Beautiful Halls Creek Narrows

[Scott P]

Introduction

This is the story of our trip through the beautiful Halls Creek Narrows in Capitol Reef National Park in Utah.

Kimberly needed a break from the kids, so I took Shaylee and Kessler and headed to Capitol Reef for an attempt on the Halls Creek Narrows. I had planned to do the Halls Creek Narrows several times now, but something always came up. Last time we planned on going there was during October 2006, but a 200 year flood hit! This time we hope for better luck.

The trip through the Halls Creek Narrows is one of the best in Capitol Reef National Park, but because of the distance from the roads, it isn't nearly as visited as many other trips in the National Park.

It was an amazing trip and the photos will do much of the telling of the story.


http://www.summitpost.org/images/medium/720888.JPG (http://www.summitpost.org/halls-creek-narrows/720888)
http://www.summitpost.org/images/layout/abby/magnify.gif (http://www.summitpost.org/halls-creek-narrows/720888)
Kessler in the Halls Creek Narrows.

http://www.summitpost.org/images/medium/721053.JPG (http://www.summitpost.org/images/original/721053.JPG)


May 28: Brimhall Canyon and the Approach

After driving to the Halls Creek Overlook (trailhead), we met two other hikers, Nao and Beaver who were also hiking the narrows. I offered to do a car shuttle with them so we could come out a different way.

After Nao and I complete the car shuttle, I told Nao and Beaver about Brimhall Canyon and we decided to explore it. We scrambled up canyon and over the challenging dryfall, past beautiful pools and to the long and cold swimming hole. The water was in the shade and freezing cold so we opted not to swim across. We did swim in some warmer pools before we returned down canyon and headed down Halls Creek.


http://www.summitpost.org/images/medium/720884.JPG (http://www.summitpost.org/brimhall-canyon/720884)
http://www.summitpost.org/images/layout/abby/magnify.gif (http://www.summitpost.org/brimhall-canyon/720884)
Brimhall Canyon.


http://www.summitpost.org/images/medium/721031.JPG (http://www.summitpost.org/exploring-brimhall-canyon/721031)
http://www.summitpost.org/images/layout/abby/magnify.gif (http://www.summitpost.org/exploring-brimhall-canyon/721031)
Kessler and Shaylee exploring Brimhall Canyon.


http://www.summitpost.org/images/medium/721033.JPG (http://www.summitpost.org/cooling-off/721033)
http://www.summitpost.org/images/layout/abby/magnify.gif (http://www.summitpost.org/cooling-off/721033)
Cooling off in Brimhall Canyon.


http://www.summitpost.org/images/medium/721035.JPG (http://www.summitpost.org/nao/721035)
http://www.summitpost.org/images/layout/abby/magnify.gif (http://www.summitpost.org/nao/721035)
Nao looking for a bypass above the swim hole in Brimhall Canyon. The rest of us did not try the route.


http://www.summitpost.org/images/medium/721037.JPG (http://www.summitpost.org/brimhall-canyon/721037)
http://www.summitpost.org/images/layout/abby/magnify.gif (http://www.summitpost.org/brimhall-canyon/721037)
This is part of the trail through Brimhall Canyon.


http://www.summitpost.org/images/medium/721038.JPG (http://www.summitpost.org/lizard/721038)
http://www.summitpost.org/images/layout/abby/magnify.gif (http://www.summitpost.org/lizard/721038)
We saw lots of these guys in Brimhall Canyon.

Nao and Beaver went on ahead of Shaylee, Kessler and I. The horse and deer flies were pretty fierce in places, so we stopped and put on long pants. This was a good idea since the flies mostly stopped biting us after this. Along the way, we stopped at some old historic signatures (including Hall

[gnwatts]

Nice pics. Looks like everyone had a great time.

[ibenick]

Awesome, Scott. I was just researching Halls Creek for a trip this weekend. Other plans came up but now it's now near the top of my list. Perhaps this fall...

[Zoriloco]

awesome trip!! Just makes me wanna get out there. I was just wondering, do you need a permit for this hike? How many miles did you walk total?

Thanks!

[peakbaggers]

Your kids are real troopers! Reminds me of when ours were young and we'd do trips like this. If you get them started when they're young, they'll get use to the abuse and won't complain too much.
The Narrows have been on our list for some time as well. I was under the impression that there would typically be long stretches of wading/swimming in cold water in the Narrows. Evidently, you did not have too much or any of that. Doesn't sound like there were any required swims.

[Sombeech]

Very cool report. :cool2:

[accadacca]

Your boy can carry a mighty big pack. :stud:

[Scott P]

I was just wondering, do you need a permit for this hike?

If you go overnight, yes. It's free and there are no quotas.


How many miles did you walk total?


~24 miles with side trips. We spent two nights. The first day we got a late start and explored Brimhall Canyon so didn't start the 7.5 mile section below Brimhall Canyon to the HCN until after 3 pm, so we moved pretty fast. The second day was a leisurely trip through the narrows and exploring top the highpoint and along the rim. We hiked fast on the third day and got out of the canyon before lunch time.

I would highly recommend not trying it in one day and taking side trips.

The standard route is 21.9 miles + side trips, but there are variations including a shortcut route (which we took on the way out). Although this was my first trip through the narrows, I've been to them before and done lots of exploring in the area. You can easily spend a week exploring all kinds of things from the overlook all the way to Lake Powell.


I was under the impression that there would typically be long stretches of wading/swimming in cold water in the Narrows.

We took a life jacket for Shaylee, just in case, but most of the time there apparently isn't swimming. The water was chilly in the morning, but not bad at all otherwise for us in the Halls Creek Narrows. The water in Brimhall Canyon was freezing though (which is why we didn't do it).



Your boy can carry a mighty big pack


It's to slow him down. He can hike as fast as me (or faster at times). He seems to forget that his sister has smaller legs.

[arnellfam]

Really enjoyed the photos and TR, especially knowing the area is suitable for all ages. Thanks!

[Don]

Nice TR. This has been on my list for awhile too. Might have to bump it up in pirority...

[Swamp Thing]

What a great trip report Scott, thanks for posting it and for your Summitpost report as well showing the short cut route.

I'm considering this hike for a either a 3 night trip and from the map, it looks like there is a beautiful and dramatic spot about a mile north of the narrows worth exploring. Do you know if it is reachable without rope? The area just west of the short-cut descent looks interesting too. Amazing place!

[arnellfam]

Had to come back for a second look. Beautiful country. Thanks again for a great post!

[Scott P]

I'm considering this hike for a either a 3 night trip and from the map, it looks like there is a beautiful and dramatic spot about a mile north of the narrows worth exploring. Do you know if it is reachable without rope? The area just west of the short-cut descent looks interesting too. Amazing place!

I'm not sure which specific place north of the Narrows you mean, but basically unless you are intentionally doing a technical canyon or to climb a rock face, you should be able to scramble to most places in the area.

[Zoriloco]

Wow what a great report. Ive been wanting to backpack into this area for a while now. Just waiting for my daughter to get a big bigger (she's 3) so she can handle the hike.