Strike Valley Overlook

Strike Valley Overlook is a cairn-marked out-and-back to a low saddle above Strike Valley, where the Waterpocket Fold fills the horizon. Count on about 0.9 mile round trip and 30 minutes to an hour. The mapped tread is just under 0.4 mile each way; total figures vary slightly with the exact viewpoint reached. I’d save this for a day when you’re already headed down Burr Trail: the walk is quick, but reaching its start is the real commitment.

The route starts in packed sand among pinyon and juniper, drops briefly into a shallow wash, then climbs beside it. Cairns lead onto slickrock for two moderate-grade rises; a large cairn marks the low saddle and the overlook. Expect uneven rock rather than a built trail surface. Spring and fall are the more comfortable seasons for this exposed desert walk.

From the saddle, Strike Valley opens between the Waterpocket Fold and the cliffs and badlands to the east. Tarantula and Swap mesas sit in front of the Henry Mountains, with Capitol Reef’s domes to the north. The view makes the geology easy to read: nearly a dozen sedimentary layers here record about 150 million years. “Strike” describes the direction the rock layers run; the valley follows that line. For a photo that shows the landscape’s shape, keep some of the tilted foreground ledges in the frame with the valley behind them.

Start at the Strike Valley Overlook / Upper Muley Twist 4WD parking area, at the end of a 2.9-mile rough, sandy and rocky road from Burr Trail. The National Park Service specifies a high-clearance vehicle. Starting from the earlier 2WD parking or Burr Trail junction adds several miles of road walking and is a different outing, not part of the short hike described here. There’s no dependable water on the route. Avoid it when storms threaten; flash floods are most common in July through September. Dogs aren’t allowed on park trails or in off-trail and backcountry areas.