Front Range 4x4 Upcoming Trail Runs - Add a New Trail Run

Results 1 to 5 of 5

Thread: Solo desert trip : part 1, Capital Reef National Park

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Apr 2017
    Member
    #1973
    Last Online
    3 Weeks Ago
    Location
    Allenspark / Peak-to-Peak Highway
    4x4
    2021 Jeep Unlimited Rubicon Xtreme Recon
    Posts
    2,294
    User Name
    RockyMtRebel
    Real Name
    Matt
    Thanks Given
    401
    Thanked 925 Times in 550 Posts

    Default Solo desert trip : part 1, Capital Reef National Park



    I just got home last night, and have pics and video clips I'll update this with. I left home last Tuesday morning around 6am. I made it to Hanksville, UT to fill up at around 1:00pm (7 hours or so) and then headed west. Before going entering Capital Reef, I headed south on Notom Bullfrog road, which is paved for about 15 miles and then turns to my favorite kind of road.... a remote desert dirt road. Eventually the washboard became intense, and then after 30 miles I hit the intersection to head west on the Burr Trail. From this point, it heads straight up the "Burr switchbacks" to cut into the Waterpocket Fold (geological uplift of rock that is beautiful). The switchbacks are very easy and scenic and after a few you reach the plateau and the road flattens out. There is a spur trail here, Upper Muley Twist canyon, that is a short 3 miles of absolute amazing sandy road winding along canyons and rock formations to a trailhead. I made a short video of this awesome little trail. I even shifted into 4Lo for a small stretch of easy rock crawling. When I reached the end, I turned around and headed on my way back since it was about 330pm and I needed to figure out where to camp.

    When I got back to the Burr trail, I continued a few miles to the exit from Capital Reef (pictured) and the road turns to asphalt from here for the next 30 miles to Boulder, UT. Although its paved it's a beautiful ride and I stopped at a small slot canyon called "singing slot" and hiked into it to hear the echos! Then I headed to Boulder and from Boulder, I joined Hwy 12 and headed south for about 45 miles to Escalante. I got gas and headed a few miles down Hole-in-the-Rock road and found a camp spot and made my truck bed and fell asleep early after a LONG day.
            
    ___________
    2005 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon TJ
    2021 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon Xtreme Recon edition
    2023 Ford F150 Raptor


  2. The Following 3 Members Say Thanks to RockyMtRebel For This Post:

    Java (December 15th, 2020),open_circuit (December 14th, 2020),speedkills (December 29th, 2020)

  3. #2
    Join Date
    Apr 2017
    Member
    #1973
    Last Online
    3 Weeks Ago
    Location
    Allenspark / Peak-to-Peak Highway
    4x4
    2021 Jeep Unlimited Rubicon Xtreme Recon
    Posts
    2,294
    User Name
    RockyMtRebel
    Real Name
    Matt
    Thanks Given
    401
    Thanked 925 Times in 550 Posts

    Default Re: Solo desert trip : part 1, Capital Reef National Park





    ___________
    2005 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon TJ
    2021 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon Xtreme Recon edition
    2023 Ford F150 Raptor


  4. The Following 2 Members Say Thanks to RockyMtRebel For This Post:

    Java (December 15th, 2020),open_circuit (December 14th, 2020)

  5. #3
    Join Date
    Sep 2011
    Member
    #921
    Last Online
    2 Hours Ago
    Location
    Fort Collins
    4x4
    1990 Jeep Wrangler (YJ)
    Posts
    10,057
    User Name
    Jim
    Real Name
    Jim Williamson
    Thanks Given
    2,462
    Thanked 3,008 Times in 2,005 Posts

    Default Re: Solo desert trip : part 1, Capital Reef National Park



    that second vid - sweet!

  6. The Following Member Says Thanks to Jim For This Post:

    RockyMtRebel (December 14th, 2020)

  7. #4
    Join Date
    Sep 2017
    Member
    #2036
    Last Online
    September 8th, 2023
    Location
    Broomfield
    4x4
    2005 Wrangler Unlimited (LJ)
    Posts
    1,844
    User Name
    open_circuit
    Real Name
    Trent
    Thanks Given
    586
    Thanked 811 Times in 483 Posts

    Default Re: Solo desert trip : part 1, Capital Reef National Park



    Worth going back? Say next September-ish?

  8. #5
    Join Date
    Apr 2017
    Member
    #1973
    Last Online
    3 Weeks Ago
    Location
    Allenspark / Peak-to-Peak Highway
    4x4
    2021 Jeep Unlimited Rubicon Xtreme Recon
    Posts
    2,294
    User Name
    RockyMtRebel
    Real Name
    Matt
    Thanks Given
    401
    Thanked 925 Times in 550 Posts

    Default Re: Solo desert trip : part 1, Capital Reef National Park



    open_circuit previously posted:
    "Worth going back? Say next September-ish?"

    I do want to do the entire Cathedral Valley loop at some point so maybe, I did a shortened version when my wife and I ran it earlier this year. I was a little disappointed how much of the trail was paved, although I knew it would be like that. I'd say 2/3 of it was paved (not including the Upper Muley Twist canyon but that is only 3 miles. I'll be positing part 2 and 3 later with more remote wheelin'
    ___________
    2005 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon TJ
    2021 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon Xtreme Recon edition
    2023 Ford F150 Raptor


Similar Threads

  1. Autumn multi-day Utah desert trip
    By RockyMtRebel in forum 1) Trail Run Planning
    Replies: 79
    Last Post: September 14th, 2020, 08:15 PM
  2. Canyonlands National Park Proposed Day-Use Permits
    By GaryG in forum General Topics
    Replies: 2
    Last Post: March 20th, 2015, 11:13 AM
  3. Cathedral Valley -- Capitol Reef National Park.
    By Tom in forum 3) Trail Run Reports
    Replies: 8
    Last Post: June 5th, 2012, 06:52 AM
  4. Replies: 13
    Last Post: May 3rd, 2012, 10:51 PM
  5. National Park FREE DAYS!!!!
    By 1freaky1 in forum 1) Trail Run Planning
    Replies: 12
    Last Post: June 8th, 2010, 10:44 PM

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  
BACK TO TOP