How to Get a Murphy Hogback A Permit
Mile 45, five and a half hours in, at the top of one of the five climbs NPS singles out on the entire White Rim Road.
Check Murphy Hogback 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 Murphy Hogback A
Murphy Hogback A is one of three campsites in the Murphy Hogback camping area, 45 miles and about 5.5 hours of driving clockwise from the Island in the Sky Visitor Center, with two toilets serving the area. The camp sits on the hogback itself, which NPS lists among the five steep, exposed sections of the White Rim Road that require extreme caution in bad weather. On a three-day clockwise circuit this is the classic second night. The full loop is 100 miles, which NPS puts 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.
Murphy Hogback is one of the five steep, exposed sections NPS names on the loop - alongside the Shafer Trail, Lathrop Canyon Road, Hardscrabble Hill and the Mineral Bottom switchbacks - and the camping area sits up on it. Three campsites and two toilets make it the second-largest cluster on the road after Airport, and it is the standard second night on a three-day clockwise circuit.
The Experience
The climb up the hogback is the part of the day people remember, and then you are camped on top of it with the bench dropping away on both sides. Riders arrive here having earned it. The wind is more of a presence up here than it is down on the flats, and the sunset runs the full width of the canyon.
Murphy Hogback is at mile 45 clockwise from the Island in the Sky Visitor Center, about 5.5 hours of driving, with three campsites (A, B and C) and two toilets. Murphy Hogback A books as its own named site on Recreation.gov. The climb onto the hogback is one of the five steep and exposed sections NPS calls out for the whole loop and it requires extreme caution in inclement weather for vehicles and bikes alike. Clockwise, the next camp is Candlestick at mile 55.
What to Expect
Three campsites (A, B and C) in the Murphy Hogback area, served by two toilets
45 miles and about 5.5 hours of driving from the Island in the Sky Visitor Center, clockwise
A climb onto the hogback that NPS names as one of the five steep, exposed sections of the road
No potable water, no shade, no campfires and no generators
A hard cap of 15 people and 3 vehicles on the site
Extreme caution required on the grade in inclement weather, for vehicles and bikes
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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 Murphy Hogback 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 two seasons NPS says outstrip supply. The hogback climb is the reason to care about weather here more than at the flatter camps - wet or icy, this is one of the sections the park singles out. Summer books easily but you will be doing the climb in heat with no water on the road.
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.
Murphy Hogback 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 5.5 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.
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.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get a Murphy Hogback A permit?
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Murphy Hogback A permits require advance reservations. Book online as soon as reservations open for your desired dates.
When is the best time to visit Murphy Hogback A?
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Spring and fall, the two seasons NPS says outstrip supply. The hogback climb is the reason to care about weather here more than at the flatter camps - wet or icy, this is one of the sections the park singles out. Summer books easily but you will be doing the climb in heat with no water on the road.
How difficult is Murphy Hogback A?
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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 Murphy Hogback A?
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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.
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