The Needles District of Canyonlands National park is located south of the town of Moab in San Juan county, Utah, USA. This section of the park is accessible by driving hwy 191 & 211 for a total of 75 miles from Moab or 49 miles from Monticello. The Needles district was named for the multitude of pinnacles formation found everywhere in the area. Numerous sprawling canyons such Salt Creek, Horse, Elephant, Davis or Lavenders Canyons (tributaries of Colorado river) are found in the Needles District. Most of the spectacular natural arches are located on the rim of these canyons in the Cedar Mesa sandstone formation. Also, this district is famous for the confluence of the Green River and Colorado River on the heart of the park. The 4WD roads into the Needles District require permits. Check at the visitor center at the park entrance about road conditions. Exploring the backcountry requires a permit for overnight hiking and campsites. Note : since september 2014, new National Park regulations prohibited to walk, climb or rappel on natural arches in Arches & Canyonlands NP's.
The author woud like to dedicate this page to the memory of Charles Alexander Ranney (1935-2015) for his exploration and contribution to our knowledge about natural arches in the area. "Alex" inspired the author to follow in his footsteps with great enthousiasm in exploring the incredible canyon countries of Canyonlands National Park.