USA Pleasant Creek

Of the five national parks located in Utah, Capitol Reef is my favorite. There aren’t the crowds you see at some of the others and the scenery is as varied as it is amazing. While hiking the Pleasant Creek trail, this stark wall with bare trees caught my eye.

You must cross the creek a few times or wear water shoes and walk in the creek (my preference) to get to this spot. We typically hike about 2.5 to 3 miles (4 to 4.8 km) downstream before turning around. The creek winds through a Navajo Sandstone canyon and is very photogenic.

Take the Scenic Drive in Capitol Reef National Park to the beginning of Capitol Gorge. Take the gravel road labeled "Pleasant Creek" which branches off to the right, just before Capitol Gorge. Drive 2.8 miles until the road meets Pleasant Creek. A few short stretches of the road is deep sand, making a 4WD vehicle necessary. There is space for 4-5 vehicles to park just before the creek. Don’t attempt to cross the creek. Hike east in or along the creek to travel through the most spectacular portion of the canyon. Retrace your steps to return to your car. After about a 20 minute hike from the trailhead you’ll see the streaked wall on the left side of the creek.