Posey's Trail Overlook
Posey's Trail Overlook sits at 5,600 feet along the Trail of the Ancients, at mile 164 of the route's 600 miles. The terrain drops 731 feet within 600 meters of the overlook, and the view faces 270 degrees, directly toward the setting sun. Arch Canyon Overlook is visible to the north-northwest, 2.6 miles away at 5,291 feet. Farther northwest, at roughly 5 miles, three features cluster together: Hotel Rock Ruin at 6,236 feet, Hotel Rock itself at 6,213 feet, and Hotel Rock Overlook at 6,249 feet. Because the overlook faces due west, sunset light falls directly into the view; sunset times range from 17:05 at the December solstice to 20:44 at the June solstice. Blanding lies 11.9 miles to the northeast, with Monticello another 30 miles beyond it in the same direction. Oljeto, also called Moonlight Water, is 49.5 miles to the southwest. The next stop along the byway is Comb Ridge.

What you’re looking at
Named terrain inside the view from this overlook, nearest first.
- Arch Canyon Overlook5,291 ftnorth-northwest · 2.6 mi
- Hotel Rock Ruin6,236 ftnorthwest · 5.0 mi
- Hotel Rock6,213 ftnorthwest · 5.0 mi
- Hotel Rock Overlook6,249 ftnorthwest · 5.1 mi
Light
This overlook faces sunset — 0° off square to it.
| Date | Sunrise | Sunset | Golden hour |
|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox | 07:23 | 19:31 | 18:56 |
| June solstice | 05:58 | 20:44 | 20:05 |
| September equinox | 07:07 | 19:17 | 18:43 |
| December solstice | 07:30 | 17:05 | 16:24 |
Local time (America/Denver). Computed for this exact position.
Where it is
Mile 164 of 600 along Trail of the Ancients.
- Blanding11.9 mi northeast
- Monticello30.0 mi northeast
- Oljeto (Moonlight Water)49.5 mi southwest
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How high is Posey's Trail Overlook?
Posey's Trail Overlook sits at about 5,600 feet (1,707 m).
What can you see from Posey's Trail Overlook?
From Posey's Trail Overlook: Arch Canyon Overlook (NNW, 2.6 mi); Hotel Rock Ruin (NW, 5.0 mi); Hotel Rock (NW, 5.0 mi); Hotel Rock Overlook (NW, 5.1 mi).
Is Posey's Trail Overlook better at sunrise or sunset?
Sunset. The land falls away from Posey's Trail Overlook toward the sunset, so at sunrise the light is behind you. Exact times shift through the year; the page shows the current window.
What is the nearest town to Posey's Trail Overlook?
Blanding, 12 miles NE of Posey's Trail Overlook.
What is the next lookout after Posey's Trail Overlook?
Comb Ridge is the next surfaced lookout along the same route after Posey's Trail Overlook.
Drive to Posey's Trail Overlook with Byway
Byway plans the scenic way there — real places along Trail of the Ancients, real weather, zero hallucinations — and hands the turns to the navigation you already use.
Byways with this lookout
Day trips start here
- Goosenecks State Park · 28 mi
- Mexican Hat · 28 mi
Locals make it Verified.
Posey's Trail Overlook — confirmed, rated, and photographed by people who actually pulled over. A local confirmation is what upgrades a lookout from Discovered to Verified. Zero hallucinations.
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