Parking
Start at Halls Creek Overlook trailhead. The remote approach includes a rough final three miles that require a high-clearance four-wheel-drive vehicle; parking capacity is not published.
Overview
About Halls Creek Overlook Trail
Why go
- Reaches the Halls Creek drainage after a dramatic overlook start.
- A short route with a full 800-foot descent.
Heads up
- Unmaintained tread and a hard-to-find climb-out.
- Remote approach; the final three miles require high-clearance four-wheel drive.
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Capitol Reef map
Full mapElevation4,465–5,177 ft
Plan your hike
Before you go
Parking
Safety
2 active Capitol Reef alerts
- CautionFlash-flood hazard in canyons and washesHeavy rains can cause sudden flooding in Capitol Reef’s canyons and washes; do not hike or drive through floodwater.Official details
- CautionE. coli advisory for Fremont River and Sulphur CreekDo not swim in the Fremont River or Sulphur Creek or get water in your mouth: NPS reports elevated E. coli in both waterways, and Utah DEQ has issued a warning advisory. - DEQ reports Sulphur Creek E.Official details
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Capitol Reef Tour Guide
Your drive to Halls Creek Overlook Trail, narrated.
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 tour- 116 audio storiesacross Capitol Reef’s roads, triggered by GPS as you drive
- Wildlife heatmapsfor Bighorn Sheep, Mule Deer, Marmot, and 13 more
- Works offlinemaps, 48 trails, 52 places, and audio download before you lose signal
- CarPlay readysimple controls built for the drive
“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!!!!”
Trail guide
Hiking Halls Creek Overlook Trail
A short but serious descentHalls Creek Overlook Trail is a 2.
Halls Creek Overlook Trail is a 2.4-mile out-and-back from the overlook to the Halls Creek drainage and back. The one-way descent is 1.2 miles and loses about 800 feet, so you regain all of that on the return. This is a rugged half-day hike, not a casual extension of the viewpoint; allow about three hours for steep footing and careful route-finding.
Mark the way out before you go downThe cairned route drops across unmaintained terrain from the overlook.
The cairned route drops across unmaintained terrain from the overlook. Use the canyon-bottom access as the turnaround for this short version; continuing down Halls Creek leads into much longer routes. The return climb-out is unmarked and easy to walk past, so note the landmarks at the exit before descending and carry a topographic map.
Heat and flash floodsSpring and fall are the best seasons.
Spring and fall are the best seasons. Summer heat can be extreme, and flash floods can move quickly through narrow canyons during monsoon weather. Do not enter the drainage when storms threaten. Pets are not allowed on park trails or in off-trail backcountry areas.
Getting to the overlookThe trailhead is at Halls Creek Overlook, reached by a remote road approach.
The trailhead is at Halls Creek Overlook, reached by a remote road approach. The last three miles to the overlook are rough and require a high-clearance four-wheel-drive vehicle. There is no segment-specific time estimate or published parking capacity for this hike, so plan for a slow outing and arrive with everything you need.
Wildlife
Wildlife in Capitol Reef
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.
