Epic Travel → North America → Mountain States → Utah → Capitol Reef National Park → ⊗ Cassidy Arch Canyon

  ⊗ Technical Route ⊗
♦ Intrepid Top Pick!

Warning: Do Not Attempt Without Proper Training – click here for details

Location: Fruita Area, Capitol Reef National Park, Utah

Distance: 2.3 miles roundtrip, 0.4 miles technical

Elevation Ascent/Descent: 600 feet/600 feet

Time Required: 2.5 – 4 hours

Rappels: 8, lengths up to 140 feet

Red Tape/Notes: No permit required, no shuttle required. Park is open 24 hours a day; the trailhead is reached via the scenic drive so you’ll need to pay the $10 per car visitor’s fee (pass is good for 7 days). For additional details on the route, see the BluuGnome beta.

What’s Nearby?: Fremont Petroglyphs, Hickman Bridge, Pandora’s Box

This is a great canyon! The approach hike is very pretty (it’s one of the most popular hikes in Capitol Reef to the drop in point of the canyon, at the arch), and it’s really cool that you get to rap through the arch that most people have just come to look at. You’ll probably have an audience. After your awesome initial rappel (which is mostly free hanging), the rest of the rappels happen in rapid fire succession and are very scenic. You’ll rappel through arches and into caverns, and end up in a super cool hidden cove-like area with carved rock steps and an old bridge. A short exit hike brings you back along the road to the parking area.

Epic Travel → North America → Mountain States → Utah → Capitol Reef National Park → ⊗ Cassidy Arch Canyon