What are Dead Horse Point State Park's hours?

The park is open daily, typically 6 AM to 10 PM, with the visitor center keeping shorter daytime hours (around 9 AM to 5 PM, reduced in winter). Unlike the national parks, gates can close overnight, so it is not a 24-hour park. Day-use entry is by vehicle fee. Always confirm current hours with Utah State Parks before an early sunrise visit.

How much is the entrance fee at Dead Horse Point?

Dead Horse Point is a Utah state park and charges a per-vehicle day-use fee that is separate from the national parks. An America the Beautiful federal pass does not cover it, but a Utah State Parks annual pass does. Camping and yurts are booked separately through the Utah State Parks reservation system.

Is Dead Horse Point worth visiting?

Yes. The main overlook is one of the most dramatic canyon views in Utah, a 2,000-foot drop to a gooseneck bend of the Colorado River, and it sits just off the same road as Canyonlands' Island in the Sky. The rim trails are easy, largely level, and family-friendly, which makes it one of the highest reward-to-effort stops near Moab.

Can you see Dead Horse Point and Canyonlands in the same day?

Easily. They share the same access road off US-191. Island in the Sky is about 40 minutes from Moab and the Dead Horse Point turnoff is a few miles before it, so most visitors do both in one day, often Canyonlands in the morning and Dead Horse Point for sunset over the overlook.

Which is better for sunrise or sunset at Dead Horse Point?

The main overlook faces roughly east and south over the river bend, so sunrise lights the canyon walls directly and is the classic shot. Sunset turns the rock warm and is less crowded. Both work; sunrise is more photogenic on the canyon itself, sunset is easier logistically after a day in Canyonlands.

Are dogs allowed at Dead Horse Point State Park?

Yes. Unlike the national parks, Dead Horse Point allows leashed dogs on its trails, which makes it one of the few dramatic overlooks near Moab you can share with a dog. Bring water for them too, as there is none on the trails and the slickrock gets hot.

Dead Horse Point State Park

Why it earns the drive

Dead Horse Point is the payoff view of the Moab region with almost none of the effort. From the main overlook the land simply ends: a 2,000-foot vertical drop to a tight gooseneck bend of the Colorado River, with the layered canyon country of Canyonlands' Island in the Sky filling the horizon beyond. It is the same red-rock wilderness you see from Grand View Point, seen from the other side of the canyon and framed by the river itself.

What makes it worth its own trip rather than a drive-by is that the mesa is ringed by an easy, mostly level rim trail. You can walk the whole edge, stringing together a series of overlooks, without any of the climbing the national park trails demand. It is the rare Moab hike that a family with young kids, a visitor short on time, and a photographer chasing light can all do on the same afternoon.

The one-line version: come for the overlook, stay for the rim loop. If you only have 20 minutes, walk to the main point. If you have two hours, do the full rim circuit — it is the best easy hike near Moab.

The trails

Dead Horse Point's trail system is a network of connected rim and mesa paths rather than a set of separate hikes. Most visitors walk some portion of the rim out to the main overlook and back. The full loop links both rims around the mesa and the neck that connects it to the mainland.

Trail	Distance	Difficulty	What it is
Dead Horse Point Rim Loop	~5.0 mi	Easy–moderate	The full circuit of both rims and the main overlook, mostly level slickrock and gravel with continuous canyon views. Dogs OK
Main Overlook spur	~0.5 mi	Easy	The short paved-and-gravel walk from the visitor center area straight to the signature 2,000-foot viewpoint. Family
West Rim Trail	~1.5 mi	Easy	The sunset side, tracing the western edge above the potash ponds and the river bend. Dogs OK
East Rim Trail	~1.5 mi	Easy	The sunrise side, looking across to Island in the Sky and the deepest part of the gooseneck. Dogs OK

The park also maintains a well-signed mountain-bike trail network (Intrepid System) across the mesa top — flat, flowy, and beginner-friendly, sharing trailheads with the hiking rim. If you want the detailed hike write-up with the trailhead, parking and the exact loop, see the Dead Horse Point Rim Loop trail guide.

Guided option

Three Moab parks in one day — with Dead Horse Point at sunset

The most efficient way to see the region if you have a single day: a private tour of Arches, Canyonlands' Island in the Sky, and Dead Horse Point, timed so you reach the overlook for the light. No driving, no fee logistics, no navigation.

Check the 3-parks tour ›

Hours, fees & getting there

Dead Horse Point is a Utah State Park, not part of the national park system, and that one fact answers most planning questions.

