During my two day solo trip to Capitol Reef National Park, I wanted to do a few of the easy to moderate hikes. I chose Grand Wash Trail for my last hike at the park. It’s included in this list of 13 things to do in Capitol Reef National Park.
Grand Wash hiking trail is mostly flat so it’s an easy hike through a gorge with high walls offering some shade during the narrows section of the trail. Additionally, the trail connects with Cassidy Arch trailhead so you can do a combo hike if you have the energy.
Or combine the Grand Wash hike with a morning hike to Hickman Bridge and lunch in Torrey Utah and you have a perfect day in Capitol Reef.
Now let’s have a look at the details for hiking Grand Wash Trail.
Capitol Reef National Park Fees
The entry fee covers you for a full 7 consecutive days visiting Capitol Reef park.
Personal vehicle: $20
Motorcycle: $15
Cyclist/Pedestrian: $10
If you plan on camping at Capitol Reef the campsites at Fruita Campground are $20 per night.
Backcountry permits are free, you can get one at the visitor center.
Grand Wash trail features grand rock walls
Also, if you plan to visit other national parks, or even if you only visit all the national parks in Utah, then you should buy the America the Beautiful annual park pass.
It costs $80 and covers your entry fees to ALL the US national parks and monuments for a full 12 months from purchase date.
Over age 62? It only costs $20 for an annual pass or $80 for a LIFETIME pass.
Additionally, there are free passes for military, U.S. citizens or permanent residents with permanent disabilities, volunteers, and 4th graders.
Visit the National Park website for more info on park passes and buy your pass online.
Hikers enjoying a sunny day at Capitol Reef
Grand Wash Trailhead
I started the hike from the Hwy 24 trailhead, but you could start at the other side of the trail via Grand Wash Road.
Hwy 24 Trailhead
The parking lot is alongside Hwy 24 at 4.5 miles east of the visitor center on Hwy 24.
Scenic Drive/Grand Wash Road Trailhead
From the visitor center take Campground Road and continue onto Scenic Drive. Turn left onto Grand Wash Road (dirt road) and continue for 1.3 miles to the small parking lot.
You should avoid hiking the Grand Wash Trail during rainstorms because there is a risk of flash flooding.
Thunderstorms and heavy rain are more common in July, August, and September and usually occur in the afternoon.
It is not uncommon for some roadways in Capitol Reef to close after heavy rain. Always check the weather forecast before you start your day’s journey.
Grand Wash is one of the easy hikes at Capitol Reef – very little elevation change
Grand Wash Trail Details
Distance: 4.4 miles (7.2 km) round trip
Type of Hike: Out and back
Elevation gain: 200 ft (60 m)
Difficulty: Easy
Duration: Allow 1.5 to 2 hours
Dogs allowed on trail: No dogs allowed on the trail
Near the trailhead at Hwy 24 the hike is easy going
Grand Wash Trail Description
While this is an out and back trail, you can start the hike from either Hwy 24 or from the Scenic Drive at Grand Wash Road.
Starting from Hwy 24 you are closer to the Narrows on Grand Wash trail. Alternatively, if you start the trail from Grand Wash Road you are closer to the Cassidy Arch trailhead if you want to do both hikes.
This post focuses on hiking from the trailhead at Hwy 24.
From the trailhead the hike is on level ground through the dry stream bed with high rock walls.
It’s an easy walk but do bring water so you can keep hydrated.
Less than a mile into the hike you will reach the narrow section where the trail is about 15 feet wide. When it’s hot out the narrows is a nice reprieve from the sun.
The narrows at Grand Wash
Hiking into the narrows on the dry creek bed of Grand Wash trail
After the narrows the trail continues with a very gradual incline and ends near the parking lot on Grand Wash Road.
A short distance from the end of Grand Wash Trail you can also hike to the Cassidy Arch, named after the outlaw Butch Cassidy.
On the way to Capitol Reef, you can view Butch Cassidy’s childhood home along Hwy 89 in Garfield County Utah.
Cassidy Arch trailhead with reminder this strenuous hike includes a few hundred feet elevation gain in 1.5 miles
The trail from Grand Wash to Cassidy Arch and back is only 3 miles but this is a strenuous hike due to the elevation gain. Cassidy Arch trail is a steady incline the entire 1.5 miles.
Since I needed to drive to Arches National Park, I didn’t take time for Cassidy Arch trail. That gives me a great reason to visit Capitol Reef park again.
I did walk a short distance up the Cassidy Arch trail so I could take a photo with an overhead view of Grand Wash trail.
From the Cassidy Arch trail the view of Grand Wash is excellent
More National Parks in Utah
Arches National Park has over 2,000 natural stone arches
Bryce National Park has tons of hoodoos, hiking, and scenic drives
Canyonlands National Park features amazing hikes and scenic roadways
Zion National Park is the most visited of Utah’s national parks
Other Places to See in Utah
Cedar City is an excellent home base for exploring Southern Utah
Cedar Breaks National Monument has hoodoos, hiking trails, and scenic drives, like Bryce but smaller and less crowded
Dead Horse Point State Park is next to Canyonlands – easy day trip from Moab
Kanarra Falls slot canyon hike is a great alternative to The Narrows at Zion
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