Capitol Reef & Escalante Hiking

Capitol Reef & Escalante Hiking Itinerary:

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• Day 1 Rendezvous with your guide and traveling companions in Salt Lake City and set out for Capitol Reef National Park.

  Your trip begins today in Salt Lake City, Utah. After meeting our fellow adventurers at the airport at 11:00am this morning, we begin our 5-hour drive to Torrey, the location of our lodging for the next three nights, conveniently located near the entrance of Capitol Reef National Park. We'll check in before changing into our hiking gear and setting out for a short warm-up hike to Cooks Mesa, where we'll have a picnic dinner overlooking the colorful sandstone fins and domes of the Waterpocket Fold. Dinner included.
  
  Hiking: 1 mile. Terrain: on-trail, moderately steep 300' climb.

• Day 2 Hike into Capitol Reef's colorful backcountry, passing immense natural bridges and soaring stone spires.

  After breakfast, we begin our hike along the Navajo Knobs Trail, visiting the impressive Hickman Natural Bridge along the way. At a viewpoint above the historic fruits orchards of Fruita, we'll strike off crosscountry over open sandstone slickrock to a hidden spire that soars hundreds of feet into the deep blue desert sky. We'll loop around the spire and back to the trail, where we'll descend to the waiting van for a short ride back to our hotel. All meals included
  
  Hiking: 6 miles. Terrain: 4 miles on-trail, 2 miles off-trail over moderately steep slickrock, 2,000' climb.

• Day 3 Follow a permanent stream to the twisting sandstone narrows of Burro Wash, a beautiful slot canyon.

  After a van ride along the Scenic Drive, we hike down Pleasant Creek Canyon following a permanent stream, a rare and beautiful thing in the desert. Pleasant Creek starts on the snow-covered summit of nearby 11,317' Boulder Mountain, the highest forested plateau in North America. We climb out of the canyon via a cross-country slickrock route, allowing us access to nearby Burro Wash, perhaps the best of Capitol Reef's classic slot canyons. After exploring the twisted sandstone narrows of the wash we'll hike out into the open desert, having hiked straight through the heart of Waterpocket Fold thanks to a van shuttle. All meals included.
  
  Hiking:  8.5 miles.  Terrain:  off-trail in sand/gravel wash, crosscountry over slickrock sandstone, 1,000’ climb.

• Day 4 Hike in the multi-hued Sulfur Creek narrows, lined with dozens of small waterfalls. Travel to Escalante this afternoon.

  We enjoy an exhilarating hike through the narrows of Sulfur Creek today, wading in the cool shallow water beneath multi-hued cliffs towering 1,000’ above.  Dozens of small cascades and a dazzling waterfall await us on this spectacular through-hike.  Our exploration ends at the park Visitor Center, where we have some time to appreciate the interpretive exhibits before beginning the scenic drive over Boulder Mountain to the frontier town of Escalante where we spend the next three nights.  All meals included.
  
  Hiking: 6 miles.  Terrain: off-trail in sand/gravel wash, hiking in shallow stream, 600’ descent.

• Day 5 Explore the dramatic landscape of Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument on a hike into remote Bighorn Canyon.

  Our first hike in Grand Staircase-Escalante takes us into whimsical Bighorn Canyon, passing through a rarely explored part of the Monument via several sets of long, winding narrows.  The Navajo sandstone in this area is unusually colorful, displaying a wide range of textures and formations. All meals included.
  
  Hiking: 7 miles, mostly downhill, 850’ descent, 200’ climb.  Terrain: varied including sandy/rocky/muddy wash bottom, some rock scrambling and tight narrows. There will be alternate routes available around the narrowest passages for those preferring to skip this part of the hike. 

• Day 6 Walk the rim of the Escalante River Canyon before descending to the river itself. Discover massive arches and ancient cliff dwellings.

  We marvel at the color palette and geological diversity of the Grand Staircase as we hike along the rim and then over the edge of the Escalante Monocline into the depths of the Escalante River Canyon.  We follow a cross-country route across textured white sandstone to an old pioneer trail that takes us into the heart of the main canyon.  As we hike along (and in) the river, some of the afternoon’s scenic highlights include a dramatic skyline arch, an immense natural bridge and an ancient cliff dwelling.  In most national parks, these features would draw large crowds but in Escalante, we have them almost certainly to ourselves.  Back at our lodging, we enjoy a farewell celebration dinner with our guides and begin daydreaming about our next great adventure. All meals included.
  
