There is perhaps no better word to describe the hike to the top of Meeks Mesa than epic. Though the 2.2-mile trail lies just outside the western boundary of Capitol Reef National Park (it is on Fishlake National Forest land), it is arguably equally as, if not more, scenic—and the strenuous climb of more than …
Continue reading Cooks Mesa and Meeks Mesa (Fishlake National Forest, UT)
The half-day out-and-back to Lower Calf Creek Falls is the most popular hike in the Escalante Canyons area, and with good reason. Not only does the colorful and beautifully-framed 126-foot chute make for a blissful destination, but the journey itself is an experience: the trail meanders through a fantastic stretch of canyon, complete with varying …
Continue reading Lower Calf Creek Falls Trail (Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, UT)
Less frequented than its national park neighbors (e.g., Bryce Canyon, Zion, Capitol Reef), Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument (GSENM)—managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM)—is an enormous, 1.9-million-acre maze of cliffs, sinuous slots, and sandstone canyons in the heart of southern Utah. The park’s most popular spot in the Escalante Canyons area is undoubtedly Lower …
Continue reading Upper Calf Creek Falls Trail (Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, UT)
It’s hard to choose a favorite among the multitude of fantastic hikes in Capitol Reef National Park, especially as there are a handful of front-country and backcountry trails I have yet to explore. Yet the subjective leader to date may be the stunning Fremont Gorge Overlook Trail, an underrated and oft-forgotten 4.6-mile out-and-back beginning just …
Continue reading Fremont Gorge Overlook Trail (Capitol Reef National Park, UT)
Peering down at Highway 24 or the Visitor Center from Rim Overlook or atop Navajo Knobs will give you a very different perspective of Capitol Reef National Park than the average visitor. The predominant view in the park is to look up—up at canyon walls, up at ancient petroglyphs, up at the Wingate sandstone cliffs …
Continue reading Rim Overlook and Navajo Knobs Trail (Capitol Reef National Park, UT)
Connecting Highway 24 and the Fremont River with the Scenic Drive, Grand Wash is one of only six drainages cutting east-west through the 100-mile Waterpocket Fold. It also happens to be one of the flattest and easiest hikes in Capitol Reef National Park. The scenic walk, a great option for children or those looking for …
Continue reading Grand Wash Trail (Capitol Reef National Park, UT)
The route into Bitter Spring Creek Canyon is one of those if-you-have-done-everything-else hikes, buried in an isolated corner of Capitol Reef National Park. Yet the geology-minded will be rewarded with up-close views of the eroding layers of Mancos shale, while biologists will discover small groves of cottonwoods and perhaps a few canyon-dwelling creatures. In the …
Continue reading Bitter Spring Creek (Capitol Reef National Park, UT)
In a move partially influenced by a thirst for additional fodder for this blog, I just started a temporary gig as a seasonal interpretive volunteer at Capitol Reef National Park in central Utah. Often overshadowed by nearby national park behemoths like Grand Canyon or Zion, Capitol Reef is nonetheless a fantastic place (to work in or …
Continue reading Petroglyphs Trail (Capitol Reef National Park, UT)
Live and Let Hike 