The easiest hikes in Capitol Reef National Park, by the numbers
Of the 38 trails in Capitol Reef National Park in our dataset, 12 (32 percent) rate easiest on the gain-and-distance scale we use, run 1 to 6 miles and climb 500 ft or less; all 12 are listed here, lowest rating first.
Pleasant Creek Trail has the lowest rating: 13 ft of gain over 3.8 miles, 3 ft per mile.
Across the 12, gain runs from 13 to 475 ft and distance from 1 mile to 4.7 miles; the median gain is 243 ft and the median distance 2 miles.
10 of the 12 are point-to-point routes; the rest are out-and-back (2).
| # | Trail | Miles | Gain (ft) | Ft per mile | Max grade | Elevation (ft) | Rating | Profile |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pleasant Creek TrailSoutheastern Utah | 3.8 | 13 | 3 | 5% | 5,552 to 5,916 | 9.9 | |
| 2 | Chimney Rock CanyonSoutheastern Utah | 1.6 | 148 | 93 | 23% | 5,877 to 6,161 | 21.8 | |
| 3 | Grand Wash TrailSoutheastern Utah | 2.4 | 100 | 42 | 7% | 5,231 to 5,411 | 21.9 | |
| 4 | Jailhouse Rock / Temple Rock TrailSoutheastern Utah | 2.5 | 104 | 42 | 16% | 5,583 to 5,803 | 22.8 | |
| 5 | Red CanyonSoutheastern Utah | 1.4 | 264 | 189 | 9% | 5,758 to 6,022 | 27.2 | |
| 6 | Hickman BridgeSoutheastern Utah | 1 | 385 | 385 | 20% | 5,339 to 5,708 | 27.7 | |
| 7 | Surprise Canyon TrailSoutheastern Utah | 1.2 | 374 | 312 | 27% | 4,900 to 5,272 | 30 | |
| 8 | Upper Muley Twist Canyon Access RoadSoutheastern Utah | 2.5 | 205 | 82 | 8% | 5,727 to 5,868 | 32 | |
| 9 | Headquarters Canyon TrailSoutheastern Utah | 1.1 | 475 | 432 | 24% | 4,878 to 5,352 | 32.3 | |
| 10 | Cohab Canyon TrailSoutheastern Utah | 1.6 | 338 | 211 | 30% | 5,360 to 5,788 | 32.9 | |
| 11 | Cathedrals TrailSoutheastern Utah | 2.4 | 313 | 130 | 14% | 6,414 to 6,726 | 38.8 | |
| 12 | Capitol Gorge TrailSoutheastern Utah | 4.7 | 222 | 47 | 7% | 5,247 to 5,445 | 45.7 |
How this list is ranked
Rating = the square root of 2 x elevation gain (ft) x distance (miles), the gain-and-distance formula Shenandoah National Park publishes for its own trails. Bands: under 50 easiest, 50 to 100 moderate, 100 to 150 moderately strenuous, 150 to 200 strenuous, 200 and over very strenuous.
This list: band easiest (under 50), 1 to 6 miles, no more than 500 ft of gain, ordered by rating asc, miles asc, capped at 25. The rating column is computed from the miles and gain printed in the same row, the numbers each trail page uses, so every row can be checked from the row itself. The rating says nothing about exposure, scrambling, altitude or conditions.
Only trails with a full page count, so "Capitol Reef National Park" here means the 38 trails in Capitol Reef National Park in our dataset, not every trail in Capitol Reef National Park.
Each trail page shows the full elevation profile behind these numbers and the same data drawn as a topographic print, made to order. Start with Pleasant Creek Trail.
Easiest hikes elsewhere.
The same ranking for other parks in our dataset.