Chloride Canyon

Trail Overview

Chloride Canyon is a 6.5-mile point-to-point trail located in Iron County, Utah. The trail is one of several that create the Antelope Range Loop and includes a section of the Old Spanish Trail. Chloride Canyon is a compacted dirt single-track trail that crosses through the middle of the Antelope Range. The trail provides a sloping descent to the west arriving in the Escalante Desert, where it meets Sand Spring Road-Old Spanish Trail. There are side trails leading up to many of the active mining claims, so please observe any warning signs that may be encountered. Cell phone service is intermittent. The nearest services are in Newcastle and Cedar City.

Photos of Chloride Canyon

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Difficulty

The trail consists of loose rocks, dirt, and sand with some slickrock surfaces. Mud holes are possible, but there are no steps higher than 12 inches. 4WD may be required, and aggressive tires are a plus.

History

The Antelope Range is significant for several reasons. First is that the Historic Spanish Trail followed the western side of the range (see Sand Spring Road-Old Spanish Trail). The Spanish Trail was established in 1829 as a trade route from Santa Fe, New Mexico, and Los Angeles, California. Second is the historic Antelope Range (Silver Belt) mining district established in 1872, which still has 590 active claims as of 2022, located along the western side of the range. As the name suggests this was a major silver ore mining area with mine names such as Bright Angel, Bullion, Chloride Canyon, and Lucky Chance. Lastly, the entire Antelope Range is part of the Chloride Canyon Herd Management Area, a 64,000-acre reserve for wild horses. Characterized by vast acres of sagebrush and pinyon-juniper foothills, the region offers a variety of landscapes ranging from salt desert shrub flats to high mountains with riparian, aspen, and bristlecone pine.

Technical Rating