Capitol Reef: Capitol Gorge to Pleasant Creek
A 12.47-mile cross country backpack in Capitol Reef National park, going from Capitol Gorge to Pleasant Creek. You'll need advanced orienteering skills because this entirely cross country route wanders over slickrock bowls and passes atop the Waterpocket Fold.
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This hike is accessed from the southern end of Capitol Reef’s scenic drive. The shuttle is exactly five miles, and easily mountain-bikable. Leave a shuttle vehicle at your ending trailhead, next to the old corral at Pleasant Creek. Then backtrack and start from the signed Capitol Gorge trailhead. Standard sedans can reach both trailheads in most weather.
Hike through Capitol Gorge, keeping an eye our for Fremont rock art and historic ‘cowboyglyphs’ on the canyon’s left/north wall. Exiting the reef to the east, turn south at the rusted, ruined truck on the park’s eastern boundary. Climb southwest onto rounded, badland ridges and look for the critical canyon crossing (SBT 005) that leads to the sandstone heights atop the Waterpocket Fold, where you can probably find multiple potholes containing water (see ‘pool’ and ‘pothole’ waypoints).
Hike south following the line of least resistance across broad bowls and low slickrock passes. Then descend a polished rock canyon to the southeast, where you’lll intersect an old irrigation ditch which leads you to the flowing water of Pleasant Creek. Follow the creek upstream until it exits the reef and soon arrives at your trailhead.
Navigation Note: Most Southern Utah maps are NAD27 datum.
Trail Facts
- Distance: 20.1
Waypoints
SBT 001: 0.00 Mi CAPITOL GORGE TRAILHEAD
Location: 38.209466, -111.168575
30-JAN-09 1:03:55PM
SBT 002: 0.85 JCT w/ TANKS TRAIL
Location: 38.214193, -111.156265
24-JAN-09 12:09:09PM
SBT 003: 2.33 Mi OLD TRUCK
Location: 38.22289, -111.13782
24-JAN-09 1:16:35PM
SBT 004: 2.43 Mi CROSS FENCE AT SURVEY BENCHMARK
Location: 38.221887, -111.13823
30-JAN-09 2:14:02PM
SBT 005: 2.81 Mi DESCEND GULLY
Location: 38.218826, -111.141485
30-JAN-09 2:48:42PM
SBT 006: 3.51 Mi CROSS NECK ON RIDGELINE
Location: 38.211148, -111.147389
30-JAN-09 3:37:57PM
SBT 007: 4.16 Mi IMP WAYPOINT AND KILLER VIEWS OF REEF
Location: 38.205213, -111.152537
30-JAN-09 5:07:50PM
SBT 008: 4.7 Mi SLICKROCK EXPANSE BEGINS
Location: 38.199227, -111.156148
30-JAN-09 5:37:53PM
SBT 009: 5.33 Mi POTHOLES IN DRAINAGE BELOW
Location: 38.195842, -111.155804
SBT 010: 6.13 Mi EXCELLENT VIEWS TO HENRY MTNS
Location: 38.191569, -111.155907
31-JAN-09 10:34:16AM
SBT 011: 7.09 Mi POOLS
Location: 38.190815, -111.14904
31-JAN-09 12:24:35PM
SBT 012: 7.71 Mi POTHOLES
Location: 38.194165, -111.142617
31-JAN-09 1:06:06PM
SBT 013: 8.76 Mi IRRIGATION DITCH
Location: 38.192825, -111.130121
31-JAN-09 1:59:02PM
SBT 014: 9.63 Mi CROSS RINCON NECK
Location: 38.184965, -111.13829
31-JAN-09 2:35:24PM
SBT 015: 12.47 Mi END AT OLD CORRAL
Location: 38.183238, -111.179735
31-JAN-09 5:07:34PM
5.5 Mi MY BIVY
Location: 38.1965049, -111.1541399