{"id":5163,"date":"2019-03-28T04:15:49","date_gmt":"2019-03-28T04:15:49","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/san-andreas-fault-through-carrizo-plain-copy\/"},"modified":"2022-09-22T15:44:48","modified_gmt":"2022-09-22T15:44:48","slug":"cathedral-valley","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/cathedral-valley\/","title":{"rendered":"Cathedral Valley Road Trip"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Our road trip this time takes you into the Cathedral Valley area of Capitol Reef National Park in Utah.\u00a0<\/strong> The Park itself can be divided into three sections: the southern section that is accessed using the Burr Trail and Notom-Bullfrog Road; the middle section where you\u2019ll find the popular points of interest including Capitol Gorge, the Mormon outpost of Fruita and the Visitor Center; and the northern section known as Cathedral Valley.\u00a0 This northern section is where our journey occurs.<\/p> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n

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\n Click image<\/strong> to watch Virtual Video Tour and see viewer comments.\nThen come back to get the rest of the story. <\/div>\n <\/div>\n \n <\/div>\n \n<\/div>\n\n\n
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Trip Specs<\/h3> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n
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Length<\/h3>\n
\n About 70 miles roundtrip <\/div>\n <\/div>\n \n <\/div>\n \n<\/div>\n\n\n
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Attractions<\/h3>\n
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  • Cathedral Valley<\/li>\n
  • Bentonite Hills<\/li>\n
  • Magnificent, colorful vistas<\/li>\n
  • Unique geological formations<\/li>\n
  • Remote, seldom visited scenery<\/li>\n<\/ul> <\/div>\n <\/div>\n \n <\/div>\n \n<\/div>\n\n <\/div>\n
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    Difficulty<\/h3>\n
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    • High clearance 4WD required<\/li>\n
    • Potentially impassable mud early in season<\/li>\n
    • Becomes very muddy after rainstorms<\/li>\n
    • Very remote area<\/li>\n
    • River ford<\/li>\n
    • No cell phone reception<\/li>\n<\/ul> <\/div>\n <\/div>\n \n <\/div>\n \n<\/div>\n\n\n
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      Elevation Gain<\/h3>\n
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      • Lowpoint 4,800 feet at start<\/li>\n
      • Highpoint is at 7,000 feet<\/li>\n<\/ul> <\/div>\n <\/div>\n \n <\/div>\n \n<\/div>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n
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        About the Cathedral Valley Loop Trip<\/h2>

        Cathedral Valley is quite remote and this all-day loop trip requires a high-clearance vehicle.\u00a0 These factors combine to make it a much less crowded experience than the other, more popular spots in the Park and it\u2019s just the kind of back road we love.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>

        Capitol Reef National Park is a region known for its colorful and rugged scenery that was produced by some spectacular geologic events.\u00a0 The most significant of these was the creation of a large ripple in the Earth\u2019s surface known as Waterpocket Fold.\u00a0 Similar to the effects of a large earthquake fault like the San Andreas, Waterpocket Fold is the result of massive uplift and upheaval of the same iconic geologic formations that are so evident in the Grand Canyon and Zion National Parks.<\/p>

        This loop trip through Cathedral Valley follows a long dirt road of about 70 miles (including side trips).\u00a0 It starts and ends on Highway 24 which is the main paved road through Capitol Reef.\u00a0 If you embark on this adventure, there are four things we recommend:<\/p>

        • Take a high-clearance vehicle, preferably with 4WD, and the knowledge of how to use it<\/li>
        • Buy the booklet Cathedral Loop Road Guide<\/em>, available at the Park\u2019s Visitor Center<\/li>
        • Ask the Visitor Center staff about road conditions<\/li>
        • Carry all the supplies you need for an entire day, including fuel, water, food, etc., as well as emergency supplies because there are no services along this road.\u00a0 Remember, this is a very remote area.<\/li><\/ul>

          This road trip takes an entire day so get an early start.\u00a0 You\u2019ll need at least 8 hours to fully enjoy it and see all the sights.\u00a0 Of course, you can drive it in less time, but it won\u2019t be as satisfying.\u00a0 And you can also take more time, but you\u2019ll need to camp overnight somewhere along the way.\u00a0 There are several primitive campgrounds along the road.<\/p>