July 17, 2026 Bear Canyon Suspension Bridge and Old Bridge

 Bear Canyon Suspension Bridge and Original Bear Canyon Bridge

hikers: Mark and Lecia

distance: 2.46 miles

elevation gain: 574 ft.

This is our usual hike with an extra loop up to the original Bear Canyon Bridge. This takes you into the trees in the canyon and right down to the creek.

We started on the trail to the Bear Canyon Bridge from the north. You climb up and this was a view of the bridge. 

Looking down into Bear Canyon, where we are headed.

You climb up a ways and then you head down into the canyon. This trail is more rugged.

And here is the bridge. This is a quiet and peaceful place. Not as many people come up here but sometimes there are people playing in the creek.

After crossing the bridge we continued on the loop. This side of the loop (south side) is easier because it is shorter and not as steep and rocky.

July 11, 2026 Suspension Bridge #14

  Draper Suspension Bridge

#14

hikers: 2

distance: a little over 2 miles

elevation gain: 440 feet

Here it is. The 14th time we've come up this year and the photos usually look the same. In the hot summer months we come up earlier in the morning to avoid the sun and the heat.

Coming to the bridge from the south.

The bridge.

The bridge and the mountain.

July 4, 2026 Sulphur Creek

 Sulphur Creek

Capitol Reef

bottom up, visitor's center to 1st waterfall

hikers: 3

distance: about 1.5 miles

This was a very easy and pleasant hike from the visitor's center, along Sulphur Creek, to the waterfall. Sulphur Creek would be an awesome hike from the top down, but more than we were up for. It is not an official, maintained trail. We pretty much had the trail to ourselves. Like most trails at Capitol Reef you don't want to be hiking if there is any chance of a flash flood.

You start the hike behind the visitor's center. Just walk around and you'll see the creek. 

It is small and you can walk right through it. Go left and follow the creek.

When we got to the canyon we saw where brush and been washed down in a flash flood and caught in the rocks.It's a visual reminder of why you shouldn't hike if there is a possibility of flooding.

So pleasant.

Rocks make it easy to cross the creek. Although you could walk right  through it and get a little wet! Different time of year = different water levels. Just in case, wear shoes that can get wet.

There was a little pool when we got to the falls. Mark and Seth climbed up on the rock ledge.

The amount of water here varies. The other time we came here the pool was larger and people were jumping off the rocks into the water.

There is an alternate route that skirts the falls. Seth 

went above the falls and took that route to come down.

This is about where he came down, and it is just a little 

ways before the falls as you are hiking towards them.

This hike is very family friendly.

If you do the entire Sulphur Creek hike it is about 6 miles and 

adventurous and takes more planning, but it looks awesome if you are up for that.

July 4, 2026

 Freemont River Trail

Capitol Reef

Hikers: 2 (Seth and Mom)

elevation gain: 400 feet or so

distance: about 2 miles

Seth and I started out the day with a hike. Actually it started out as just a walk along the river but it did turn in to a hike. The river ran by our campground and there is a paved path that goes along it. It's flat and pleasant and we walked until we came to a gate and it turns into a trail and goes up hill.

This is where we were camping. Our campsite wasn't far from the Fremont River.

We saw deer while walking along the path. There are a lot of deer here.

These pretty berries were growing alongside the path, by the river.

The paved path ended and we went up a dirt path that went up the side of a mountain.

There was a rock overlook area and I stopped there since I wasn't wearing shoes that were good for hiking. Seth continued on.

You can see him, although he does blend in with the green bushes.

I think he went all the way to the top. 

Next time I'll be more prepared with the proper shoes. 

There is no shade on this trail so that is something to consider.

There were kids that had bikes in the campground and the paved path by the river would also be good for bikes so if we ever come here with grandkids, and we have room for their bikes, that would be fun.

July 3, 2026 Hickman Bridge

 Hickman Bridge

Capitol Reef

hikers: 3

distance: 1.73 miles

elevation gain: 421 feet

After all the days activities, including the Cassidy Arch Trail and a drive to the Temple of the Sun and the Temple of the Moon, we used the cooler evening to hike to Hickman Bridge. Evenings are a good time to hike.

This is the beginning of the trail. Thanks to the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), all those decades ago, for the work they did. There are also stairs on the trail that they built.

Here is the Hickman Arch. I didn't take any pictures in between! 

At this point we could see it was getting dark so there was no lollygagging on the way back.

This is one of the kid friendly hikes at Capitol Reef.

The top pink line is the Hickman Bridge hike.

July 3, 2026 Cassidy Arch

 Cassidy Arch

Capitol Reef

hikers: 3

distance: 3 miles

elevation gain: 662

moderately challenging according to all trails. It's not that long but there is no shade. Not a good hike for young kids.

Even though we have been to Capitol Reef before we haven't done this hike. Maybe because it is a more challenging hike. But I'm glad we did it. There is no shade so you should start early. There were a lot of people on the trail. As you will see, you are hiking across rock.

We started at the end of the Grand Wash Road and 

went a little ways on the Grand Wash Trail to the trailhead.

Grand Wash

Lots of stairs help with the elevation gain on this trail.

You can see the arch in the distance.

Getting closer to Cassidy Arch, named after Butch Cassidy. 

The trail goes around to the back, where you are close to the arch.

We're there.

It is a popular place for rappelling. 

In the top photo there is someone rappelling on the left.

 In the bottom photo there is someone on top.

Good hike. Start early.

July 2, 2026 Capitol Reef Petroglyphs

 Capitol Reef Petroglyphs

hikers: 3

distance: maybe a couple of miles

elevation gain: it was mostly flat with some ups and downs

After arriving at Capitol Reef and meeting up with Seth at our campground, he took us on a hike to see some petroglyphs. We took the Scenic Road to the Capitol Gorge Road. Then we went on the Pleasant Creek Road, which is not paved. Eventually we passed some old horse corrals and buildings. You could start hiking there but we went on a little ways to Pleasant Creek. There is parking and an outhouse. The road continues through the creek and on the other side but this is where we stopped because the hike we were going on started here. 

The Pleasant Creek road is still a fairly good road, dirt and bumps and all, but I don't think we would have gone on it in our car. You could take a car but high clearance is recommended and we were in the Highlander. We did not go through the creek. Maybe we could have. The road on the other side of the creek is the South Draw Road and the map says it is extremely rough, unmaintained; high clearance and four wheel drive required. 

Seth had found this hike as it is not listed on the general park map. He is a good one to explore with.

Pleasant Creek is aptly named.

We saw a lot of these cute little guys.

We continued on along the creek and crossed it at one point. I was hard to tell where the trail was. After hiking awhile we saw the fence across the creek and near the rocks. We knew that was the petroglyphs. We crossed back over the creek and through the brush to get to them. 

Mark and Seth went a little further. There are more petroglyphs in the area but they are not marked and we ended our hike here.

 

We started hiking back on a different trail but the trails are not well worn or well marked and we soon lost it. So we hiked back off trail and headed towards a field station that was up on a hill. This off trail hiking reminded me that Ethan and Jacob will soon be hiking off trail in Alaska! Only they won't have a field station to guide them. 

We ended up at the old horse coral and walked back to the car. 

We didn't see any other people and we were the only car in the parking lot. This was a really fun hike and I'm glad that Seth found it for us.