I absolutely love visiting Moab. You have access to multiple National Parks, tons of trails, and there’s something for every adventurous soul whether it be mountain biking, riding dirt bikes, climbing, paddle boarding the CO river, or hiking. It’s incredibly freeing being out in the middle of the desert covered in the red dirt. As hiking being my favorite activity, I was stoked when I found this secret hike in Moab.

I started off just like everyone else exploring Utah, going to the famous crowded antelope slot canyons or hanging out on the beaches of the busy Colorado river, and while that is amazing, I was thrilled to find this quiet off the beaten path hiking trail that features its own slot canyons and waterfall called Mary Jane Canyon.

Trail Details:

Distance: 8.5 miles out-and-back

Dog friendly: Yes off-leash

Kid-friendly: Yes

Difficulty: Easy

*Do not attempt if rain is in the forecast! You do not want to be in a slot canyon with flash flood warnings.

How to get there:

To get to the parking lot of the trailhead, use this map coming from Moab. You’ll be driving on a dirt road to get to the trailhead and while 4×4 and high clearance are recommended, it is not necessary. You’ll pass by a ranch on the left-hand side and keep going until you hit the parking lot.

The trail starts from the Professor/Sylvester Creek parking lot. However, DO NOT follow that trail. The Mary Jane Canyon trail is not marked. Instead, you’re going to stay to the left of that trailhead where you’ll see the no camping sign and a big dip in the ground that has its own footprints and trail. Follow this to be on the Mary Jane Canyon trail.

For this hike, you’ll be crossing over the creek a lot so wear comfortable shoes. Tevas or Chacos are best for this trail! Walking through the creek was such a nice way to cool down and our dog absolutely loved it. It will take a while before you begin walking in the shade so sunscreen is also a must. I do recommend going early in the morning as the sun does get extremely hot in the summer afternoons.

The further you go in, the higher the walls get and it is insanely beautiful. There are small side slot canyons that you can explore throughout the trail as well. Tons of rocks around for you to set up a Bluetooth speaker, have lunch, enjoy the sunshine and soak your feet. This was a hike that I enjoyed taking my time on. There were so many cool rocks to climb on and flowers to look at and the creek was so relaxing to listen to. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!