Noob looking for solo hike advice in Capital Reef

owyhee

owyhee

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Joined
Apr 15, 2014
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I am heading through Utah in early June and have a few days scheduled in the Escalante area. It looks like there are tons of great hikes but I am doing this solo for the first time and wasn't sure what would be safe to tackle. I am very fit and looking to enjoy some wilderness in a day hike. Suggestions?
 
Lots of great stuff in Capitol Reef. I can't recommend Upper Muley Twist enough, it's long, especially if you don't have high clearance. 9 miles if you have a high clearance vehicle, around 15 if you don't. Navajo Knobs is a great intro to the park. If you are looking for solitude, head south, Any hike in the waterpocket fold district, and you'll likely see very few people.

Great primitive camping along the notom road too.
 
I have a minivan so I would be doing 15 miles at UMT but I think that is ok. Everything I read about that hike makes me more excited about it. I will check out Navajo Knobs. Thanks for the response.
 
owyhee said:
I have a minivan so I would be doing 15 miles at UMT but I think that is ok. Everything I read about that hike makes me more excited about it. I will check out Navajo Knobs. Thanks for the response.
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Most drive it, but I really like that first part of the walk. I caught 3-4 arches that are easy to miss.
 
I was noticing that your user name is Owyhee. Are you from southwest Idaho?
 
Tater Head said:
I was noticing that your user name is Owyhee. Are you from southwest Idaho?
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No - western Oregon. I haven't even been to the Owyhee Canyon yet - it is just on my radar. I lived for many years with a boater who loved that canyon and I never made the trip. It is a long drive and can be a hateful shuttle but I have heard that it is worth it. Been there?
 
I will join the chorus of praise for Upper Muley Twist, has to be one of the best walks on the planet. I have enjoyed these very much as well: Navajo Knobbs (worth doing 4 times personally), Golden Throne (nice short vigorous day hike, exceptionally beautiful the whole way), Lower Muley Twist (nice backpack), Halls Creek Narrows (great backpack), Sheets Gulch (great long day hike with some challenges), and Cottonwood Wash and Burro Wash. (challenging non-technical slots with beautiful trail to and from the skinnies).
 
owyhee said:
No - western Oregon. I haven't even been to the Owyhee Canyon yet - it is just on my radar. I lived for many years with a boater who loved that canyon and I never made the trip. It is a long drive and can be a hateful shuttle but I have heard that it is worth it. Been there?
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I haven't been yet. I was hoping that you had and could give me a little advice. I would like to check out Zeno Canyon/Falls. I will get there one of these days...
 
Tater Head said:
I haven't been yet. I was hoping that you had and could give me a little advice. I would like to check out Zeno Canyon/Falls. I will get there one of these days...
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There is a woman in the BLM office (I think it is in Oregon - maybe Vale?) who knows the canyon well. I am sorry that I don't remember her name but it isn't a big office and I am sure you could find her. My late husband's group got caught on a ledge one year while a storm swirled over the canyon raising the river - I talked to her several times and she was always very knowledgeable and reassuring. I knew some other people who hiked in the canyon later in the year and always thought that might be a good way to see it. It is just a more primitive trip without the rafts hauling stuff to camp.
 
owyhee said:
There is a woman in the BLM office (I think it is in Oregon - maybe Vale?) who knows the canyon well. I am sorry that I don't remember her name but it isn't a big office and I am sure you could find her. My late husband's group got caught on a ledge one year while a storm swirled over the canyon raising the river - I talked to her several times and she was always very knowledgeable and reassuring. I knew some other people who hiked in the canyon later in the year and always thought that might be a good way to see it. It is just a more primitive trip without the rafts hauling stuff to camp.
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Thanks for sharing, I will look into that. Sorry I high jacked your post...
 
also gotta say upper muley twist, maybe the coolest hike i have ever done. if not for the views of the waterpocket fold, then for the diversity of experience you get along the adventure. arches, narrows, buttes, canyon floor, scrambling, cairn hunting, pictographs if you know where to look, cliffs, flowers, marbles, the colors, oh the colors! i was expecting alot and have heard so many good things - but my expectations were still exceeded. it would be a glorious experience to do a short backpack and stay up on the ridge in one of the sandy ledges along the dragons teeth. cant wait to hike it ten more times (trip report to come)
we camped at cedar mesa (free) which was a quaint little campground that has a nice shorter hike just from the tent called red canyon. i had no expectations, so i was pleasantly surprised and saw no one besides the lizzys.

really enjoyed cassidy arch trail too, but shorter and much more crowded.
 
This Post motivated me to find and hike Muley Twist...as i had approaching from hwy 12 and not gone past Muley Twist the sight from on top of the rim above Muley Canyon was incredible and unexpected. Actually it was incredible and vastly different in all directions. Wow. Was pretty hot there last week with just one muddy hole filled with tadpoles in the wash btw. Had it to myself. thanx !!
 
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