Sight · Capitol Reef National Park
A tight sandstone passage worth the walk from Highway 24.
Overview
Map
Plan your stop
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Capitol Reef Tour Guide
Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Capitol Reef National Park. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.
See the Capitol Reef audio tourRecorded for this place
Grand Wash Narrows“You're nearing the Highway 24 trailhead for Grand Wash Narrows, where sandstone walls close to about fifteen feet apart.”
Plays as you drive up to Grand Wash Narrows in the Parkwolf Capitol Reef Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
“Fantastic app with many points of information… It’s great to just turn on while you’re driving and it gives you an audio tour of the national Park. We love it!!!!”
Guide
Grand Wash Narrows is the deepest, narrowest stretch of the Grand Wash canyon in Capitol Reef. The sandstone walls close to about 15 feet apart, making this a natural corridor along the Grand Wash route, not a separate trail or roadside stop.
This is a walk through the wash bed, with sand and loose rock underfoot. The full Grand Wash route is 2.2 miles one way with about 200 feet of elevation change and an easy rating. From the Highway 24 end, you can turn around once you reach the Narrows instead of hiking to the other end. There’s no water along the route.
This is a confined canyon wash. Do not enter when rain or runoff is possible; flash floods can turn it dangerous fast. Grand Wash has access from Highway 24 and from the Scenic Drive side, but check current road conditions before choosing your approach.
The narrow passage is the reason to linger. From the wash floor, frame both walls and a strip of sky to show how close they come together. The shaded rock has plenty of rounded pockets and ledges to look at up close.
Wildlife
50 sightingsBighorn SheepMost seen around 6 PMSighting map
322 sightingsMule DeerMost seen around 6 PMSighting map
70 sightingsMarmotMost seen around 7 AMSighting map
13 sightingsCottontail RabbitMost seen around 7 PMSighting map
33 sightingsTurkeyMost seen around 6 AMSighting map
14 sightingsRavenMost seen around 9 AMSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across Capitol Reef. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
Keep exploring
EasyGrand Wash Trail4.4 mi · 3 hr · 0.7 mi awayA gentle wash walk that tightens into shadowed sandstone narrows.
ChallengingCassidy Arch Trail3.4 mi · 3.5 hr · 0.9 mi awayA steep climb to a walkable arch above Grand Wash.
ChallengingFrying Pan Trail4.4 mi · 4 hr · 1.7 mi awayA tough mesa crossing with its best views behind you.
ChallengingNavajo Knobs Trail9.4 mi · 7 hr · 1.8 mi awayA strenuous rim hike to a tiny summit and a huge panorama.
ChallengingRim Overlook Trail4.6 mi · 3.5 hr · 1.8 mi awayFruita and the Waterpocket Fold spread below this steep rim climb.
ModerateHickman Bridge Trail1.8 mi · 1.5 hr · 1.8 mi awayA moderate climb to a 133-foot bridge and a loop beneath it.
EasyFremont Petroglyph Boardwalks0.4 mi · 20 min · 2.4 mi awayTwo wooden boardwalks reveal Fremont rock art.
ModerateCohab Canyon Trail1.7 mi · 1.5 hr · 2.5 mi awayA steep Fruita climb opens into a sculpted sandstone canyon.
Sight · 1.5 mi awayNavajo Dome ViewpointA roadside look at Navajo Dome above the Waterpocket Fold.Sight · 1.5 mi awayCassidy ArchWalk across a sandstone arch with Grand Wash far below.
Sight · 1.8 mi awayCapitol DomeSee the sandstone formation that helped give Capitol Reef its name.
Sight · 1.9 mi awayOyler Mine ViewpointA quick roadside pause for Capitol Reef's uranium story.
Sight · 1.9 mi awayBehunin CabinA tiny cabin tells a surprisingly big pioneer story.
Sight · 2.1 mi awayNorth Fruita OverlookA steep climb pays off in a sweeping canyon view.Sight · 2.1 mi awayHickman BridgeA 133-foot bridge rewards a rocky climb past Fremont remains.Sight · 2.2 mi awaySouth Fruita OverlookThe layers of the Waterpocket Fold make sense from above Fruita.Parkwolf’s Capitol Reef ranking
The audio tour guide for the drive, plus offline maps, trails, and wildlife heatmaps for when the signal drops.
