Capitol Reef National Park is one of the parks in Utah that took me FOREVER to visit. We accidentally drove through it once on the way home from Lake Powell, but I am pretty sure I was sleeping. It is part of a scenic highway and is free to enter. You can stop and get in a quick hike or two before you continue on your journey. But I would recommend at least spending a day here. We went down the day before Christmas Eve. I had just finished my Associates Degree at Salt Lake Community College the day before and like I always do, needed to get away before I started the next semester; this time up at the University of Utah. It had snowed the day before but thankfully it wasn't enough to make hiking impossible. We booked a cheap room for the night at The Noor Hotel and drove straight to the trailhead.
Since we only had one day we decided to do the Grand Wash Trail. Because it was so cold we took our time on the Grand Wash trail and enjoyed ourselves.
One of the best parts about visiting a national park during the off-season is that you literally will see 2 other people on the trail. It is so nice to have it all to yourself and to experience the different sounds around you without the distraction of other hikers. That isn't always a bad thing, but after a brutal accounting and statistics final I was ready for much needed meditation time on a quiet trail. Something else to keep in mind, is that your food options are limited. Torrey is the nearest town, but it was pretty much shutdown because of the off-season, and in our case the holiday. There was a restaurant open by our hotel, thankfully! I had bought microwave meals just in case, but I was happy to trade that in for a baked potato and steak.
Capitol Reef is home to quite a bit of wildlife. We saw deer everywhere and wild turkeys just off the side of the main road. It is also a dark sky designated park, so at the right time you can see the milky way and get some great astrophotography shots. Unfortunately, it was cloudy that night and ruined my chances of getting killer photos.
What You Want to Know
Take Me There!
The Grand Wash Trail from the Capitol Reef National Park Visitor Center is about a 7 minute drive. There will be a sign noting the trailhead and a pullout parking area.
How long is the hike?
The Grand Wash Trail is a 2.2 mile out and back hike that takes you through wide canyon narrows. It can also be linked with the Cassidy Arch Trail which is a steep 1.7 mile out and back hike to a natural arch. The trail will lead you to another entrance and parking area in the park for the trails. Once you have reached this point turn back around and head through the canyon again.
What Do I Wear?!
Since there was snow on the ground we wore lots of layers. I had thermals and snow pants. It was very cold and I wanted thick clothes. I also wore a North Face puffy jacket and a hoodie, plus gloves. It was a lot, but I was comfortable and was able to take off layers if it got to be too hot while we were hiking.
Can I bring my dog?
No. Dogs are not permitted on trails.
Comments