This hike goes into a part of Capitol Reef that is rarely seen. It is not typical "Reef" hiking because the rock formations and subsequent weathering patterns are different. It does give the hiker a close look at the oldest rock formations in the Park displayed in a scenic canyon.
| TIME: | No specific destination is recommended so spend whatever time desired. It would take 5-6 hours to walk what is described here. |
| ELEVATION GAIN: | 1400 Feet. |
| DIFFICULTY: | Easy route finding. Moderate scrambling in the upper section. |
| MAP: | Fruita, Golden Throne, Grover. |
| GEOLOGY: | A walk through the oldest rocks in the Park. |
| PLANTS: | A slow but noticeable change due to elevation gain. |
| CIRCLE TRIP | No |
| ACCESS: | Drive 3.5 miles south of the Visitor Center on the Scenic Drive to the signed Grand Wash junction. Park, (A) then walk an additional 0.2 miles south on the Scenic Drive to the first (B) concrete dip. Turn right (west) and walk up Grand Wash. |
The first few yards up the wash from the pavement the main plant on the left is Rabbitbrush. On the right side of the wash the major shrub with fragile three-lobed tiny leaves is Apache Plume.
Just a minute or two from the pavement there is a split in the wash and Grand Wash goes to the right (west). Looking ahead after the right turn, the first hillside is composed of the Moenkopi Formation - red brown rock with shale and sandstone layers. Just before the canyon closes in there are a number of small (up to ten feet high), spindly, soft Tamarisk trees in the wash. One hundred feet or so after the canyon closes in there is more Apache Plume on the left side and winding through it is a vine called Virgins Bower.
About ten minutes above the pavement and after winding through some boulders the wash will split again (C). This time take the right fork (west). On the left (east) side, just a few steps beyond the wash junction there is a reddish barked Utah Serviceberry bush.
As you walk along, stop and pick out a rock layer that is about eye level. Notice that the farther up the wash you go the higher that rock layer gets above you. Since the rock layer is climbing faster than you are, you must be walking in progressively older rock. (The youngest rock is almost always on top.)
Not long after the wash junction the rock in the wash will turn a much lighter color and in a place or two where the wash is eroding the rock there are some beautiful, intricate grain and erosional patterns.
About thirty minutes from the pavement the rock color changes again from the red brown to a grayish tan. This is still Moenkopi Formation but a distinctive member (part) called the Sinbad limestone.
Below the Sinbad there is more red brown Moenkopi Formation, then five to eight minutes up the wash from the Sinbad the rock in the wash turns to the lighter gray, almost white in places, Kaibab Formation.
About five minutes into the Kaibab formation there is a wash junction. The main wash goes straight (right fork) and there is a slight scramble to get up. At that point there is a nice view of Ferns Nipple to the east.
Two or three minutes after the junction there is another minor wash that comes in from the left (south). Above that, the wash will be heading toward a colorful wall with a saddle (low point along the ridge) on the right side. When the wash gets just below the saddle it makes a hard left (south) turn. Fifty feet above the turn there are some silvery green leafed shrubs growing on the left side of the wash. They are Silverleaf Buffaloberry. Growing in the middle of the first one is a leafless green plant made up of green sticks variously called Mormon Tea, Brigham Tea or Ephedra.
Within two hundred feet of the bend move out of the wash to either side, and avoid the short closed in stretch of wash that ends at a chockstone (F).
After one fair size pour-over the wash will eventually turn back to the right (west) and once again heads toward a colorful butte on the skyline. Where a minor wash comes down from the base of the butte the wash again turns left (south) and just a couple minutes later a ten foot high pour-over has a nice water chute cut down the middle of it. Three minutes farther up, and just before the next pour-over, there are some loose barked Cliff Rose bushes hanging out in the wash.
The pour-over just beyond slopes down to the left and is easily walked up the left side. Fifteen minutes farther up the wash there is a major (30 foot) pour-over. Within ten minutes above the major pour-over long needled Ponderosa Pine trees will start to show up along the wash. Soon after that the wash makes a bend to the left (south) directly into a grove of short, soft needled Douglas Fir trees.
The Ponderosa and Douglas Fir trees become more prevalent as you proceed (E). Should you choose to go that far the wash will eventually take you to the top of Miners Mountain. Enjoy!
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23June2017
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