Cassidy Arch Trail – Capitol Reef

Distance: 3.4 miles Elevation Gain: 700 ft Difficulty: Strenuous Type: Out-and-Back Surface: slickrock and dirt Activity: Hiking Best Season: Spring and Fall Typical Time: 2–3.5 hours Fee: Included with park pass Dogs: No Permit: No

Cassidy Arch Trail climbs from Grand Wash — a dramatic slot canyon accessible by car — to a viewpoint directly atop one of Capitol Reef's largest natural arches. The trail ascends a series of steep switchbacks out of the wash and traverses the slickrock above the canyon, offering increasingly dramatic aerial views of the Waterpocket Fold before reaching the arch itself. The arch, named after outlaw Butch Cassidy who allegedly hid in the area, spans approximately 200 feet and sits at the edge of a sheer cliff with nothing below for several hundred feet.

Standing on top of Cassidy Arch is one of the more thrilling experiences in a Utah national park — the arch surface is wide and stable, but the void below on one side and the canyon panorama are vertiginous. The hike back into Grand Wash offers a completely different perspective, the canyon walls narrowing to 20 feet wide in places before opening back to the wash bottom. The combination of canyon slot, slickrock climbing, and arch summit makes this trail one of the best in the park. Flash flood risk in Grand Wash is serious during storm activity; check weather forecasts before entering the canyon and be prepared to exit quickly if rain threatens upstream.