Cathedral Valley - Capitol Reef National Park

The 60 mile loop through Cathedral Valley is an amazingly diverse landscape.  The geological formations are incredible to view and even though it is very spread out, it is well worth time time it takes to drive. 

The loop has two different entrances. One has a river crossing and is less accessible and the other is more accessible   Both however will still require a high clearance vehicle.  There are many riverbed crossings and in the early spring there will be water in them at times but the main river crossing is the first one.   

It was actually a lot easier than expected especially since we went int he spring and that is when the river can be at its highest.  It was only a few feed deep and the jeep had not trouble getting through it.  I read online that when you enter the river it is best to stay close to the right hand side and then take a sharp turn across when you get to the landing.  I went back and forth over the river a few times (for fun and to pick the camera man back up) and took different routes.  It was easiest to go straight across at the landing but if you have a 4x4 with good clearance then you should be ok no matter what route you take.  

The picture below was taken when the river was pretty much at its deepest point.  

There is a lot of open space on the drive and a lot of cows! There is a lot of sand as well so it didn't help with  the MPG (make sure to fill up before you start the loop and bring extra gas just in case) but the 4x4 v8 came in handy on a few of the hills.  There was evidence of a few vehicles who had some trouble getting up the bigger hills with how deep the sand was in some areas.  

For those of you who are thinking "the loop is only 60 miles so why is having enough gas an issue?"... the guy who owned this car was probably thinking the same thing

On this side of the valley there is an impressive view of the South Desert.  

We took the drive slow and enjoyed our time. There are a few hikes you can do along the way as well if you have the time. Half way through the loop there is a nicely developed campground that is free and is available on a first come-first serve basis.  We were the only people there that night (we only say 2 other cars the entire time we were on the loop.

Close to the campground (on a turnout before you get to the campground)  there is a cool overlook that is just a short hike.  

The next morning we drove to the Gypsum Sink Hole. but on the way we took the detour to an old cowboy cabin that is still in good condition.  It was full of artifacts from the area and was cool to visit.

Then on to the sinkhole...  It is a HUGE feature.  In the picture you can see how small my shadow is compared to the hole and it took multiple shots from my wide angle lens to capture the entire thing.  Be carefull along the edge as the dirt is loose and there is no barrier to keep you back.  

The main attractions in the valley are the "cathedrals" themselves.  The picture below is of the temple of the sun an glass mountain.

 

San Rafael Swell Utah Part 3 (Crack Canyon)

San Rafael Swell Utah Part 3 (Crack Canyon)

First off you will want to have an OHV (off highway vehicle) or plan on a lot of extra walking. The last mile or so of road (if you can call it that) is really just an old river bed.  There isn't really too much that is really big but definitely not for cars that have low clearance. There are a few steep parts where 4wd would come in handy as well.  

Once you get to the canyon itself it is quite impressive.  It isn't too narrow at first but as you get into it deeper then you get more of the "slot canyon" feel.  There are a few obstacles that you will have to maneuver in order to continue.  The further you go in the more difficult they get so plan accordingly. 

There were also some sections of the canyon that, depending on the time of year, will have as much as a few feet of water along the bottom.  They can be maneuvered without getting wet but it is tricky.

San Rafael Swell Part 2 (Goblin Valley Area)

Wildhorse window A.K.A the Eye of Sinbad

Wildhorse window is a natural bridge associated with a large window.  You get to the window after about a mile hike off the road that leads into Goblin Valley State Park in Utah.  It is visible from the road but doesn't look nearly as impressive as it does when you get up close.  The trail is somewhat difficult to find and also to follow although it is marked by a series of stacks of rocks that past hikers have left.  There are a few different sites that have descriptions of the trail and how to find the window.  The site I used was http://www.utah.com/hike/wild-horse-window-trail.  Someone had used the rocks marking the trail head to make a fire pit but we destroyed the fire pit and rebuilt the marker.  

At first we didn't even see these but they are on the right hand side of the cave (when entering in)

   

There wasn't really a train up to where we wanted to go but we just navigated our way up and around and it was well worth the time we took to get there

This is the view from the cavern next to the main window

There are some minor obstacles on the way there and back.  The water will likely be gone in early summer but if you go before then be sure to wear shoes you don't mind getting wet.  Or just take the time and effort to navigate around the pools.  There are also a few sheer drop-offs along the trail so be sure to be careful as you hike to and from the window.

San Rafael Swell Utah Part 1

First Stop: The Wedge Overlook
The Wedge is also referred to as the little Grand Canyon of Utah.  It really comes up out of nowhere when you are driving to it.  It is a relatively short distance from the city of Castledale.  You take a unmarked road just north of town and then in a while you will find signs for the wedge and other attractions.  

MK Tunnels and Buckhorn Wash Campground

Indian Rock Art Right in the Campground

The Buckhorn Wash Pictograph Panel

Leaving Buckhorn Wash Area

Bridal Veil Falls - Provo Canyon

****WARNING*****

Do not attempt to make this hike unless:

1.  You are in good physical condition

     2.  You have experience with rock climbing and scrambling

     3.  You have other people with you

     4.  There are good weather conditions

The Falls

Bridal Veil Falls is a highly visited area of the Provo Canyon in Central Utah. It attracts many visitors passing through the canyon and is a great recreational place for locals and tourists alike.  There are many parks in the canyon as well as a well-maintained bike path through the canyon.  There are many activities that you can do while in the canyon.  Some very leisurely and others that will give the thrill seekers a memorable experience.  The Hike to Bridal Veil Falls Restaurant is one of the later.

The restaurant has been abandoned for years.  There used to be a tram that would carry visitors up to the building.  It claimed the title as the worlds steepest tram but an avalanche in 1996 ended its years of operation.  Since then the structure has been abandoned but visited by a few determined hikers.  

There were plans to return the restaurant to working order but in 2008 there was a fire that sealed the fate of the used to be Eagles Nest Lodge.   After the fire the cables for the tram were cut and the hollowed out structure remains.

There is an old maintenance trail that leads from the base of the falls up to the restaurant it is NOT maintained and is a strenuous hike.  

These Images are from before the fire

BEFORE VS AFTER THE FIRE

These images are from after the fire

The Trail

This picture was taken when i was on a black hawk helicopter flying up the canyon.  It shows the trail from a better view.  It was taken years ago and I didn't think to get a shot with the lodge in it but it should help!

This is what the trail will look like while standing at the base of the falls

There are a few steel cables left but it will be a good idea to bring rope.  The rope up there needs replacing yearly due to the heavy snow and ice wearing on it all winter.  You may need one adventurous and experienced person in your group to climb up without rope to hold onto, tie down the rope, and throw it down to the rest of those in the group.

As you can see there are some VERY steep and sheer parts of the trail.

Once you get to the top of the falls it takes a little trail finding skill to find the turn off to head up the side of the mountain.  If you go too far up you will end above the restaurant and it is not easy to get back down.  If you don't go far enough up before turning right then you will find yourself at a dead end.  

(yes I have been in both situations)

Keep an eye out for another thin metal cable heading up the mountain on your right... it might take some time and trial and error depending on the shrub cover. I tried to draw it as accurately as i could on the firs picture of this section.  

Good luck, have fun, and be safe!

If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions about the hike leave a comment below

Here is a link to some more pictures on my brothers blog DBOBIKE:

http://dbobike.blogspot.com/2012/08/abandoned-restaurant-atop-bridal-veil.html