Capitol Reef NP and the Grand Staircase/Escalante NM, Utah

[roverrocks]

On June 14 my wife and I and our D1 rover explored the western side of the Capitol Reef NP area south of the park HQ via the Pleasant Creek Road/Trail, Tantalus Flats Road, Lower Bowns Reservoir area, and up to Hy 12 on the east side of Boulder Mountain. We then proceeded to the Grand Staircase/Escalante NM area via scenic Hy 12 through Boulder to Escalante, Utah. On June 15 we headed SW down the 110 mile round trip Hole-in-the-Rock Road to the scenic "Hole" high above Lake Powell/the Colorado River which follows part of the Mormon pioneer route of 1880 towards present day Bluff, Utah. Visited scenic side roads/4x4 trails along the "Hole" Road including Egypt, Devil's Garden, Cave Point, Dance Hall Rock, Sooner Rocks, etc. Exquisite area bordered on the west by the 50 mile long towering Straight Cliffs and on the east by the hot desert/sandstone Escalante River canyons and flats. On June 16 we returned to Colorado backtracking along the way we came including Hy 12, Boulder Mountain, Lower Bowns Reservoir, Tantalus Flats Road, and the Pleasant Creek Road into Capitol Reef again. Here are some photos which don't come close to capturing the remote beauty we passed through.

 

[roverrocks]

More Capitol Reef and Grand Staircase/ Escalante area photos

More photos.

 

[roverrocks]

More Capitol Reef and Grand Staircase/ Escalante area photos

More Photos. By the way: Go Big Red ie. Nebraska football. Photo shows a Mormon Tea bush with my stinky Cornhusker Hat on it.

 

[roverrocks]

More Capitol Reef and Grand Staircase/ Escalante area photos

More photos. The stream photo is of Pleasant Creek at the Pleasant Creek Ranch site in Capitol Reef NP.

 

[mph]

Awesome. Did u happen to throw a fly in browns?

 

[1leglance]

Great pics...always neat to see water and wildflowers in the desert.

thanks for posting up

 

[roverrocks]

Awesome. Did u happen to throw a fly in browns?

No I did not but there were several people there apparently bait fishing. I should have asked if they were having any luck. Beautiful lake.

 

[mph]

No worries...next time...sunset with a fly...game on!

 

[zkeys]

By the way: Go Big Red ie. Nebraska football. Photo shows a Mormon Tea bush with my stinky Cornhusker Hat on it.

Meh, go Buckeyes!!

Joking aside, great trip report! I remember making the hike down the HITR to the lake when I was younger. What a great time!

Thanks,

Zack

 

[Mad Matt]

Spectacular, thanks for sharing!

 

[nwoods]

Awesome photos!

 

[washington taco]

More Photos. By the way: Go Big Red ie. Nebraska football. Photo shows a Mormon Tea bush with my stinky Cornhusker Hat on it.

GO BIG RED!!!!! T minus 9 and counting!!!!

 

[roverrocks]

GO BIG RED!!!!! T minus 9 and counting!!!!

Yea, GO BIG RED! I can't wait for the season to start!!

 

[bad luck]

I could care less about the football, but your trip sounded great! I have been on quite a bit of the route you took. Did you take the opportunity to go through any of the slot canyons along the way? Very nice pics by the way.

 

[roverrocks]

I could care less about the football, but your trip sounded great! I have been on quite a bit of the route you took. Did you take the opportunity to go through any of the slot canyons along the way? Very nice pics by the way.

In years past we took our now grown sons to Spooky, Peek-a-Boo,etc plus did the fantastic 15 mile hike along the Escalante River/Canyon from the town of Escalante to Highway 12. We used to go down there twice a year in the spring in both Capitol Reef and the Grand Staircase/Escalante when our sons were still at home. Many great day hikes. We never backpacked though. I'm a bit disabled now and can't hike much so we did not hike on this trip though my wife did the Upper Calf Creek Falls hike while I took pictures at the rim.