🧗♂️ Trip Report: Hiking & Rappelling Elephant Butte – Arches National Park
- Mr Beta
- 4 days ago
- 2 min read
📍 Overview
Elephant Butte stands as the highest point in Arches National Park, towering above the red rock maze. This adventure blends route finding, scrambling, and technical rappelling, making it a must-do for experienced canyoneers and desert peakbaggers.
Located near Moab, Utah, Elephant Butte offers panoramic views that rival anything in Arches National Park, but with far fewer crowds and a lot more commitment.
🗺️ Planning & Permits
Permit Required: A free day-use permit is required for Elephant Butte.
Timed Entry: If you're entering Arches National Park during peak season (spring/fall), be aware of timed entry requirements for the park. Plan ahead and reserve your slot online.
Researching Beta: Elephant Butte takes extra effort since it isn’t marked on standard trail maps. I pieced together the route using trip reports and insights shared by previous adventurers.
🥾 The Approach
The hike begins from the Garden of Eden Viewpoint, a launching point for many adventures. After a short walk, the route veers off-trail, requiring careful navigation through slickrock domes, sandy washes, and cryptobiotic soil (which you should absolutely avoid stepping on).
Route finding is non-trivial. Cairns are sparse, and the terrain is complex. Expect to scramble, backtrack, and consult your beta often.
🧗♀️ The Climb & Rappel
The first technical section is a dramatic 100‑foot rappel off a bolted anchor. The drop is clean and vertical, offering sweeping views as you ease into the void. Rope management is key here—consider a fiddlestick to minimize drag on the sandstone.
The final push to the summit involves exposed scrambling and a short technical climb. A fixed rope may be present, but don’t count on it.
The final descent includes a single rappel, roughly 50 feet, off a bolted anchor. The drop is clean and scenic, with views stretching across the Colorado Plateau.
🌄 Summit Views
Reaching the summit of Elephant Butte is more than just a technical achievement—it’s an invitation to pause. At nearly 5,700 feet, the highest point in Arches National Park offers a sweeping panorama.
This is not a summit to rush. Pack extra water and a few snacks—trail mix, jerky, or even a celebratory bar—and give yourself time to soak it all in. The sandstone beneath you becomes the perfect picnic spot, and the silence of the desert is broken only by the wind sweeping across the buttes. Sitting here, you can trace the routes you’ve traveled, scout future adventures, and simply enjoy the rare perspective that comes from standing above it all.
Lingering at the top transforms the climb into a full‑circle experience: effort rewarded not just with views, but with the chance to relax, hang out, and savor the moment before rappelling back into the maze below.
