Sound of Silence Trail – Dinosaur National Monument

Sound of Silence Trail in Dinosaur National Monument

Dinosaur National Monument is a spot I have wanted to visit for a long time. It just always seemed just out of my reach. Way too far for a day trip and its spot crossing the Colorado – Utah border put it just out of reach on my road trips. So on my last trip to Salt Lake City, I made a point to stop and spend some real time at the park. Dinosaur is famous for the amazing fossils that have been discovered, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t some amazing hiking trails available. The first one that I found was the Sounds of Silence trail, a trail full of beauty and wide views.

Getting Started

While there are hiking trails near both the Colorado and Utah entrances to Dinosaur National Monument, the Sound of Silence trail is found using the Utah entrance. The trailhead is located about a half mile past the Quarry Visitor Center. There is a small pullout at the trailhead that has room for a couple of cars. The trail then leads across an open field before following a wash area into the rocks. When I hiked in June, the wash was completely dry. There is a loop option that you can take but I stayed to the left and did the trail more clockwise.

The Sound of Silence

One thing I noticed on this hike was how quiet it was. On a hot, windless summer day, there was nothing to disturb the surround brush. An occasional lizard was all that broke the silence of the hike. Once I made it to the rocks, the trail gets a little more technical but nothing too challenging but still the quiet remained.

The lower rocky section last for about a mile. There is a constant gradual uphill but nothing I would consider steep until the end of the interior section. The rock formations in this section are really amazing. There are also some trees and bushes down near the wash area. About a mile into this little canyon, the trail leads you to the top level where the views definitely change.

Painted Desert

The top section of the Sound of Silence trail reminded me a lot of the painted desert in Arizona. There is layered white rock surrounded by red clay/sand that gives everything a nice layered look. The contrast in the colors, especially under a blue sky is really impressive.

This upper section is about a mile long and it is totally exposed! There is very little shade up here and the sun is intense! I was very glad that I had water with me as I made my way across the sun scorched earth. This area didn’t seem like it was a mile because you can see most of the hike. After about a mile it connects with the Desert Voices trail, or you can continue on the loop to make it back to the trailhead. I continued on the loop and the Sound of Silence had one more trick up its sleeve waiting for me there!

The Chute

While the majority of the Sound of Silence hike is easy, there is one spot that gets a little tricky, even for experienced hikers. I called this area the Chute. It was a very steep rocky section that felt way more vertical than it actually was!

I’m not sure if this photo does justice to just how narrow and steep the chute is. I think hiking up it would be a bit easier than coming down. The shoot is also covered in sand making it a bit more slick than I would have liked. Now, I am a bit scared of heights, so trying to traverse this decline probably hit me a bit harder than most.

Once past the chute, there is only about a tenth of a mile before making it back to the main trail to finish off the loop by heading to the trailhead. I had a really nice time hiking the Sound of Silence trail. the views were really enjoyable and it really was a nice quiet hike! Not many people traverse the desert hikes in the middle of June!

Video of the Sound of Silence Hike at Dinosaur National Monument

I have put this time-lapse video together of hiking the Sound of Silence trail so other hikers can get a feel of what the hike is like. If you enjoy this video make sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel. It is free to subscribe and you will get the latest outdoor content.

Distance and Elevation

If you don’t have the AllTrails app you might want to check it out, I really love mine. It records your progress and is a great way to search for hikes that are nearby and gives you difficulty measurements. According to AllTrails today’s hike was around 3.4 miles and had a total elevation gain of about 328 feet including undulations. That put the high point at around 5,130 feet. I was also moving for a total of 1 hour and 26 minutes.

I am a Pro member of AllTrails and love it. If you are interested in the platform, please consider using my affiliate link for AllTrails. It gives me a small commission with no extra cost to you.

Effort

The Sound of Silence trail is a bit tricky when it comes to the effort. While the trial itself is not that challenging, shorter without much elevation, the conditions can make for a very challenging hike if you are not prepared. The trail is exposure and the heat in the summer can cause trouble fast for those not used to the conditions. There is also one very steep rock chasm that can be very challenging depending on if you are going up or downhill. I am going to consider this a moderate hike because of those conditions. Make sure that you have plenty of water, none is available on the trail, and sun protection.

Terrain

The trail for Sound of Silence is mostly a narrow, sandy trail that is easier to follow as it stands out against the the rest of the desert. There is a bit of elevation but for the most part it isn’t too bad. The trickiest part is a very steep rock chute that is difficult going up or down. The heat and sun and wind exposure can be brutal so make sure that you are prepared with plenty of water and sun protection.

Access to the Sound of Silence Trail

The Sound of Silence Trail is part of Dinosaur National Monument. A day pass costs $15-25 or you can use an America the Beautiful Pass. The parking area is about a mile from the Visitor Center and just a small pullout on the road. There are no restrooms at the trailhead so best to use the visitor center for any facilities.

Wrapping up the Sound of Silence Trail

I was so excited to finally make my way to Dinosaur National Monument. It is such an amazing place with so much history and fossil’s! As a hiker, I also wanted to make sure that I hit a couple of trails and starting with the Sound of Silence was perfect. The trail cuts through the center of the park and showed the rock and sand of a desert style hike. I love to hike in different areas like this, just to see how the climates of different places effect the flora and fauna. This was definitely a great place to hike.

A bit of a warning for those who want to hike here, it is very hot in the summer! The air is dry and the land and sun are pretty unforgiving. Please, make sure that you have plenty of water and sun protection with you if you decide to hike here. If you are prepared, it is a great hike to enjoy!

I have added this hike and all of my hikes to the interactive map page you can find here. If you have any suggestions for hikes or comments feel free to email me at fatmanlittletrails@gmail.com or you can follow me on any of the below social media platforms. Happy Hiking!

Gallery of the Sound of Silence Trail

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