Welcome to Travel Tuesday! We’re in for our last virtual hike through the Capitol Gorge Trail in Capitol Reef National Park today!
Capitol Gorge Trail in Capitol Reef National Park
Distance: 4.5 miles (out + back)
Elevation: 374 ft
Difficulty: Easy-Moderate
Duration: ~2 hours
Trailhead Address: Capitol Gorge Rd, Torrey, UT 84775
Parking: Small lot available
It starts on the same trailhead as the Golden Throne Trail (I didn’t get a chance to climb this one, but someday!)
This is perfect for a summer hike because it’s pretty shady for most of it due to the tall walls on either side of the canyon! The canyon was apparently the only reliable transit point for Mormon pioneers for almost 8 decades.
The trail follows a dry streambed past rock inscriptions–if you look closely as you’re hiking, you may be able to see some ancient Fremont petroglyphs.
You can see a bunch of historic inscriptions on the walls (the Pioneer Register) that were inscribed from the late 1800’s to the early 1900’s.
If you continue down the gorge, you’ll eventually see a side trail on your left. Follow it (and the rock cairns) to scramble up to get to the “Tanks,” which are a series of large potholes up above! I didn’t end up staying there for too long because a thunderstorm was rolling in, but it was a fun time!
This would probably be a good hike for families as it’s pretty flat and the canyons prevent kids from being able to climb too high/get too far from your line of sight!
- Have you ever been to Capitol Reef National Park?
- Check out my other Utah adventures!
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The dark and stormy sky in some of these pictures makes it look even more epic than I know it already is. I’d love to visit Utah, the National Parks just look fantastic
It’s so, so pretty in Utah–I really hope you get to go visit sometime! I ended up hightailing it out there after because it looked like there might be lightning and I didn’t want to be high up next to all that if it did! :P
Farrah recently posted…Capitol Gorge Trail in Capitol Reef National Park
I have always wanted to go to Utah! Thanks for this post, I want to visit even more now! The inscriptions on the rocks are so cool!
Agreed! I hope you get to go sometime! I loved this national park!
We spent a week in Capitol Reef and it was my favorite of the Utah Mighty 5 – there is a lot to see and it is so beautiful! This is a fun ride and trail.
I really loved it there too! i think it’s a super underrated park (but very thankful for less crowds)!
What a gorgeous place for a hike! I’ve been so inspired by all the hiking posts lately that I’ve been getting outside more myself! I’d love to come one day – we don’t have unique features like this here at home!
Yay! I hope you’re having fun on your hiking adventures! I miss traveling, but have been trying to find local adventures too!
I love reading about new places to hike. This spot looks really unique and I love the landscape.
It was a really cool hike! I’m always looking for more ideas/travel inspiration too! :]
Wow, what an incredible landscape! I’m guessing it’s located in America. Looks like something out of another world.
Yep! It’s over in Utah! :]!
Oo Capitol Reef National Park looks great. Such an unusual hike through the gorge with wonderfully coloured rock. I can image it feels a little like you’re hiking on another planet ha :)
haha, it definitely did during some parts of it! :]
I think that I’ve done this trail before… is this the gorge that also allows people to drive through it? (I might be mixing it up with a trail in Death Valley). In any case, I love this NP so much. You really capture the natural and historic beauty of this place.
Hmm, you could drive to this up to a point, but not actually through it, so the one you’re thinking of might be in Death Valley (I wanna go there at some point! *-*)!
Thank you! :]
I have done this hike and loved it! Thanks for the reminder!
That’s awesome! It was a fun one! :D
Amazing photos! Capitol Reef National Park looks so unique and beautiful. Can’t wait to hike this :)
Thank you! I hope you get to sometime! :D
Looks ike the ideal hike with lots to see but not too arduous. Especially like the photos of inscriptions.
It’s a really pretty historic hike! :]
Farrah recently posted…Queens Garden and Navajo Loop Trail
I loved this hike, especially for the history of it and seeing the Pioneer Register. Thanks for sharing :)
Agreed! Thank you for stopping by! :]!
Our family LOVES to hike and this national park would be such a great place for us to visit! I loved your photos and descriptions. We’ve never been to Utah but this is somewhere we need to go. Thanks for sharing!
Ahh, this one’s definitely a family-friendly hike! :] I hope you get to go sometime–I miss traveling so much. I hope things will get better soon!
I’ve never thought to look for 1800s stone carvings – only ancient ones. It seems like a really cool hike with a great historic element.
Same here, but this was definitely a cool hike for that! :D I’d love to go back someday to explore more!
this is absolutely bucket list! Can’t wait to be allowed and go in Capitol reef national park!!!
I hope it’ll be allowed again soon! *-* I miss traveling so much!
Farrah recently posted…Queens Garden and Navajo Loop Trail
Capitol Reef is the only one of Utah’s National Parks that we haven’t visited. Your pictures are beautiful and it looks like the sky was really cool on the day of your hike.
Debbie @ Deb Runs recently posted…Revisiting My Predictions for What I Would be Doing in Five Years
It was really cool there although I was vaguely concerned about being struck by lightning while I was up around The Tanks! :P (I hightailed it outta there once the sky started darkening though!)