Lacy Szuwalski
- Feb 5, 2021
- 2 min read

Ladder Canyon & Painted Canyon

Updated: Mar 10, 2021

8.5 miles of Beauty, Bucket List #155 - ✔️

Destination

We set out to do the Ladder Canyon and Painted Canyon Trail listed in Alltrails. While we didn't end up doing the exact trail listed, we did get in a bucket list worthy experience.

🎵 "Sign, Sign, Everywhere a Sign" 🎵

There are signs throughout the canyon to help hikers navigate their path. Somehow we missed the biggest rock arrow there was that points explorers to the start of the trail. (Pictured below)

To make sure you don't miss this sign too, the best indicator is the "Beware" pole to the right. When you see this pole on your right, look down for the huge rock arrow and take a left.

While I can't tell you what to do beyond that point if you want to continue on the Alltrails route (because we didn't go that way), I can tell you people recommended taking that route so that you are only going up ladders and not down them.

We ended up sticking to the right and wound up on an out and back trail. The pictures below show the AllTrails map (in red) and the trail we did on Google Maps (in blue). After the out and back trail, we did end up doing part of the loop listed in Alltrails and turned around after going against one too many arrows pointing the other direction. It just felt wrong not to follow the arrows. What can I say... I'm a rule follower (unless it involves hot tubs).

I would definitely recommend downloading a map before you start your adventure. There are lots of turns to pay attention to and we did run into two sets of people who had gotten disconnected from their group.

I was happy to have an adventure partner for this hike. He helped us "stay found" and gave me the extra confidence I needed taking on the ladders. Because we went on an out and back trail when we stuck to the right, we ended up coming back down the ladders we went up. My travel partner and I both agreed that we actually thought it felt better coming down the ladders than going up with the exception of the moment you've got to turn your body around to be facing the canyon wall. The best advice I could give came from a 10 year old we ran into on the hike. I asked him how it was and he said, "You've gotta trust the ladders."