Cathedral Valley trip

[Bob]

My wife was off on Wednesday and Thursday, so we decided to take the jeep over to Capitol Reef N.P. and explore the Cathedral Valley. So we went and checked in at the visitor center, and we met a ranger that my wife used to work with, so after visiting a while we were on our way.
The loop begins outside the park a couple of miles, We had to ford the Fremont River, lucky for us it was only about 10 inches deep though. I asked my wife to get out and walk ahead and take pics as I made the crossing, but she refused, not a team player I guess. LOL

So the loop trail is 58 miles with a campsite about halfway, up at 7000 ft. elevation, but it was too early in the day to set up camp, so we just went our way.
The sinkhole is where there was a plug of gypsum that dissolved and left this depression, again I asked my wife to climb down and check it out, but was met with another flat refusal.
Then we headed to the Temple of the Sun, and Moon, and Glass Mountain, actually more of a hill made of gypsum.
And our camp for the night off Caineville Wash Rd.
After a beautiful starry night, we headed back home the next morning after a visit to Goblin Valley.

 

[Boort]

Bob

Hello, I'm thinking about making a trip out to Capitol Reef N.P. this spring or early summer. Looking at your pics it appears you've got quite a rig there. Any advice for someone with a 20 year old Stock Tacoma. I've got about 9" ground clearance and am used to taking the rough but passable passes in Colorado. (IE: Haggarman between Leadville and Eagle and Mosquito Pass between Fairplay and Leadville. For examples of easier and the rougher roads that I've taken in this truck over.) The Cathedral Valley entry on trail damage seems to put this area in the same ball park as the 2 passes I've mentioned. I'm not finding much better info on the roads and trails in the CRNP area. Do you know of a good map and description?

BoorT

 

[Bob]

Hi,
The road is very easy, and scenic.
I'm sure any stock 4x4 can make it easily.
I'm not home now so I can't look it up but I think I used the back country byways book by Tony Huegel.
But they have info at the visitors center at Capitol Reef N.P. also.
O.K. have fun.

 

[Boort]

Thanks for the heads up on the Tony Huegel book. I'll check it out.

Boort

 

[Egan]

View attachment 7550 View attachment 7551 View attachment 7552 View attachment 7553 View attachment 7554 View attachment 7555 View attachment 7556 View attachment 7557 My wife was off on Wednesday and Thursday, so we decided to take the jeep over to Capitol Reef N.P. and explore the Cathedral Valley. So we went and checked in at the visitor center, and we met a ranger that my wife used to work with, so after visiting a while we were on our way.
The loop begins outside the park a couple of miles, We had to ford the Fremont River, lucky for us it was only about 10 inches deep though. I asked my wife to get out and walk ahead and take pics as I made the crossing, but she refused, not a team player I guess. LOL

So the loop trail is 58 miles with a campsite about halfway, up at 7000 ft. elevation, but it was too early in the day to set up camp, so we just went our way.
The sinkhole is where there was a plug of gypsum that dissolved and left this depression, again I asked my wife to climb down and check it out, but was met with another flat refusal.
Then we headed to the Temple of the Sun, and Moon, and Glass Mountain, actually more of a hill made of gypsum.
And our camp for the night off Caineville Wash Rd.
After a beautiful starry night, we headed back home the next morning after a visit to Goblin Valley.

Great Photos and I love the Jeep. Tell your wife that she needs to be more adventerous swift moving rivers and sink holes, how can you pass that up?

 

[tarouszars]

Bob

Hello, I'm thinking about making a trip out to Capitol Reef N.P. this spring or early summer. Looking at your pics it appears you've got quite a rig there. Any advice for someone with a 20 year old Stock Tacoma.

BoorT

You should be fine with a stock Tacoma. My brother and I went last week in stock rigs (4Runner and a 100 Series Land Cruiser) and we had no trouble on any of the trails we came across. It was my first time there and it was amazing. I would say your biggest obstacle will be the river, if runoff during your trip causes it to be a lot higher. It wasn't very deep when we crossed it.

Wonderful pictures Bob. Looks like you had a great time.

 

[Boort]

Tarouszars

That's great to hear. Looks like you got your truck's under carraige all cleaned up to hit the dirt.

Do you know if there is an online way to get road/river status. I found the NPS recorded info line (435) 425-3791 and this info from the USGS on the Fremont river flow:
https://waterdata.usgs.gov/ut/nwis/inventory/?site_no=09330000
This testing site is located at 38°18'25", -111°31'05" which is 29 miles west of the crossing along Hwy 24 at the western tip of the Ke Bullock Waterfowl Management Area. The next station is ~58 mile down stream at 38°05'39", -110°24'24" https://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis/inventory/?site_no=09333500 which is nearly to the north tip of Lake Powell / SW edge ofo Canyonlands NP.

Both are basically fairly raw data and distant from the crossing. From what I was able to pull from the first station it looks like the river was considered very low at ~60 Cf/S during the time of your crossing. The Median flow for this time over the last 40 years is in the 80's. Let's see if My acct can post images:

Boort