Ask and You Shall Receive (but it sure helps to ask the right questions): Finding Slot Canyons in Capitol Reef

Intrigued. Cat and I were halfway through our week long trip to the high desert of southern Utah, and we decided to make a day trip out at Capitol Reef National Park. Our plan for hiking included a relatively short hike through Cohab Canyon, whose trail head starts right off of the main park road. I usually make a point to talk to a park ranger before I hike on any new trail, because they can be a gold mine of information relating to the trails I want to hit. In this case, I'm extremely glad I did, because the ranger Cat and I talked to mentioned that there were several slot canyons just off of the main trail, and if we knew where to look, we would be able to get into them. With a few more questions, we were able to determine roughly where the slots were, and took our hand drawn map with us as we ascended into the canyon.

After gaining close to 400 feet in a series of steep switchbacks, we turned the corner and entered the canyon proper. We found our first of four slot canyons with ease, and slipped off of the main trail and into the significantly cooler grey stone canyon. The canyon slowly narrowed as we traveled upstream, and we soon found ourselves taking off our packs in order to slide sideways through the narrowest point. We had a bit of climbing to do before we accessed the upper part of the canyon, and once we hit the dead end, Cat and I each climbed as high as we could, to see if we could get a view over the top. Unsuccessful, we grabbed our packs and slid down the canyon, more than eager for the next slot.

Due to the drive to get to this park, we started our hike later in the morning than we probably should have, and the canyon quickly lost what shade it had, turning the whitish rocks into heat reflectors. We hiked the canyon wash, keeping our eyes open for the entrance to the next slot. Once inside, we found this side canyon was initially narrow, but opened into a wide area that clearly held a pool of water in wetter times. What a sight that would be, with a waterfall cascading into a shallow pool, and the rushing water carving the canyon just a little deeper!

The other slots held similar wonders, and we got excited every time we spotted the side canyons. Who knew what we would see? We hiked to the far edge of Cohab Canyon, and instead of descending to the road and walking back to the parking lot, we turned around and went right back through the canyon again. It's amazing how different a trail looks when you're going the other direction. You notice different things, and it's like you're walking a whole different trail. We were so happy we stopped and asked the ranger about this hike, because we would never have known about the adventures just off the trail! After a couple of shade breaks and a little more off-trail exploration, we headed down toward our car, and the fresh homemade pies and ice cream waiting for us at the little park museum.

What I'm listening to: Dragon Flight by Alexandre Desplat