Hike Mary Jane Canyon via Professor in Moab, Utah

Moab is known for Arches National Park being in its backyard. Then add in Canyonlands National Park and Dead Horse State Park as neighbors and most forget about Moab as more than just a place to stay. What some don’t realize is that there are some amazing outdoor experiences to be had without venturing into one of those parks. You’ll hear people say how much it is changing and that is true. From the crackdown of where you can camp for free, to trails closing to motorized vehicles and more rules regarding dogs on trails. It does change things but this place has become so busy that some of these rules are needed. With that said, you still can find that Moab experience you had traveled to get.

We always enjoy our time here but this time we decided to not venture into a park and to just experience Moab and its trails. There are quite a few options once you really start researching. We were going to be there on a warm day, had a dog and wanted a little adventure to the hike. The one that kept coming up was Mary Jane Canyon. So, Mary Jane Canyon via Professor trail was our adventure for the day.

Getting to Mary Jane Canyon via Professor

The drive to get there is a bit out of the way and then you still turn down a long rutted gravel road with sharp turns and narrow spots. The parking lot is not large, so I would suggest not towing anything and there is no longer free camping along the road for vans or trucks wanting to just go part way and then walk. The parking it lot is where BLM 98 ends.

Hiking Mary Jane Canyon via Professor Trail

I will start this off with a warning. This trail is fully exposed and on a very hot day, even with hiking through water, make sure to bring enough water to drink (the water you walk through is not good to filter or use drops) and sunscreen. It can feel like you are trapped in a heat bubble very quickly. But as I said there is plenty of water through this hike for dogs. I would still suggest this in the spring, winter or fall and be very aware in the summer. We were there in the fall and didn’t know if it would be hot enough for it to be comfortable while hiking wet. Well it definitely was and so we were glad for the never ending water source!

Miles: 8 ♦ Elevation Gain: 600′ ♦ Trail Type: Out and Back ♦ Trail Level: Easy with a few rock scrambles and through water ♦ Warning: Can be extremely hot in summer

Your hike starts right at the parking lot. It can be a bit confusing as two trails start here. As you are looking at this sign take a left.

It starts along the ridge line with some beautiful views.

This hike is along a stream. We knew we would get wet and so we decided to see how long you could go before actually having to walk in the water. We got to about a mile and then it just became easier and a lot more fun. If you have never hiked through a canyon or within a stream, you have to know where to step as there are a ton of ankle breakers underneath. It isn’t clear water here. It is as brown as the rocks and walls. Step carefully.

We love hiking through canyons and Utah has some of the best in the world. We were lucky to have the trail to ourselves and Anza had so much fun roaming around.

There are a few side trails that don’t go far but can be a fun quick adventure.

As you continue, the walls get higher and even though it stays flat, it can be an exhausting hike. You will realize on the way back that it was downhill on the way to the turn around spot.

You can turn around at any point, but the full distance referenced above is ending at the waterfall! It is pretty amazing seeing a waterfall within the desert. This might be the only spot where you could filter water, but I would still recommend trying to carry enough instead.