A few days earlier, when we were at
Cassidy Arch, Allison asked if we could fit the Grand Wash hike into our plans. We mulled it over for a while and decided we could probably do this short hike before we headed home Sunday morning. Then Kent had a "brilliant" idea (scary thought!): If he dropped Allison at the main trailhead and drove around to meet her at the Highway 24 side, she could enjoy a through-hike without retracing her steps. Turned out that it worked like a charm!
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| As we noted in our Cassidy Arch post, both trails use the same trailhead for their starting points |
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Amazing what the effects freeze-thaw cycles can have on what once was a small crack . . .
When water freezes, it expands by roughly 9%, acting like a wedge that pries the rock apart and widens the crack. |
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An interesting stained wall . . . this is often called desert varnish
The varnish is a thin "patina" composed mainly of manganese and iron oxide (rust) mixed with clay particles . . .
It was a favorite of the "Ancient Ones" to carve their petroglyphs into |
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The spots on this slab of sandstone caught Allison's attention . . .
After she took the picture she discovered it looked just like a rabbit! |
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| About mid-way through the wash the walls began to narrow |
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At it's narrowest point the walls are about fifteen feet apart . . .
Up until 1962, when Highway 24 was paved, people used to drive their cars through this wash! |
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| The narrow portion only lasts for about a quarter of a mile |
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| While the Wash never becomes a "slot canyon" it comes fairly close |
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| Do you suppose Butch Cassidy might have used this as a hideout? |
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Hey, who's this?
Kent decided to walk up the Wash from Highway 24 and see how far he could go before meeting Allison |
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| There were a few little caves to explore along the way |
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It was interesting to see all the "Swiss cheese" holes on this cliff filled with rocks . . .
At first glance it looked as if they may have been placed there by flash floods . . .
But on closer examination, it was obvious people had tossed stones from the wash bed into them! |
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| Heading back . . . the Highway is just around the corner |
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| One last stop for a fun family photo-op |
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| Grand Wash passes under Highway 24 and empties into the Fremont River . . . where the trail ends |
Allison loved this quick, easy walk - it was the perfect way to stretch her legs before the three-hour drive home. The trail offered flexibility: It can be hiked as a 2.2-mile one-way trek with a car shuttle, or as a 4.4-mile out-and-back route. If you're short on time or just passing through Capitol Reef, it's worth stopping at the Highway 24 trailhead for a short hike before continuing on your journey!
