Staircase Escalante Monument to Torrey, Utah – 27 September 2025

On our drive from Escalante toward Torrey, the landscape shifted yet again. We passed through Teasdale — a lush ribbon of fall color that felt like a gift after weeks in stark desert. As we approached Torrey, the Waterpocket Fold slowly revealed itself: a nearly 100-mile-long geological “wrinkle in the earth” that gives Capitol Reef its dramatic character.

That first afternoon, rain and thunderstorms chased us mostly indoors. We ventured down the road briefly to the local market, though options were limited. Eventually, we surrendered to cravings and grabbed burgers from a nearby food truck.

The next morning we got up early and headed into the park. The Scenic Drive was closed to vehicles for a cycling event, but we were allowed to walk. We passed through the historic Fruita orchards, still maintained by dedicated stewards from the days of early Mormon settlers.

We walked about 5 km down the road, watching monoliths and cliffs morph in the morning light. But then ominous dark clouds rolled in. With flash-flood warnings fresh in our minds, we turned back. Not long after, the skies opened — and we were fortunate to find a small rock overhang. We squeezed underneath and waited out the downpour until it eased.

The following morning, after a stroll with Jax on a nearby trail, we returned to Capitol Reef and took on Hickman Bridge. The trail is modest in length — about 1.4 km round-trip (0.9 mi) with ~400 ft elevation gain — but the climb is rewarding. We passed through red and white cliffs, scrub desert and occasional cottonwoods, and views of the Fremont River before arriving at the arch. Standing beneath the span, you feel how water carved this natural bridge through time.  

After the hike, we drove further along the Scenic Drive, pausing to admire even more dramatic rock formations. Capitol Reef’s signature white sandstone domes caught our attention — the rounded domes that inspired the “Capitol” in the park’s name. It’s a geological signature you don’t see in many other places.