A Hiker Trash Guide

to the Hayduke Trail

Offline topo maps, real-time water reports, GPS navigation, and community trail conditions for 800 miles across Utah's wildest canyon country.

This app is still in early testing and is not yet ready to be relied upon for a real Hayduke hike. If you're planning a trip this fall or spring, use it as a planning tool alongside better-established resources, not as your on-trail navigation. We're working toward something worth trusting out there, but we're not there yet.

Good starting points: Jupiter's guide, Halfway Anywhere, the original Hayduke guidebook, and Peaches' notes on the HDT. Read before you go.

🍎 Beta for iPhone 🤖 Beta for Android

Join the Beta

The app is in active testing. If you're planning a Hayduke trip and want early access, here's how to get on it.

Beta software. Not stable enough to rely on for an actual hike this fall or spring season. Good for planning and exploring the route data, not a replacement for a dedicated GPS and paper maps on trail.

iPhone / iOS

TestFlight Beta

Install via Apple's TestFlight. No App Store approval needed, just tap the link and install. Updates come through automatically as we push them.

Join TestFlight Beta

Requires iOS 16.4+. You'll need the free TestFlight app installed first.

Android

Google Play Testing

Android testing is through a closed Google group. Join the group first, then access the Play Store testing link to install.

Join the Google Group Play Store Beta

Step 1: join the group. Step 2: install from Play Store. Both links required. Contact [email protected] with any issues.

Built for the Hayduke

🗺️

Offline Topo Maps

Download USGS topographic tiles for the entire trail corridor. Full GPS navigation with no cell service required.

💧

226 Water Sources

Community-sourced water conditions with reliability ratings. Know which springs are flowing before you commit to a dry stretch.

📍

413 Waypoints

Water, campsites, resupply points, road crossings, hazards, and landmarks. All pinned to the GPS track with descriptions and condition reports.

🔀

47 Alternate Routes

Official Hayduke variants, bad-weather bypasses, and high-water detours. Toggle them on the map and compare distance and gain.

📊

Elevation Profiles

Elevation gain, loss, and profile for every section and alternate. Useful for planning water carries and picking camp spots.

💬

Community Reports

Leave and read condition reports on any waypoint. Trail conditions sync automatically when you're back in service.

How It Works

Do your research first

Read the Jupiter Guide, study water carries, and review the community notes on trailpeaches.com/hdt before your trip. This app is your on-trail companion, not your planning document.

Download the app

Available on iPhone and Android. Create an account to sync your data and condition reports across devices.

Download trail data on WiFi

Grab the full Hayduke trail pack (maps, waypoints, water reports, alternates) before you head out. Everything works offline once downloaded.

Navigate on trail

GPS position on topo maps, nearest waypoint info, distance to next water, and section progress. No cell service needed.

Report conditions

When you hit service, your trail reports sync automatically. Help the next hiker know what's flowing and what's dry.

About the Hayduke Trail

The Hayduke Trail is roughly 800 miles of canyon country in southern Utah, connecting Arches, Canyonlands, Capitol Reef, Bryce Canyon, Grand Staircase-Escalante, and Grand Canyon through some of the most remote and wild desert terrain in North America. Most of it is cross-country. It will humble you.

The trail is named for George Washington Hayduke, protagonist of Edward Abbey's The Monkey Wrench Gang (1975) and Hayduke Lives! (1990). If you haven't read them, fix that before you go. This app has no affiliation with Abbey's estate or any rights holder of his work.

The Hayduke was conceived by Mike Coronella and Joe Mitchell in the 1990s. Mike spent years testing water sources, navigating the canyon terrain, and piecing together a route that connected the parks without ever becoming a proper trail. He's talked about wanting it to stay that way -- an idea as much as a path. Whatever you think of apps and route guides, that spirit is worth keeping in mind out there.

Good Resources

💧

Jamal Green — Across Utah

Jamal's water source documentation is the most detailed and ground-truthed resource for the Hayduke. If you're doing serious planning on water carries, start here.

📚

The Original Hayduke Trail Guidebook

The book that started it all. Good context for the route and how it came together.

🌐

Halfway Anywhere — Hayduke Trail Explained

Mac's overview of the Hayduke. Good starting point if you're new to the trail and figuring out what you're getting into.

📖

Jupiter Guide

A widely-used route guide with section notes, alternates, and resupply info.

📝

Peaches' Notes on the HDT

Trip notes, water carries, resupply logistics, and lessons learned from hiking the route.

Important: waypoints and tracks in this app are not authoritative navigation data. GPS coordinates, trail lines, and waypoint locations are community-sourced and may be inaccurate, incomplete, or out of date. They represent a general route corridor only, not a precise path to follow. Do not rely on this app as your sole navigation source. Always carry dedicated GPS devices, physical topographic maps, and a compass. Verify water sources independently before committing to dry stretches. The Hayduke crosses remote desert terrain with serious hazards including extreme heat, flash floods, and lack of emergency services. Check current conditions with the BLM and NPS before you go. No information in this app is guaranteed to be correct. Use your own judgment out there.