Very High DemandReservation4 min read

Updated August 9, 2026

How to Get a Labyrinth A Permit

Mile 72, ten hours in - two sites sharing one toilet, and the second-to-last camp before the climb out at Mineral Bottom.

Check Labyrinth A permit availability

$36 non-refundable reservation fee per permit (includes the $6 Recreation.gov fee) plus $5 per person, per night. Park entrance fee is separate.

Permit Cost

2-4 days

Duration

100 miles

Distance

moderate

Difficulty

About Labyrinth A

Labyrinth A is one of two campsites in the Labyrinth camping area, 72 miles and about 10 hours of driving clockwise from the Island in the Sky Visitor Center. One toilet serves both sites. This is the far end of the west side. Hardscrabble Hill sits 2 miles back, and the Mineral Bottom switchbacks - another of the five steep, exposed sections NPS names on the loop - are the climb out ahead. NPS puts the whole 100-mile circuit at two to three days by four-wheel drive and three to four by mountain bike, with a minimum of 10 to 12 hours of driving or cycling. High-clearance four-wheel drive with low range is required, campfires are not permitted, pets are not allowed even inside vehicles, and there is no potable water along the road. Each site takes up to 15 people and 3 vehicles. Canyonlands releases White Rim permits four months before each season starts, at 8 a.m. Mountain time on Recreation.gov, and NPS says outright that demand for overnight permits frequently exceeds the number available in spring and fall. The fee is a $36 non-refundable reservation charge plus $5 per person per night. Anything still unreserved becomes a walk-up, marked "W" on Recreation.gov and issued in person at a visitor center until 2:30 p.m. Mountain time.

Labyrinth is one of the two camping areas clustered at the far end of the west side, with Taylor five miles further on. Two campsites share a single toilet, the smallest facility-to-site ratio of the multi-site areas. For a clockwise party this is the last comfortable night before the Mineral Bottom switchbacks, and for a counter-clockwise party it is the first camp after them.

The Experience

Ten hours from the visitor center by the park's own estimate, and the loop is nearly closed. The canyon here is the Green River's Labyrinth country - a different, more folded landscape than the wide bench you drove for the first two days. Two sites means one possible neighbour, and you will probably not hear them.

Labyrinth is at mile 72 clockwise from the Island in the Sky Visitor Center, about 10 hours of driving, with two campsites (A and B) and one toilet. Labyrinth A books as its own named site. Hardscrabble Hill, one of the five steep and exposed sections NPS names, is just behind you at mile 70. Taylor, the last camping area, is at mile 77, and then the Mineral Bottom switchbacks climb back to the mesa top.

What to Expect

Two campsites (A and B) at Labyrinth, sharing one toilet

72 miles and about 10 hours of driving from the Island in the Sky Visitor Center, clockwise

A spot between Hardscrabble Hill and the Mineral Bottom switchbacks

No potable water, no shade, no campfires and no generators

A hard cap of 15 people and 3 vehicles on the site

Counter-clockwise parties reach this area first, so it is not only a last night

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Permit Requirements

Each campsite accommodates up to 15 people and 3 vehicles; motorbikes and trailers count as vehicles for that limit

Keep all camp activities within the posts that mark the campsite boundaries

Campfires are not permitted anywhere along the White Rim Road, and generators are not allowed

Pets are not permitted, even inside vehicles

Your vehicle must have high-clearance, four-wheel drive with low range

ATVs, UTVs and OHVs are not permitted even if street legal; drones and other unmanned aircraft are prohibited

All vehicles and bikes must remain on designated roads

You may stay a maximum of three consecutive nights at a camping area before having to relocate, and an overnight permit runs up to 14 consecutive nights

Climbing, scrambling, walking or standing upon, or rappelling off any arch is prohibited parkwide

Recreation.gov books Labyrinth as a named campsite, not a zone - you are reserving this exact site for the night

Gear & Preparation

Required Gear

•All your water. There is none on the road, and 1 gallon per person per day is the NPS floor
•A high-clearance four-wheel-drive vehicle with low range - this is a requirement, not a recommendation
•Full recovery kit and a spare: shovel, traction boards, air compressor, tire plugs
•A camp stove. Fires are not permitted at any White Rim campsite
•Shade you bring yourself - a tarp or awning; there is almost none on the bench
•Printed maps. Cell service is unreliable below the mesa rim

Hazards & Safety

No potable water anywhere along the road - NPS asks for at least 1 gallon (4 L) per person per day, more if you will be active

Long rocky stretches, deep sand and little shade; NPS says to plan on a minimum of 10 to 12 hours of driving or cycling for the loop

The steep, exposed sections at Shafer Trail, Lathrop Canyon Road, Murphy Hogback, Hardscrabble Hill and the Mineral Bottom switchbacks demand extreme caution in bad weather

High water on the Green River can flood sections of road on the west side and make a complete loop impossible

A disabled vehicle out here is expensive: NPS warns of towing fees in excess of $1,000

Summer heat on an unshaded sandstone bench, with no water and no quick way out

Best Time to Visit

Spring and fall, the seasons NPS says sell out. If you are running the loop counter-clockwise, Labyrinth becomes an early night rather than a late one, which is worth knowing when the clockwise camps you wanted are gone.

Pro Tips

Set an alarm for 8 a.m. Mountain time on the release date four months before your season opens. That first minute is when spring and fall dates go.

Labyrinth A is one of only 20 campsites on a 100-mile road, so a cancellation watch is doing real work here - there is no overflow.

Carry every drop of water you plan to drink. There is none on the road and no way to buy any.

Budget 10 hours from the visitor center just to reach camp, before you factor in stops.

If you are riding it, bring a four-wheel-drive support vehicle for water and gear. NPS recommends it directly.

Check current road conditions before you commit - high water on the Green River can close the west side and turn the loop into an out-and-back.

Cancel early if your plans change. The $5 per person per night fee is refunded for trips cancelled at least 3 days out, and someone else gets the night.

Written by

PermitSnag Team

100+ wilderness permits, extensive backcountry experience

This guide is based on personal experience obtaining wilderness permits and is regularly updated to reflect current policies and strategies.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How do I get a Labyrinth A permit?

Labyrinth A permits require advance reservations. Book online as soon as reservations open for your desired dates.

When is the best time to visit Labyrinth A?

How difficult is Labyrinth A?

Drivers with a genuine low-range four-wheel-drive vehicle, and cyclists who have a support vehicle carrying water. NPS highly recommends a four-wheel-drive support vehicle for mountain bike trips.

What gear do I need for Labyrinth A?

Essential gear includes: All your water. There is none on the road, and 1 gallon per person per day is the NPS floor, A high-clearance four-wheel-drive vehicle with low range - this is a requirement, not a recommendation, Full recovery kit and a spare: shovel, traction boards, air compressor, tire plugs, A camp stove. Fires are not permitted at any White Rim campsite, Shade you bring yourself - a tarp or awning; there is almost none on the bench. Additional specialized gear may be required based on conditions.