Of the 3 canyons in this area Burro Wash, Cottonwood Wash, and Five Mile, Cottonwood Wash is by far my favorite With a shuttle, it is a very casual canyon, though will take a full day by the time the shuttle is done both ways The narrow section is magnificent, and fairly continuous All drops are fairly short, with relatively straightforward anchors That makes this a good choice for intermediate canyoneers, or even beginner groups with competent leadership Some groups do 4+ rappels, though 3 seems to be the number o...

Cohab Canyon was my first hike in Capitol Reef back in the 90's, and it got me hooked If you have two vehicles, the hike can be done as a through hike, though most will only have one vehicle and do it as an out-and-back The hike can be done from either the Hickman Bridge Trailhead or Fruita trailhead though I would strongly recommend starting from Fruita since you get the steep part over quickly and come to dramatic views sooner This description starts from the Fruita side Though this hike has a bit of elevation, t...

The Wives are a total of 7 short canyons in Capitol Reef that are side drainages of Cohab Canyon The canyons are all very short, so only take an hour or so once the approach is made A competent group can do 2-3 of them easily in a day That being said, if you are OCD, such as myself, you will undoubtedly do all 7 For those more quality oriented, Wife 5 is head and shoulders above the rest Wife 3 is also fairly good Beyond that, I would not highly recommend the others Wife 4 and 1 are OK, next I would put Wife 2, and...

Upper Spring Canyon is one of those hikes that tests your mettle It is seldom trodden, long, and has beautiful scenery The hike is one I would recommend only to very fit and experienced desert hikers The route contains moderate route finding, sections of rough terrain, and has very limited water availability, the types of difficulties that can spell disaster for the unprepared Though challenging, it is also a very rewarding hike, ascending through layers of sandstone, up and over the Wingate layer, then meandering ...

The Old Wagon Trail Loop hike is different than many others in the park It meanders up Miners Mountain along and old wagon road, then loops around back to the trailhead The main attraction is the historical wagon trail, and the views of the Waterpocket Fold to the east from a distance This is not a hike I would highly recommend, though it is interesting and has good views Though the road was surely in better condition back in its day, it is humbling to think of the difficulties in building and using such a rough tr...

Beaver Bay Canyon has a lot of bang for its buck A short approach leads to a short, but interesting and pretty canyon The exit Well, it's almost literally a hop skip and a jump from the end of the canyon back to your car Not a canyoneer No problem, hiking up from the bottom is a fun outing that still allows you to see most of the canyon The length makes this a great after dinner hike Warning: This route requires crossing the Fremont River In much of the year, the river is very shallow and easy to wade, but when wat...

Conditions Note: Flash floods in 2019 have changed the canyon a bit Expect two swims, one below the second waterfall, and one below the third! Not a problem on hot days, but could be unwelcome on cool days Sulphur Creek is not an "official" Captiol Reef trail, but is an official route It is one of the more stunning hikes in the park for those interested in geology This hike has the distinction of hiking through the oldest rock in the park This hike involves qiute a bit of wading If doing it in early spring or late ...

Off of the Frying Pan Trail and into the Fire Canyon! Though a short canyon, this is a fun romp with big views The approach takes in the distant and dramatic views of Capitol Reef The canyon meanders through Wingate and Navajo layers with several interesting sections Most of the canyon is an easy and straightforward amble The crux section, however, requires a few downclimbs that are a bit exposed, and a bit hard! Every group needs a solid climber! Anchors aren't easily available at two of the crux drops

A short canyon, with big views Smokestack is a canyon you do more for the approach and exit hikes than for the actual canyon The approach winds its way up an improbable gully to the top of Meeks Mesa using a circuitous route locals have often used in the past to reach the mesa top The views from the mesa are stunning of the Aquarius Plateau to the south, Thousand Lake Mountain, and the Waterpocket Fold After taking in the views, Smokestack is descended to Chimney Rock canyon, and the ever lovely Chimney Rock canyon...

Tucked high above Hickman Bridge, Stegosaur Slot offers a short narrow section of canyon with an amazing approach The views along the approach are stunning, and the route up offers just enough route finding challenge to be fun The canyon is named after a distinctive ridgeline that defines the skyline above the canyon I had poked around this area years ago, and when I recently heard of a new canyon being done called Stegosaur Slot, I immediately knew the general area It is a very distinctive landmark The route descr...