Black Spire
Around Hanksville - Utah
Note: On dirt roads, road conditions can change constantly. Therefore, we strongly recommend that everyone check the road conditions before each trip. We do not recommend driving on unpaved roads before, during or shortly after rain or snowfall.
Coordinate parking lot on Highway 24: Latitude: 38.369518; Longitude: -110.841136
Coordinate junction from Highway 24: Latitude: 38.369442: Longitude: -110.831959
Here are the GPX files of our drive
Our visits: So far 1 visit in April 2022
Directions: There are two ways to reach the two Black Spires. If you don't have a car with a four-wheel drive and high ground clearance, we recommend parking directly on Highway 24 and taking the short, easy hike. With a suitable vehicle, you can drive right up to the black pillars. We chose the second option in April 2022. The approach was sandy and very sandy in places. 4×4 and a high ground clearance was necessary in order to get there. When wet, you should not drive the route, in our opinion.
Hike: If you don't have a suitable vehicle, leave the car directly at Highway 24 and walk the 3km to the Spire. The path leads more or less straight ahead over flat terrain. The Little Black Spire can be seen from the road and is a great orientation point during the hike.
Little Black Spire
Description: If you know where to look, you can see the little Black Spire from the street. This black stone column is not so delicate and a little smaller than its big brother. It sits on a relatively steep hill directly below a mesa. If you climb the hill, you can already see the big Black Spire. The terrain is a bit sandy, but basically hiking the area is very easy.
Black Spire
Description: The Black Spire is an impressive large stone needle, although you can't say it's visible from far away because it's a bit hidden between several mesas. You don't see it until you are almost in front of it. Also the terrain is sandy and because there are several hills, the hiking is a little bit more strenuous. But basically, the terrain is very easy to walk on.
Our rating: The two black columns are rather unusual in this barren and inhospitable environment. We almost wonder how they got here. We had great fun climbing over the hills and exploring the area to see the Black Spire from all sides. We would definitely do the hike from the highway for this location. It's worth it.