by Alex Gugel , all rights reserved
![]() | Capitol ReefUpper Muley Twist Canyon |
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Capitol Reef National Park
National Park Service
U.S. Department of the Interior
Upper Muley Twist Canyon
Upper Muley Twist Canyon cuts lengthwise along the spine of the Waterpocket Fold
creating a colorful, meandering canyon. The Navajo and Wingate sandstone layers are
exposed here, tilted by the uplift and folding of the Earth’s crust and sculpted by millions
of years of erosion. The Wingate, stripped of its protective Kayenta cap rock, has eroded
into unusual forms including many large arches. The 0.9-mile (1.4 km) round-trip hike
to Strike Valley Overlook provides outstanding views of the Waterpocket Fold and the
surrounding area. The rim route in Upper Muley Twist Canyon provides similar views.
Saddle Arch
Highlights of the hike are narrow canyons, expanses of slickrock, large arches, and
dramatic vistas from the top of the Waterpocket Fold. The route is marked with rock cairns
and signs, but carrying a topographic map is recommended. It is extremely hot in summer
and water sources are unreliable; carry adequate water. Use caution in narrow canyons,
particularly during the flash flood season (typically July–September). Free backcountry
permits are required for all overnight trips and can be obtained at the visitor center.
This route is not an official, maintained trail. Route conditions, including obstacles in canyons, change frequently due to
weather, flash floods, rockfall, and other hazards. Routefinding, navigation, and map-reading skills are critical. Do not
rely solely on unofficial route markers (rock cairns, etc.); they are not maintained by the National Park Service (NPS),
may not indicate the route in this description, or may be absent.
Trailhead Locations
The Upper Muley Twist Canyon Road is
located one mile (1.6 km) west of the top of the
Burr Trail Road switchbacks. Passenger cars
can be driven about 0.3 mile (0.5 km) in to the
Upper Muley Twist Canyon trailhead. Highclearance vehicles, typically requiring four-
wheel drive, can drive 2.9 miles (4.7 km) up the
canyon to the Strike Valley Overlook parking
area. Check at the visitor center for the latest
road conditions before driving into the canyon
with high-clearance two-wheel-drive vehicles.
Hike Description
From the Strike Valley Overlook parking area,
it is an easy 1.7-mile (2.7 km) walk up the wash
to Saddle Arch where a sign indicates the rim
route. The loop portion of the Upper Muley
Twist Canyon hike begins here and can be done
in either direction. Hiking clockwise, beginning
with the canyon portion and returning via
the rim route, will offer a more gradual climb.
Beginning with the rim route and hiking in a
counterclockwise direction will get the most
strenuous part of the hike over at the beginning.
The loop is cairned but requires careful
attention as some sections of the trail deviate
from the anticipated route to bypass obstacles.
To access the rim route and hike the loop in a
counterclockwise direction, leave the wash near
Saddle Arch and follow the cairned route on
the right (east) side of the canyon to the top of
the Fold.
corner of an old uranium-mining claim.
A short distance up the canyon from the point
where the narrows bypass trail drops back into
the wash bottom, an NPS-placed sign marks the
point where the trail climbs out of the canyon
to the rim. At this point you can continue back
to Saddle Arch along the rim route or return the
way you came. At the sign, the trail turns east
and requires a steep climb and some scrambling
to reach a second sign that marks the upper end
of the rim route. The rim route involves some
scrambling over steep, exposed slickrock and
can be a little tricky when carrying a backpack.
Use caution, especially if wet or icy conditions
exist. The route along the rim is cairned. Threequarters of a mile (1.2 km) from the upper
(north) end of the rim route you will cross a
short, steep notch in the crest of the ridge. One
mile (1.6 km) farther, shortly after traversing
another saddle in the ridge, you will climb up
over steep slickrock ledges to get back on top
of the rim. Stay near the west (right) edge and
watch for cairns leading over this obstacle. As
you approach the lower (south) end of the rim
route, watch for an NPS-placed sign directing
you right (west) to the route that drops back
down to the canyon bottom. The rim is fairly
wide in this area, and it’s easy to miss the route
down if you aren’t watching for cairns. Back in
the canyon bottom, retrace your route 1.7 miles
(2.7 km) down the wash to the parking area.
To follow the loop in a clockwise direction,
continue up the canyon in the wash. The
narrows are 2.3 miles (3.7 km) beyond Saddle
Arch. Cairns mark a route around the narrows
on the right (east) side of the canyon. It is easy to
miss this bypass route if you are not watching for
cairns. It is possible to explore the narrows, but
a pour-off near the beginning requires a difficult
climb using old hand- and toe-holds carved
into the rock. The narrows end at an impassable
pour-off where water can sometimes be found.
Large letters painted on the rock wall mark one
Route Distances
Upper Muley Twist Canyon trailhead (at Burr Trail Road) to
Strike Valley Overlook parking area........................................................................2.9 miles (4.7 km)
Strike Valley Overlook trail (one-way from parking area to viewpoint)......................0.4 mile (0.6 km)
Strike Valley Overlook parking area to Saddle Arch.....................................................1.7 miles (2.7 km)
Saddle Arch to start of narrows.......................................................................................2.3 miles (3.7 km)
Start of narrows to rim route (upper access)..................................................................0.6 mile (1.0 km)
Saddle Arch to upper end of rim route (via rim)...........................................................2.7 miles (4.3 km)
Total distance of loop portion of route..........................................................................5.6 miles (9.0 km)
Total round-trip from Strike Valley Overlook parking area......................................9.0 miles (14.5 km)
Total round-trip from Upper Muley Twist Canyon
trailhead (at Burr Trail Road)...............................................................................14.8 miles (23.8 km)
Rules and Regulations
Additional Information
• Free permits are required for backcountry
camping, and are available at:
♦♦Capitol Reef Visitor Center
♦♦Bullfrog Visitor Center (Glen Canyon NRA)
♦♦Anasazi State Park (Boulder, UT)
♦♦Escalante Interagency Visitor Center
• Dispersed/at-large camping with vehicles is
prohibited within the park, including at or
near trailheads. Dispersed/at-large camping
is allowed on federal lands (USFS, BLM)
adjacent to the park.
• Pets are not permitted on trails or in off-trail
or backcountry areas. Pets are permitted on
roads and in designated campgrounds.
• Fires are prohibited.
• Collecting or damaging any park resource
(plants, animals, wood, rocks, bones, antlers,
artifacts, etc.) is prohibited.
• Violation of these regulations may result in a
citation.
Best season:
Maps:
Spring and fall.
USGS 7.5-minute series: Bitter Creek Divide
and Wagon Box Mesa. Maps available at the
visitor center.
For more information:
Contact the Capitol Reef Visitor Center at
435-425-4111.
To Highway 24,
Park Headquarters
0.6mi
1.0km
Steep exposure,
use caution
Start of
narrows
& bypass
2.7mi
4.3km
2.3mi
3.7km
tom
No
-Bu
og
llfr
Saddle Arch
ad
Ro
Hiking route
Unimproved road (high
clearance necessary)
1.7mi
2.7km
Unpaved road
0.4mi
0.7km
Park boundary
Parking/
Trailhead
Natural arch
0.5mi
0.8km
Strike Valley
Overlook
Distance between
points
North
Contour interval - 40 feet
0
2.9mi
4.7km
1 mi
0
1 km
Parking for
low-clearance
vehicles
Burr
ad
2.2mi
3.5km
Trail
Ro
To
Highway 12,
Boulder
3.1mi
5.0km
EXPERIENCE YOUR AMERICA
www.nps.gov/care
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