Needles Overlook
Tagged Under:
  • Viewpoints
  • Scenic Drives
  • Northern Excursion
  • Locale: Indian Creek
  • Time: 4 Hours
  • Fee: None

This overlook of sandstone formations and canyons offers views of the BLM’s Indian Creek, the Abajo Mountains of the Manti-La Sal National Forest and Canyonlands National Park. There are vault toilets available at Needles Overlook.

Special Considerations

The overlook has sheltered picnic tables but be prepared to bring water and pack out your trash.

  • Tips For Visiting Here with Respect
    Leave Cultural Belongings Where They Are

    Leave Cultural Belongings Where They Are

    Cultural belongings such as pottery pieces, flakes and stone tools, corn cobs, and textiles left by early Indigenous peoples are still sacred to Tribes and Pueblos. Ancestral items and historic artifacts help researchers learn about the past. It's illegal to remove such items from public lands.

    Stay on Established Trails

    Stay on Established Trails

    Stay on existing trails and routes to protect the living biocrust. Once stepped on, this fragile crust takes years to regrow.

    Steer Clear of Ancestral Structures

    Steer Clear of Ancestral Structures

    Structures are spiritually alive and still hold cultural significance to Tribal peoples. When recreating, visitors should refrain from leaning on walls, no matter how solid they look and avoid touching, standing on, or climbing in structures as they can be easily damaged.

  • Maps and Directions
  • Coordinates: 38.260159, -109.694776
  • Directions:

    From Blanding: Drive north on Hwy 191 for 41.7 miles. Turn left on County Rd 133/Needles Overlook Rd. Stay on that road for approximately 22 miles until you reach the parking area.

    From Bluff: Drive north on Hwy 191 for 67.5 miles. Approximately 21 miles north of Monticello, turn left on County Rd 133/Needles Overlook Rd. Stay on that road for approximately 22 miles until you reach the parking area.