  Hiking: 7 miles, mostly downhill, 1,100' descent, 150' climb. Terrain: varied, including open slickrock, some river wading and rock scrambling.

• Day 7 Enjoy a hike among the fantastically-shaped hoodoos of Bryce Canyon National Park before returning to Salt Lake City.

  Today we drive through the Grand Staircase portion of the Monument on our way to Bryce Canyon National Park, where we'll go for a short hike through the fantastically shaped, wildly colored limestone hoodoos that Bryce is famous for. After lunch on the trail, we'll begin our return trip to Salt Lake City, arriving at the airport by 5 p.m. Please do not schedule flights prior to 7 p.m. this evening. Breakfast and lunch included.

Although we do our very best to adhere to the schedule above, this itinerary is subject to change for numerous reasons beyond our control including unexpected weather and terrain conditions.

Please check with us before purchasing your airline tickets to ensure your trip has the necessary minimum number of participants required to operate.

If you are traveling alone and specifically request single accommodations, you will be asked to pay the full single supplement noted on the trip itinerary.  If you wish to share accommodations, we will assign you a roommate if one is available.  If a roommate cannot be found, you will be asked to pay a reduced single fee which is half of the full single supplement.  Please be advised that there are a limited number of single rooms available on most departures.

All accommodations as noted; meals as noted in the daily itinerary; all vehicle transfers as noted; guide leadership and park entrance fees.

Air transportation to/from Salt Lake City; 1 lunch; guide gratuities; travel insurance; items of a personal nature such as alcoholic beverages.

This trip is rated Moderate [3].  It is not necessary to be an expert hiker to participate, but you should enjoy hiking and feel comfortable hiking off-trail, sometimes on moderately inclined sandstone.  Temperatures on some days may be quite warm requiring participants to focus on staying adequately hydrated.  To maximize your enjoyment of the trip and to avoid sore muscles, we suggest beginning a regular exercise regimen at least 3 months prior to departure.  Recommended exercises include hiking, jogging, cycling and/or swimming.  We will be spending 4 - 6 hours hiking on most days and we encourage you to arrive in good physical condition.  The better shape you are in, the more fun you will have.  Get out on those hills if possible!

Spring and fall weather in Utah is generally perfect for hiking with typically sunny days and temperatures in the 60-85 F range in springtime and 45-70 F in the fall.  Evening and early morning temperatures can drop below freezing so arriving with some warm weather clothing is essential.  Thunderstorms are not uncommon, but are usually short in duration.

This trip is subject to the booking information set forth in the current REI Adventures Reservation Information. Please read this information carefully and call us if you have any questions. A full gear list and pre-departure information is sent upon sign-up. We highly recommend the purchase of travel insurance through REI Adventures. If coverage is purchased at the time of your initial reservation, the 'Pre-existing Conditions Exclusion' is waived (certain exclusions apply).

We look forward to having you join us for the trip of a lifetime! Why wait? Space is limited, reserve your adventure today.

The key to staying comfortable while on an active trip is layering. To get maximum comfort with minimum weight, you need versatile layers that mix and match to create the right amount of insulation, ventilation and weather protection. This gear list has been created to help you in choosing your equipment for the trip. Try to bring only what is necessary as this will help you and the field staff.

Gear Checklist

Things to Consider

• Please remember to always pack essential items such as appropriate identification, money, eyewear, a change of clothing, hiking boots and medications in your carry-on baggage, in case your luggage is delayed.
• Cotton is wonderful in warm weather. However, once it becomes wet, it will drain your body heat. Bring wool or synthetics such as Capilene, MTS and Thermax.
• Always test your layers before a trip. Your outer layer should fit easily over the inside ones without binding and bunching up.
• Make sure boots are broken-in. Bring moleskin for foot treatment. Thin liner socks worn under regular hiking socks may minimize the risk of blisters. The liner sock should be synthetic, not cotton. Test your sock combination before you go on the trip.
• Stuff sacks are great for sorting gear. Use different sizes/colors to differentiate contents.