Summer hiking in Utah's Capitol Reef National Park means hot temperatures. Also be aware of late summer flash flood dangers. Stay hydrated, care for your skin and stay up to date on weather conditions.
– June: highs 85 | lows 56 degrees F– July: highs 90 | lows 62 degrees F– August: highs 87 | lows 60 degrees FExpect hot temperatures and dry conditions. Mornings and late afternoons are a nice time to explore the park during cooler hours.
There are a number ofeasy, moderate, and strenuous trails in the park that can be hiked in a day. Many trailheads start at an elevation of around 5,000 feet, so be aware of the effects of elevation.
Capitol Gorge is a spur dirt road that leads into a narrow, steep-walled canyon that is extremely vulnerable to bad weather conditions such as flash floods from rain. Walking along the Capitol Gorge trail is one of the best easy hikes in the park!
The Grand Wash is a spur dirt road that leads into a narrow, steep-walled canyon that is vulnerable to bad weather conditions. The Narrows is the central section of the Grand Wash. It's roughly 1 mile from either trailhead so a hike to the Narrows from either starting point is the same distance.