If you’re looking for an incredible, otherworldly place to visit in Utah that tourist crowds seemingly haven’t found yet, put the Long Dong Silver Spire on your list.
Located near Hanksville, Utah, this unique rock formation is easily accessible on a road trip between Moab and Capitol Reef National Park. It’s a little tricky to find, requires a short drive down a bentonite-clay dirt road, and will leave you feeling like you’re on another planet.
My husband and I hiked to the Long Dong Silver Spire in October of 2024 and it blew our minds in the best way possible. I literally have seen nothing like it.
This post will cover everything you need to know about hiking to this incredible rock formation, including how to get there, what to expect, photography tips, and more!
What is the Long Dong Silver Spire?
Long Dong Silver is a 350-foot tall, pointy rock formation near Hanksville, Utah located in the San Rafael Swell. It was given its name in 1993 by 2 rock climbers named Matt Moore and Josh Blumental after they climbed it.
I’ve also seen this rock formation called “The Dark Spire,” “The Needle,” and “The Spire,” but “Long Dong Silver” seems to be the name that has stuck.
This area of Utah looks nothing like the red rock formations you find in the rest of the southern half of the state.
The landscape here is a yellow-grey-purple clay and shale that is similar to the surface of the moon and Mars. In fact, there is the Mars Desert Research Station located nearby just because the terrain is so similar to Mars (you can’t visit it though, as it is closed to the public unfortunately).
The Long Dong Silver Spire and a few other rock formations in this area consist of a type of rock that is just hard enough to have survived a lot of erosion events over millions of years. It is slowly crumbling away, so who knows how much longer we will have to enjoy it.
Technically you can climb the Long Dong Silver Spire (no one is here to stop you), but since the rock is so fragile it is not recommended.
Where is the Long Dong Silver Spire?
The Long Dong Silver Spire is located about 7 miles west of Hanksville, Utah in the San Rafael Swell. Hanksville is located just east of Capitol Reef National Park and west of Moab.
It’s easily accessed from Utah Highway 24. You’ll turn off the highway onto a dirt path and then hike to the spire.
The closest major airport to get to Hanksville is Salt Lake City, and then it’s a 3.5 hour drive south. I suggest visiting Hanksville as a part of a Utah road trip (check the end of this post for suggestions on other things to do in the area).
You can easily visit it on a day trip from Torrey or Moab as well.
Here are driving times to Hanksville from popular nearby destinations:
- Moab, UT: 109 miles / 1.5 – 2 hours
- Torrey, UT (near Capitol Reef National Park): 48 miles / 1 hour
- Zion National Park: 218 miles / 3.5 – 4 hours
Related: 15 Best Things to Do in Capitol Reef National Park
How to Get to the Trailhead
Getting to the Long Dong Silver Spire is a bit tricky. You can’t just type it into Google or Apple Maps and have it take you there.
If you’re coming from Hanksville, head west on Highway 24 for about 7 miles. There will be a house to your left so you know you’re in the right area. Turn right off the road at this point onto a dirt path.
Follow the dirt road for about a mile until you get to a sign that says “cross country travel prohibited.” Park your car and prepare to hike!
If you don’t want to drive your car off-road, you can always park along Highway 24 and hike the extra mile in. This will make your round-trip hike about 4 miles instead of 2.
GPS Coordinates
The GPS coordinates for the Long Dong Silver Spire along with the parking area are below:
- Long Dong Silver Spire: 38.393828, -110.832310
- Parking Area: 38.3824761, -110.8384185
It’s easiest to put the parking area coordinates into your map and follow it. The map below shows where Long Dong Silver is in comparison to Hanksville and the parking area.
Hiking to the Long Dong Silver Spire
From the parking area, it’s a pretty straightforward walk for about 1 mile. You’ll see vehicle tracks almost the entire way, even though you’re not supposed to drive past the parking area.
The map below shows a high-level, zoomed-in overview of where the trail is.
Follow the tracks and notice the scenery around you. You’ll see another tall spire to your left. This one is allegedly called “The Angel of Death” (I’m not sure why the spire rock formations have such dramatic names out here!). The Angel of Death has been severely damaged by rock climbers and is dangerous to climb.
(Some of the photos below were taken in night mode on my iPhone 15 and then brightened up after the fact, so they might look a little grainy).
Continue your hike until you reach the bowl-shaped canyon that the Long Dong Silver Spire is located in. You’ll make a slight right turn and see it sticking up past the canyon walls!
The trail leads you right up to the base of the spire. You can’t truly appreciate how tall it is until you stand next to it!
The best viewpoint is located past the spire on top of the hill. You’ll get a great view of the Long Dong Silver Spire with the canyon scenery around it.
When you’re finished taking in the view and getting photos, hike back out the way you came. The total hike is 2 miles with minimal elevation gain.
