Gooseberry A Gear Checklist

What shapes your gear on Gooseberry A

Where it sits

The park lists Gooseberry as two sites (A and B) sharing one toilet, 30 miles from the visitor center and about 3 hours of driving.

From Canyonlands National Park (NPS)

How A differs from B

A camping directory describes A as small, close to the road, and mostly slickrock with patches of packed dirt, very near the canyon rim, with the toilet closer to A than to B. B is larger, set back from the road, and mostly packed dirt. A guide who stayed at A called it the better of the two.

From The Dyrt and Fox in the Forest

The rim walk

A guide who slept at Gooseberry A put the canyon edge about a 3-minute walk away and found the sunrise there spectacular, though the sunset was cloudy.

From Fox in the Forest

The Gooseberry Trail

A party that stayed at A started the Gooseberry Trail from camp the next morning. They described it as a 5.6-mile out-and-back with 1,550 feet of climbing to the Island in the Sky overlook.

From 2021 Utah Off-Roading

Phone signal

A party at the neighboring site B had a weak Verizon signal that sometimes carried data. The directory lists some Verizon coverage and none on the other two big carriers.

From The AZ Hikeaholics and The Dyrt

What hikers carry on Gooseberry A

• Chairs and a shade plan that does not depend on the tree

  A driving party parked their chairs under a shade tree at A. The directory's overview credits the same tree with cover late in the day and into the morning, but its site description says A has no shade. At the neighboring site B, one party sat in the shade of their Jeep because nothing else gave any.

  From 2021 Utah Off-Roading, The Dyrt and ADVENTR.co

• Spare fuel for yourself and a margin for others

  Two motorcycles reached that party's camp in the afternoon asking to buy gas because they had realized they could not finish the loop. The party had no external can, and wrote that gas and water are things to plan before starting.

  From 2021 Utah Off-Roading

• Earplugs for the wind

  A party at site B called the night windy and cold, and said earplugs made it possible to sleep. A rider at B got sand into clothes and bikes, said the wind never stopped, and now takes earplugs on every desert trip.

  From The AZ Hikeaholics and Mountain Bike Reviews forum

• Extra water and sturdy footwear for the Gooseberry Trail

  The Gooseberry Trail starts near camp. The first 1.5 miles follow a flat wash, then the route steepens with some rock scrambling near drop-offs, and the party that hiked it was worn out by the time they got back. The park asks for at least 1 gallon (4 L) per person per day and more if you will be active.

  From 2021 Utah Off-Roading and Canyonlands National Park (NPS)

• Warm layers for a windy night

  The night at Gooseberry was the coldest of a four-day trip in late April, coming after a cold, rainy day. The party still had a windy evening and night.

  From The AZ Hikeaholics

• Dust-proof storage for food and bedding

  Without rain the road is very dusty, so the same party kept sleeping gear and the camp kitchen in sealed, dust-proof cases.

  From The AZ Hikeaholics

Gear questions for Gooseberry A