in a beam of sunlight in a dark slot.

Volker basks in a beam of sunlight in a dark slot.

Hiking through a cavernous sandstone tunnel.

Hiking through a cavernous sandstone tunnel.

Sandstone tunnel along the Joint Trail.

Sandstone tunnel along the Joint Trail.

Hiking through the narrows of the Joint Trail.

Hiking through the narrows of the Joint Trail.

Druid Arch in the rain.

Druid Arch in the rain.

Most of the day we had occasional but brief rain showers, but as we returned from Druid Arch the skies unleashed with a torrential downpour, creating instant streams and waterfalls over the slickrock! Fortunately we had umbrellas and no shortage of sandstone caves along the way to take cover under. Needless to say we were glad we weren't back in the narrows we had just hiked through earlier in the day!

Wet sandstone in the Needles District after a heavy rain in May.

Wet sandstone in the Needles District after a heavy rain in May.

Posted in Canyons & Deserts and tagged Utah, Canyonlands, May.