Photographing the Long Dong Silver Spire
The best time of day to photograph the spire is at sunrise or sunset. The best location to photograph the Long Dong Silver Spire is behind it on top of the hill.
At this location at sunrise, the sun will be behind you. As it rises over the horizon and canyon walls, it will illuminate the sky and the rock formations with an incredible glow.
At sunset, you will be looking into the sun until it lowers behind the canyon and lights up the sky with gorgeous colors.
Drones are also allowed here, unlike at National Parks. If you are into drone photography, this would be an incredible place to photograph!
What to Expect
There are no facilities out by the Long Dong Silver Spire. Use the bathroom and grab water and snacks before you get here!
Don’t expect to have cell service, either. Plug the GPS coordinates into your map before you leave so your map can load before losing signal.
You can’t see the spire from the road and you won’t see it until you get to the last part of your hike. It is located in a bowl-shaped canyon that shields it from view.
The soil in this area is very fragile, so practice the principles of leave no trace so we can continue to enjoy this place in the future. Do not try to climb any of the spires or rock formations out here and do not drive your vehicle past the parking area.
Our Experience
We hiked to the Long Dong Silver Spire at sunrise in October of 2024 before heading out to Factory Butte and the Moonscape Overlook nearby.
We found the parking area relatively easily and arrived when it was pitch black outside. We started our hike in the dark and got to the viewpoint a few minutes before the sun rose over the canyon walls and it was absolutely incredible!
It was amazing how quiet it was out there. There are no sounds of wildlife, no birds, no cars, no people talking, nothing. What a cool experience!
We saw a total of 3 other people on our hike. 2 of them had camped at the parking area the night before and the other person was there with a drone.
Hiking back out was cool because we got to see everything we missed on the way out since it was so dark when we started.
I would highly recommend this experience to anyone passing through this area of Utah. The hike is easy and flat, you don’t need a 4WD vehicle, and it is a relatively quick stop. This hike was easily my favorite thing we did in Hanksville!
Where to Stay
Hanksville is the closest place to stay near the Long Dong Silver Spire, but accommodations are pretty minimal.
If you don’t mind only having 3 restaurants to choose from and staying in a basic motel, I definitely recommend staying a night here if you can make it work with your trip. There are some fun, lesser-known places to visit near Hanksville that can fill a day and make your stay worth it!
We stayed at the Whispering Sands Motel for one night and had no issues. There is one gas station and a small handful of restaurants, and that’s about it. Make sure to eat at Outlaw’s Roost for fresh, Mexican food and great service with a fun atmosphere!
If you’re looking for more amenities, staying in Torrey, Utah is a reasonable option as well. It is located an hour west of Hanksville on the other side of Capitol Reef National Park, though. There are plenty of hotels, a general store, restaurants, and gift shops.
Here are some good lodging options in Torrey:
- Red Sands Hotel and Spa: We stayed here for 2 nights on our second trip and would recommend it. There is a pool, spa, rock garden, and a restaurant on-site.
- Capitol Reef Resort: You can stay in a luxury room, a glamping teepee, or a wagon with an amazing view of the red rock cliffs. There is also a restaurant, pool, and hot tub.
- Chuck Wagon Lodge: This is a great budget option with a convenient location above the general store with a bakery and deli.
- Broken Spur Inn: Simple, affordable accommodations 5 minutes from the park. They also have wagons you can stay in.
Do you plan to hike to the Long Dong Silver Spire on your next trip to Utah? Leave any other questions you may have in the comments below and I’ll do my best to answer them!
-Megan
Other Things to Do Nearby
FACTORY BUTTE & THE MOONSCAPE OVERLOOK: Located just a few miles west of the Long Dong Silver Spire, enjoy the incredible moon-like scenery and photograph the towering Factory Butte. Getting here is a bit tricky, so check out my guide to visiting Factory Butte and the Moonscape Overlook before your trip.
GOBLIN VALLEY STATE PARK: Check out this Utah State Park filled with sandstone hoodoos and other unique rock formations. It’s located 30 minutes north of Hanksville.
LITTLE WILD HORSE CANYON: Explore this neat slot canyon located in the same area as Goblin Valley State Park. You can hike an entire 8-mile loop, or just as far as you’d like. This area is still on our list of places to visit in the San Rafael Swell area, but it looks amazing.
CAPITOL REEF NATIONAL PARK: Visit Utah’s most underrated National Park located just 45 minutes west of Hanksville. Check out my 1-4 day Capitol Reef itinerary, the top things to do in Capitol Reef, and the best hikes in Capitol Reef.
MOAB, UTAH: Home to Arches and Canyonlands National Parks, Moab is a great adventure town to base yourself in while exploring. Check out the 16 best things to do in Arches National Park and the 15 top things to do in Canyonlands Island in the Sky District.