Fee: a per-vehicle day-use fee, paid at the entrance station. It is separate from the national parks — your America the Beautiful federal pass does not work here. A Utah State Parks annual pass does.
Hours: the park is open daily, roughly 6 AM to 10 PM, with the visitor center on shorter daytime hours. Gates can close overnight, so confirm before planning a pre-dawn sunrise shoot.
Getting there: from Moab, drive north on US-191, then west on UT-313 — the same road that climbs to Canyonlands' Island in the Sky. The Dead Horse Point turnoff comes a few miles before the park boundary. About 35 minutes total.
Facilities: a visitor center, restrooms, a campground and yurts. No food or gas on the mesa — fuel and supplies in Moab before you go.

Coming from the national parks? Budget the state-park fee separately in your planning. If you are visiting several parks, compare the Utah State Parks pass against per-visit fees — and see the full Moab-area state parks guide for Goblin Valley, Goosenecks and the rest.

When to go

Season	Conditions	Verdict
Mar – May	Prime window. Mild temperatures, long light on the canyon, wildflowers on the mesa.	Best
Jun – Aug	Do the rim at sunrise or after 6 PM only. The exposed mesa is brutal midday and there is no shade at the overlook. Monsoon storms build fast from mid-July.	Dawn/dusk only
Sep – Oct	The locals' pick. Warm days, cool mornings, low-angle October light on the gooseneck, and thinner crowds than spring.	Best overall
Nov – Feb	Quiet and often stunning with snow on red rock. Watch for ice on shaded slickrock near the edge.	Quiet, underrated

Sunrise or sunset?

This is the question every photographer asks, and the answer depends on which rim you shoot from.

	Sunrise (East Rim)	Sunset (West Rim)
The light	Direct on the canyon walls	Warm side-light, softer
Crowds	Moderate	Thinner
Logistics	Early start from Moab, gate hours matter	Easy after a day out
Pairs with	A full Canyonlands day after	Canyonlands in the morning, here for dusk

The practical call: most visitors do Canyonlands' Island in the Sky during the day and drive the few miles back to Dead Horse Point for sunset — one fee day, both overlooks, no dawn alarm. Photographers chasing the classic shot come back for sunrise on the East Rim.

Pairing it with Canyonlands

Dead Horse Point and Canyonlands' Island in the Sky sit on the same mesa road, minutes apart, and they are natural companions rather than competitors. Island in the Sky gives you Mesa Arch and Grand View Point from inside the canyon rim; Dead Horse Point gives you the river bend and the sense of the whole system's scale from the edge of it.

A comfortable one-day plan: Mesa Arch at sunrise, the Island in the Sky overlooks through late morning, lunch back in Moab or a packed one on the mesa, then Dead Horse Point for the afternoon and sunset. For longer trips, both slot into the Moab sample itineraries.

If you'd rather not drive

Private Arches, Canyonlands & Dead Horse Point in a day

Not sure how to time three parks, or travelling without a car? A private guided day handles the driving, the timing and the fees, and gets you to each overlook at the right hour.

See the private 3-parks day ›

Hiking here with a dog

One of Dead Horse Point's quiet advantages: leashed dogs are welcome on the trails. The national parks ban dogs from every trail, so if you are travelling with one, this is among the only places near Moab where you can share a genuinely dramatic overlook. The catch is the environment — hot slickrock, no shade, no water, and unfenced edges. Bring water for the dog, watch their paws on summer rock, and keep the leash short near the rim. For more off-leash-friendly options, the BLM trails like Corona Arch and Grandstaff Canyon also allow leashed dogs.

Common questions

What are Dead Horse Point's hours?

Open daily, typically 6 AM to 10 PM, with the visitor center on shorter daytime hours (around 9 AM to 5 PM, reduced in winter). Gates can close overnight, so it is not a 24-hour park — confirm before an early sunrise visit on Utah State Parks.

How much is the entrance fee?

A per-vehicle day-use fee, separate from the national parks. The federal America the Beautiful pass does not cover it; a Utah State Parks annual pass does. Camping and yurts are booked separately through Utah State Parks.

Can I see Dead Horse Point and Canyonlands the same day?

Easily — they share the same access road. Most visitors do Island in the Sky during the day and Dead Horse Point for sunset. See the one-day itinerary.

Is the overlook accessible without a real hike?

Yes. The main overlook is a short, near-level walk from the parking area — the reason the park works for families and visitors short on time. The full rim loop is the longer option for those who want it.

Are dogs allowed?

Yes, leashed, on the trails — unlike the national parks. Bring water for them; there is none on the mesa and the slickrock gets hot.

Sunrise or sunset for photos?

Sunrise on the East Rim lights the canyon walls directly and is the classic shot. Sunset on the West Rim is warmer and less crowded, and easier after a day in Canyonlands.