Cohab Canyon Trail

The Trail

This moderate trail is about 2.8 miles long with approximately a 530 ft elevation change when hiking both the canyon and the lookout points. If you do not go to the lookout points and only hike the canyon, the trail is about 1.1 miles shorter with roughly a couple hundred feet less of a climb. This trail could be started at either end of the canyon, but we started from the trailhead for Hickman Bridge, and that is reflected in the information here.

Topographical Map

Graph of Elevation

Trail in Google Earth

From the Hickman Bridge parking lot, hikers must cross the street to access this trail. A sign clearly marks the trail and various distances to different places from this trailhead. The trail heads up from hear fairly steeply as it ascends into this high canyon. In fact, because this canyon is so high up, it can safely be hiked even when flash flood danger makes hiking other trails in the area unwise.

About 0.6 miles up the trail, there is an option to turn off to North and South Fruita Overlooks. Doing these overlooks adds just over a mile to your hike, but they do offer some nice views for hikers with the time and energy.

When we did this trail, we headed to the south overlook first, so that is what is reflected in the graph's information. As it turned out, we accidentally made a wrong turn along the way (shown in red on the topographical map) when we lost the trail for a moment, and we found a couple interesting rocks, including this one that had a hole in it reminding us of a birdhouse.

The actual trail continues along a trail marked off with stones just past where we turned and arrives at the viewpoint soon thereafter.

Path to south overlook

View from south overlook

View looking west from south overlook; the lines on the hill
are old walls created for fencing livestock by early settlers

The trail to the north overlook is shorter than the south one. 

View from north overlook

View of Fruita from north overlook

After hiking back down to Cohab Canyon, hikers will find many other interesting points along the trail from side slot canyons to walls of wind pocketed rocks.

 

As hikers exit the canyon on the west side, they can enjoy some nice views of the valley below and the canyon they just left.

 

Looking back at Cohab Canyon

View of Fruita and surrounding canyon
area upon exiting Cohab Canyon

 After transversing the switchbacks down, hikers will end up in the Fruita area. This is a great hike to do with others when you can have a car parked at each end of the trail, but if not, hiking back the way you came is a good option too.

 

There are bathrooms available at both ends of the trail, near the main parking areas. 

 

Directions

This trail is located in Capitol Reef National Park in Wayne County, Utah. The trail is right off UT-24. To get there from I-15, take Exit 188 to get onto US-50. Get off US-50 at UT-260. From there get onto UT-24 and continue to Capitol Reef and the trail head on your left. This trail shares a trailhead with the Hickman Bridge and Hickman Bridge/Navajo Knobs Overlook trails, but this trail starts across the street from the parking area. Note that a fee is required for this trail due to its location in a National Park. GPS Coordinates: N38° 17.319' W111° 13.680'