Overview

The Grand Circle Trail is an 11.6-mile loop that starts at the Visitor Center and roughly parallels the Scenic Loop Road. From the Visitor Center, the trail runs up along the base of the Calico Hills to Sandstone Quarry, cuts out across the desert to White Rock Spring, the highpoint on the loop trail, then follows the White Rock Loop trail down towards Willow Springs, finally turning off and heading back down along Red Rock Wash to the Visitor Center. The trail passes red sandstone crags and rock art, all the while traversing open desert with grand vistas in all directions. Parts of the trail aren't laid out as well as one might wish, but the trail makes for a good winter workout in the desert.

Presented here are details of the Grand Circle Loop Trail from the Sandstone Quarry Trailhead to Upper White Rock Trailhead. For an overview of the entire trail, see Grand Circle Overview.

Link to map.

Link to BLM Georeference PDF map file.

Watch Out

Other than the standard warnings about hiking in the desert, ...this hike is fairly safe, even for kids, but there are some short, steep scrambles through rocky areas near the Calico II parking area. Always be extra careful when you get high enough to fall and hurt yourself. Most of this trail is relatively well groomed, relatively free of rocks, and makes for easy walking. Be careful crossing the paved roads.

While hiking, please respect the land and the other people out there, and try to Leave No Trace of your passage. Also, even though this is a short hike, be sure to bring what you need of the 10 Essentials.

The Hike

Sandstone Quarry to White Rock (2.3 miles)

From the north end of the Sandstone Quarry parking area (Wpt. 10), the Grand Circle Trail runs north on the combined Turtlehead Peak -- Calico Tanks Trail. About 120 yards out, just as the trail enters the big, open gravel area with the Sandstone Quarry exhibit and big square quarried boulders, the Grand Circle Trail (Wpt. 11) forks off to the left and runs southwest through the shrubs and out across the wash. When departing the quarry area, look west to see the Grand Circle Trail climbing the bank on the far side of the wash.

Across the wash, the trail climbs the bank at a moderate grade onto a low ridge just below sandstone crags. The trail continues west, crosses a flat, open area, crosses another low ridge, and drops into a gravel wash. The trail turns north following the wash, turns west again, and runs out north over rolling terrain to the Scenic Loop Road (Wpt. 12).

From the Scenic Loop Road (Wpt. 12), the trail continues southwest down the hillside to cross a wash and run up onto the next low ridge. The trail runs up and over the ridge, then down into the next wash. From there, the trail turns south and climbs onto the next ridge, but then begins a long, gradual descent across the next hillside into the bottom of the next wash to the west (Wpt. 13).

The trail bends north and continues across the rolling terrain to another major wash (Wpt. 14). The trail drops into the wash, turns north, and runs up the wash following cairns for about 60 yards. The trail eventually turns out of the wash to the left by an isolated, rounded Utah Juniper tree (Wpt. 15) and continues northwest across the rolling hillsides. The trail crosses the Scenic Loop Road again and enters the Lower White Rock Road Trailhead (Wpt. 16).

Following White Rock Road uphill, the trail passes Grand Circle and Keystone Thrust trailhead signs, then continues another 0.5 miles to the far end of the road and the Upper White Rock Trailhead parking area, which has a vault toilet.