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MOAB, UTAH

Dead Horse Point State Park

Overlook from Dead Horse Point State Park looking down at the Colorado River.

Utah's Most Breathtaking Canyon Overlook

Perched 2,000 feet above the Colorado River, Dead Horse Point State Park offers one of the most photographed vistas in the American Southwest. Just 32 miles from Moab, this dramatic overlook reveals layers of red rock, winding canyons, and the distant spires of Canyonlands. Sunrise or sunset, it’s pure Moab magic.



It’s not just the view that makes Dead Horse Point State Park unforgettable; it’s the feeling of standing at the edge of it. The world falls silent. Far below, the Colorado River traces a green ribbon through sculpted red canyons before vanishing into the depths of Cataract Canyon — a labyrinth of stone that carries the river toward the heart of Canyonlands.


What begins as a simple overlook becomes something far more powerful: a front-row seat to geologic time. The cliffs around you glow like embers in the sun, shadows stretch across a world untouched, and for a moment, you understand why people come to Moab — not just to see it, but to feel it.

Sun Divider Dark.

Things to do in Dead Horse Point

Dead Horse Point may not have the same name recognition as Arches National Park or Canyonlands, but those who make the drive know — this is one of Utah’s most breathtaking overlooks. The challenge isn’t finding things to do; it’s deciding how to experience them all. Whether you explore on your own or join a guided tour, every trail, turn, and overlook offers a fresh angle on Moab’s canyon country.

Two people overlook the canyons at Dead Horse Point on mountain bikes.

Tours in Dead Horse Point State Park

Few views rival the feeling of pedaling along the edge of Dead Horse Point’s mesa — red cliffs dropping away to the river far below. The Intrepid Trail System offers miles of flowing singletrack and wide-open scenery, perfect for all skill levels. The Dead Horse Point Mountain Biking Tour with Moab Adventure Center makes it easy — professional guides, quality bikes, and scenery that stops you in your tracks. Ideal for intermediate riders.

Map of Dead Horse Point State Park with trails and overlooks.

Dead Horse Point State Park Map

Even in a park this open, it helps to know your way around. The Dead Horse Point Map outlines scenic drives, overlooks, and trail connections — an essential tool for those exploring on foot, by bike, or by car.

Campground pavilion with a dramatic sunset in the distance.

Camping in Dead Horse Point

When the crowds fade and the last light burns across the cliffs, Dead Horse Point becomes pure desert magic. The park’s campgrounds and yurts offer front-row seats to starlit skies and morning light spilling into the canyon.

Overlook at Dead Horse Point.

Best Hikes in Dead Horse Point

Every overlook at Dead Horse Point State Park feels like its own masterpiece. Short, family-friendly trails loop from the visitor center to viewpoints that capture sunrise, sunset, and the distant peaks of the La Sal Mountains.

Two people sit with bike helmets on as they look over vast canyons from an overlook.

Dead Horse Point Biking

Housing some of the most scenic views in the area, Dead Horse Point is extremely popular among mountain bike enthusiasts. With all the trails available in the surrounding area, varying in technicality, visitors are sure to have a quiet and enjoyable ride.

Scenic byway icon with text and line art of arches and canyons.

Why is it Called Dead Horse Point?

Few places in the West carry a name as haunting — or as storied — as Dead Horse Point. According to legend, 19th-century cowboys used this high mesa as a natural corral, driving wild mustangs onto the narrow neck of land and fencing them off with makeshift barriers. For reasons long forgotten, some horses were left behind, trapped high above the river with no escape, their silhouettes visible against the fading light.



It’s said their spirits linger on the wind, a reminder of the untamed freedom that once defined the West. Whether the story is myth or truth, standing here, you feel its weight, a wild beauty both breathtaking and bittersweet.


Today, that same wildness endures. The point remains a symbol of nature’s power and the enduring pull of the open desert, a place where the story of the American frontier meets the timeless geology of the Colorado Plateau.

Sun Divider Dark.

Tours in Deadhorse Point

A couple of people standing on top of a mountain looking at the grand canyon.

Dead Horse Point Mountain Bike Tour: Intermediate

Ride to the edge of the world: Flowing singletrack, red rock rollers & jaw-dropping canyon overlooks on this intermediate 9-mile ride at Dead Horse Point State Park.

  • Duration: ~4.5 hrs
  • Departures: Varies
  • Season: Mar - Nov

ADULTS 13+

 $145

YOUTH 12

 $145
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