Sulphur Creek

Dogs No Dogs

Features Geological Significance · River/Creek · Swimming · Views · Waterfall

The Sulphur Creek Route is a unique way for the adventurous hiker to explore Capitol Reef National Park. This point to point hike follows an unmaintained trail through a deep canyon, where you can expect to wade through flowing water, scramble up and down rock obstacles, and wander through chilly, shaded narrows for hours. Most hikers chose to shuttle cars or hitchhike to the starting trailhead.

Be sure to check the weather forecast before hiking this canyon. If there is rain forecasted, do not enter this canyon, as it can flash flood easily. Detailed information about this route can be found on the National Park Service website, and up to date water flow conditions from the Park Rangers at the Visitors Center.

Sulphur Creek is a perennial stream, but its volume depends significantly on snowmelt and irrigation operations near the town of Torrey. Expect to get your feet, and possible more of you, wet. Pools are common in the Spring as snowmelt increases the water volume through this canyon. The temptation is high in the summer to run in sandals or water shoes, but the three significant obstacles along the route are more safely negotiated with sturdier footwear.

The route begins off of Highway 24, at the parking area across from Chimney Rock trailhead. If you want to do this as a point-to-point hike (which is recommended), you should ideally leave another car at the park visitor center for a shuttle.

From the start off Highway 24, hiking begins as a pleasant 1.5-mile walk down easy-going, dry washes to Sulphur Creek, a perennial stream. On the approach to the fabled Goosenecks, a narrow section of slot canyon, hikers are often dissuaded by flowing water. However, do not fear! While the canyon constricts quickly into several sets of photogenic narrows and small falls, the running distance remains up to you. You can turn around at any point if you are not prepared for scrambling or swimming.

Conditions can change dramatically in this section with each flood, but some obstacles are always present. Bypassing the falls requires scrambling up and down ledges (usually on canyon right) that can sometimes be slick. After traversing the Goosenecks, the canyon widens for the last half mile to the visitor center, but some visitors turn around before this point unless they have a shuttle vehicle waiting for them. If you don't have a shuttle parked at the end, the walk back on Highway 24 is a little more than three miles.

The National Park Service cautions visitors to avoid fully submerging yourself or ingesting the water from Sulphur Creek, as it can sometimes be contaminated with the bacteria, E. coli.

Some of this content was contributed by author Rick Stinchfield. For a comprehensive running guide to Capitol Reef National Park and to see more by Rick, click here.