Most hikes in the Island in the Sky District in Canyonlands National Park are either short or go steeply down to the bench (White Rim) below, then steeply back up.    For hikers looking for a suitable distance with a reasonable grade, the Neck Springs Hike is a very good choice.   It is 5 mile loop hike with little elevation gain.   The trail winds around canyon rims with some up and down, but maintains good views for the whole distance.   It starts and finishes at the Neck which is a narrow spot (40 feet wide) on the Island in the Sky mesa.   The trailhead is at the Shafer Canyon Viewpoint Parking Area, about a kilometer past The Visitors Center.   The trail heads east through the high desert sandstone at 6200 feet.

The whole trail is on a good surface allowing for a good pace for the distance as we follow the rims of several canyons.

A few juniper trees hang on in rocky soil and a few skeletons stand in the dry climate.

Gullies and canyons run in various directions off the top of the mesa.

We climb one section of slickrock to get onto the bench above.

At the end of the loop, are some views down the Shafer Canyon to the White Rim area, a rough road on a bench overlooking the Colorado River.   This is a favorite route for mountain bikers, a big loop around Island in the Sky.

Neck Springs was our favorite hike in the Island in the Sky District.   It can be combined with another short hike (Mesa Arch and Aztec Butte) in the same area for a full day of hiking.