Capitol Reef / Escalante

“Sandstone, Sandals & Slot Canyons

Capitol Reef National Park and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument are in the heart of Utah's "Canyon Country." The Navajo call it the Land of the Sleeping Rainbow.

A hike through Capitol Reef / Escalante is a walk through 200 million years of geologic history. Nearly 10,000 ft. of sedimentary strata are found. The trails reveal ancient environments which include rivers, swamps, deserts and oceans. They range in age from Permian to Cretaceous. The erosion that has since cut through this landscape occurred after the uplift of the Colorado Plateau, sometime in the last 20 million years.

The Fremont Indian Culture began around 700 A.D. They remained for approximately 600 years, farming, hunting and gathering wild food. They are known for their pictographs (painting on rock) and petroglyphs (carving in rock). Their meanings remain a mystery, but can be seen in most canyons that make up this country. Ruins from their culture dot the sheer cliffs to this day.

Capitol Reef & Grand Staircase-Escalante

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Calf Creek Falls Trail, Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument

The trail follows Calf Creek and leads to the 126' Calf Creek Falls. The roundtrip distance is a mere six miles. However, the sandy trail, high temperatures, stream crossings and side canyons can make the trip a long and tiresome day. Along the route we'll encounter Freemont "rock art" and several ancient storage structures perched high on the cliffs where grain was stored.

We started our hike early in an attempt to beat some of the heat, but by midmorning temperatures were well into the 80s. Numerous stream crossings of Calf Creek to enter side canyons and investigate pictographs provided much appreciated opportunities to soak hot feet. The Fremont people used this same drainage to nurture crops grown to supplement native berries, seeds and nuts. We wondered if they also enjoyed soaking hot and tired feet.

At each side canyon I'd head in to explore while Malinda would rest at the nearest shady spot. Each canyon would start out fairly wide and usually grown in with pinyon, aspen and Gambel oak. Vegetation thinned with each step away from Calf Creek. Soon the walls would begin to close in and the larger trees gave way to occasional sage and boulders ranging from the size of footballs to the size of VW's. Though Malinda was never far off, my thoughts would turn to Aron Ralston. In April, while hiking alone in Utah's Bluejohn Canyon, he was pinned when he shifted an 800 lb. boulder. Five days later he cut off his right hand with a rusty multi-tool and hiked out to safety. To my credit, my multi-tool was sharp. ;-)

By early afternoon we'd reached Calf Creek Falls. We weren't disappointed. The next several hours were spent taking photos and having lunch with the spray of the falls and the shade of the canyon walls cooling us. Refreshed, we would begin the hike out, ending a great day in Utah's Canyon Country.



Grand Wash Trail, Capitol Reef National Park

This hike can be done as either a shuttle, or an out and back. However, with minimal elevation changes and relative shortness, it is probably better as an out and back. Plus, each direction, and change in light, offers a fresh and exciting perspective to this canyon.

If the Fremont Indians frequented this area there is little evidence of it. Their buildings and art can be viewed throughout the park, but we found nothing along this hike. Still, it's a great spot to see Desert bighorn sheep, a wide variety of reptiles and to enjoy the geology of the area. There are several side canyons to sample as well. We followed bighorn sheep tracks into one, but failed to spot any along the canyon walls. Still, it’s impossible to be disappointed.”

“I liked that place, too. And this time of year the weather is so perfect in Utah.”

“I love utah.Its been on my mind a lot this week.I figure the hiking weather is about perfect right now.Im in LA,I'll spliit gas etc.,with anyone who wants to get outta dodge and go adventuring there.”

“last year with 2 other fellow Chooches...It was right after a rain downpour and we went to the BLM office to get our permits for Coyote Gulch...the ranger said "CLOSED, no permits". He suggested Calf Creek Falls, cause it was raging, and it was. an awsome hike and an awsome falls”

“Wow, great report Geezr!! All that geology crapola - have you been spending more time with Aero than we knew about??! Great pics, too....”