Hickman Bridge in Capitol Reef National Park is a fantastic hike that is perfect for families. The trail is relatively short, it has several fun features that kids will love and it ends with an impressive natural arch that you can walk under! On top of this, the scenery along this trail (and the overlook right after it) is absolutely incredible!
To begin your hike, you will park at the trailhead’s parking lot which is on the northside of UT-24 (1.8 miles east of the Visitor Center.) This parking lot is fairly small, with only about 25 spaces. This can fill up quick so we recommend hiking early in order to make sure you get a spot.
Trail Tips for Hiking Hickman Bridge:
- Hike Early, Bring Plenty of Water, and Wear a Sun Hat if you can.
- Please know that Hickman Bridge Trail is exposed and can be very hot.
- Parking is Limited
- For us, we began our hike at 7am on a Thursday in June. There were only a couple cars in the lot with us. By 8am when we finished our hike, the parking lot was almost completely full. At 11am, when we drove by the parking lot, it was not only full but so was all along the road leading up to it.
Hickman Bridge Trail Details
Trail Length: 1.8 miles out-&-back
Elevation Change: 442′
Difficulty: Moderate (but kid-friendly)
Bathrooms at Trailhead: Yes
Parking Spots: ~25 spaces
Hiking Time: 1-2 hours
Hickman Bridge Trail
Hickman Bridge trail begins on the east side of the parking lot and heads east. The first part of the trail follows alongside the Fremont River and it is very picturesque. The lush green plant-life by the river creates a beautiful contrast to the towering red rock backdrop.
The trail slowly pulls away from the lush riverside and the scenery immediately transforms into a rocky ancient-looking landscape.
A Great Photo Spot
As you are walking down the trail, there will be a small sandy path that heads off to the right. (It’s easy to see.) Make sure you check this out, because it leads to some really cool rock features that our whole family loved. This is a great photo spot too!
After this section you will come to a junction. Here, you will follow the signs and go right (counterclockwise) making a small circular loop that goes towards the arch. The trail here continues around a bend and goes through even more fantastic rock scenery.
The Natural Arch at Hickman Bridge
And then you see it, or do you? Look at the picture below. There is something unique that lies hidden in the rocks here. It’s an enormous arch! Now at first I was thinking, ok this is cool but it’s far off and I really can’t see it that well since it blends in. At this point I was really hoping that this wasn’t the huge finally at the end of the trail.
Luckily, this far off view of Hickman Bridge was not the big finale and pretty soon I realized that the trail itself goes directly under this massive 133 foot natural arch! And standing there, under it, is is incredible!!
Do you see our family under the arch in the picture below? We look so tiny! To me, this picture really shows just how enormous (and gorgeous) this natural arch is!
After spending a few moments relaxing under the arch and admiring the view, we decided to continue on down the trail. At this point I was thinking that the arch had been our big finale and that we would just be heading back on the trail now. But I was wrong.
Immediately after the arch, the trail curves around behind it and the landscape opens up into a gorgeous panoramic view.
The colors were so beautiful and picturesque here that we again decided to sit down for a moment to enjoy this fantastic and peaceful view.
Heading Back
After the beautiful panoramic view, this loop portion of the trail continues and meets back up with the out-and-back portion of the trail. From here you will retrace your steps back to the parking lot.
Once the trail starts to follow alongside the Fremont River again, you’ll know that your hiking journey is soon coming to an end.
Where We Stayed –By Capitol Reef National Park
- Only 1 mile from the entrance to Capitol Reef National Park.
- Gorgeous views of the red cliffs right from your room!
- Unique Experience: Here you can stay in a Conestoga Wagon (that can sleep 6!) or a TeePee (that can sleep 4) or a 2 Bedroom Cabin (that can sleep 6!)
- Minimum night stay may be required.
- Since we were staying only 1 night, our family stayed in their double queen hotel room and it had a fantastic balcony view. (See the view from our patio below.)
- This was a perfect place to watch the sun set.
- Pool/ hot tub and restaurant onsite
- Extras Offered: Guided Llama Hikes, Scenic Horseback Trail Rides, and Thrilling Jeep Safaris
So, now you are all set to hike Hickman Bridge in Capitol Reef National Park. Let me know if you have any questions or comments below.
Have a Great Hike with Your Traveling Feet!
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POPULAR TOURS NEAR HICKMAN BRIDGE
Gear We Love for Capitol Reef:
Available in 24 Colors
Read More on Nearby Sties:
Utah: Utah National Park Road Trip: Top Sites & Hikes (+ 7 Day Itinerary)
Zion: Scout Lookout Hike in Zion with Kids (Plus Hidden Gems)
Goblin Valley: Goblin Valley State Park (A Fantastic Road Trip Stop in Utah)
Bryce Canyon: Hiking Bryce Canyon’s Queens Garden/ Peekaboo/ Wall St Loop
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1 comment
I used to live very near the trailhead. I haven’t been back since I was eight. This is a really neat nostalgia trip. Thanks!