To those who know Capitol Reef National Park well, the Old Wagon Trail is often considered the red-headed stepchild of the park’s front-country hikes. Though the 3.8-mile stem-and-loop—starting right off the Scenic Drive—features one excellent viewpoint, it comes at a price: a long and monotonous slog 1,080 feet up the dip slope of pinyon- and …
Continue reading Old Wagon Trail (Capitol Reef National Park, UT)
Capitol Reef National Park’s Fremont River Trail, named for the perennial stream it follows, ends atop a windswept hill providing sweeping views of the Waterpocket Fold, a 100-mile long wrinkle in the Earth’s crust accented by a panoply of colors. The first third of the hike traverses a trail that is wide, flat, and accessible …
Continue reading Fremont River Trail (Capitol Reef National Park, UT)
Not surprisingly, one of the most popular questions at the Visitor Center in Capitol Reef National Park is: “Where should I go for the sunset?” Well, we have a hike for that—aptly named the “Sunset Point Trail.” This short jaunt—2/3 mile round trip—features sweeping vistas of the Waterpocket Fold, Capitol Reef’s defining geological feature, as …
Continue reading Sunset Point Trail (Capitol Reef National Park, 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)
Live and Let Hike 