Our first hike at Capitol Reef NP was to Hickman Bridge. A short 2-mile drive from the Visitor Center, down Utah State Road 24, this trail is considered a “Moderate” 2.5-mile hike. Total elevation gain was about 400 feet. We were at the parking lot early and quickly out on the trail before the crowd. Trail was well marked yet we managed to wander off into side canyons and dry washes along the way. As we neared the arch, the canyon walls steepened below. Hickman Natural Bridge is a 125-foot-tall and spans 133 feet. The geological tidbit is this sandstone bridge was carved out of a geological formation known as the Kayenta Formation 65 million years ago. On the way back to the parking lot, the morning light provided a spectacular view of Capitol Dome.
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