Hiking to Stunning Cassidy Arch in Capitol Reef National Park

Looking for more hikes near Cassidy Arch in Capitol Reef National Park?
Head to Capitol Gorge and hike to the Tanks, or to Fruita Campground to head out on the Cohab Canyon Trail.

WE HIKED IT

April, 2026, 2 hours and 15 minutes

CURRENT INFO

Find more information about Capitol Reef National Park on the park website. Good maps and reviews for the Cassidy Arch hike are available on the AllTrails website. If you’re planning a trip to Capitol Reef National Park, I recommend the guidebook Moon Zion & Bryce: With Arches, Canyonlands, Capitol Reef, Grand Staircase-Escalante & Moab.

GOOD TO KNOW

• There is a $10 to $20 fee to enter Capitol Reef National Park. It’s also covered by the America the Beautiful Pass. If you don’t already have a pass, check ahead of time to see if you qualify for a free or reduced price pass — veterans, seniors, and 4th graders do!
• Full disclosure: during our visit in April, we were never asked to show our America the Beautiful Pass. Maybe it was because we arrived early in the season. But the Capitol Reef National Park website states that payment is required, so be prepared to show your pass or pay the fee.
• Vault toilets are available at the trailhead.
• Bring water, shade hats, sunglasses, and sunscreen. There is little shade on the trail, and no water is available.
• Before your hike, stop by the Gifford House for pie. I say before because if you wait until afterwards they may well be sold out. The homemade fruit pies sold here are personal-sized, so you can buy several and enjoy a post-hike taste test (we especially like the mixed berry and strawberry rhubarb).
• I recommend hiking the Cassidy Arch Trail in fall or spring. You can hike in summer, but it will be hot.
• Looking for a longer hike? Continue on the Frying Pan Trail for a challenging option, or walk further down the Grand Wash Trail for an easy one.
• Always follow Leave No Trace principles.

HIGHLIGHTS

Cassidy Arch is one of the most famous natural wonders of Capitol Reef National Park. And while I’m sure you’ve heard this said of countless other places, it’s as true here as anywhere: you really have to see it in person to truly appreciate it. After all, how many times do you get to walk out on top of a natural arch? At Cassidy Arch you can do exactly that, and without putting your life at risk (always a bonus in my book).

But it’s not just about the arch, impressive as that is. Throughout the trail, the rugged desert scenery is constantly changing, opening up new vistas and strange formations. Take your time, explore, and enjoy some of the best scenery Capitol Reef National Park has to offer.

THE KIDS’ TAKE

The Cassidy Arch Trail is great for kids who are strong hikers and can handle an exposed trail with steep drop-offs. Fortunately, the most precarious section of the trail is pretty brief. Stick close to any young hikers who may need guidance safely navigating the switchbacks. If you feel your kids may not yet be ready for this hike, a good alternative in Capitol Reef National Park is Hickman Bridge.

With the switchbacks behind you, the trail opens up onto a wide expanse of slickrock. It’s a lot of fun to explore here, but be careful; with no clear trail it’s easy to wander off track. Have the kids help navigate by looking for strategically placed rocks marking the route. These include both cairns and rows of rocks that line the path.

It’s also fun to see who can be the first to spot Cassidy Arch in the distance. Hint: The first glimpse appears not long after you reach the top of the switchbacks. Once you reach the arch, the view is dizzying, and perhaps a little nerve-wracking. Don’t get too close, kids! But if you’re contemplating whether or not to walk out onto the arch, I say go for it (while exercising good judgement, of course)! It’s much wider than it appears from a distance, and you can walk across the middle while keeping a safe distance from the edge.

WHILE YOU’RE HERE

Capitol Reef National Park is chock full of short hikes to explore. Continue down Scenic Drive to the end of the road to hike Capitol Gorge to the Tanks, a series of water-filled potholes hiding amid the rocky cliffs. Closer to the visitor center, Cohab Canyon and Hickman Bridge offer more hiking thrills. As the day draws to a close, head to Sunset Point. The views here and at neighboring Goosenecks Overlook are breathtaking.

If you want to stay close to all the action, Fruita Campground is the place to be. We spent five nights in this charming campground, located just 1.2 miles southeast of the visitor center. It’s conveniently close to the Gifford House, where visitors line up daily to purchase their famed homemade fruit pies.

With more time, the “Loop the Fold” scenic drive is a great way to spend half a day (or more) exploring some of the further reaches of Capitol Reef National Park. The visitor center sells a helpful driving guide that points out many areas of geological interest. The highlight is the trek up (or down) the infamous Burr Trail switchbacks. This section of the road is unpaved, and high clearance is helpful. Be sure to check the weather before you go, as rain storms can turn the otherwise dry roadbed to a thick slurry of slick mud. Hungry? This route passes through the tiny town of Boulder, where both the Burr Trail Grill and Little Bone Food Truck serve excellent meals.

The Cassidy Arch Trail starts off nice and easy. A broad, sandy trail leads from the parking lot into Grand Wash, where red sandstone cliffs tower overhead. Don’t get to complacent, though; we’re about to climb those very cliffs.

It’s impossible to miss the turnoff from Grand Wash to Cassidy Arch. A large stone sign points the way, noting that in 1.5 miles we will gain nearly 1000 feet in elevation. A significant portion of that elevation gain occurs within the next quarter mile, so buckle up!

Soon we were climbing steadily up a steep trail punctuated by jagged rocks. To our left, the trail dropped off precipitously, and the sandy, wide Grand Wash Trail grew ever more distant. In a few places, stone steps were built into the trial, but much of the path was rough and uneven. My ten-year-old son grew nervous as the trail narrowed. It was a long drop to the bottom. With some encouragement, he made it past the most precarious part of the path, which was mercifully short.

Our heart rates were just beginning to slow as we rounded a bend in the trail and caught our first glimpse of our destination: Cassidy Arch. It looked small in the distance, nestled comfortably into a quilted blanket of striped sandstone. But judging from the ant-like figures we spotted near the arch, this was no paltry bend in the rock. I couldn’t wait to see it up close.

We passed the turnoff for the Frying Pan Trail and continued on toward Casidy Arch. From this point onward, the trail is less defined as you traverse large expanses of slickrock, wandering up and down across the windswept sandstone. Look closely, and you will spot lines of rocks and occasional cairns marking the trail. Fortunately, it’s hard to get lost. From atop each sandstone hill we could see a small group of hikers gathered on a rock shelf ahead of us, steadily growing nearer.

Before long, we were part of that group, gazing down into Cassidy Arch from above. This was the spot that made me wary, as the rock drops away suddenly at the edge of the overlook. Thankfully, my kids have a healthy respect for heights, and I didn’t have to worry about them straying too close.

I was initially shocked by the hikers who dared to climb out atop Cassidy Arch, posing for photos from what appeared to be dangerously close to the edge. Eventually, Michael and our older son wandered over to check it out. Our younger son followed, and when I saw him bound happily down onto the arch, I knew it couldn’t be as bad as it looked. A considerate fellow hiker offered to take our photo, and I quickly headed out to join the rest of my family.

Sure enough, Cassidy Arch is much wider than it appears from the overlook, and we confidently posed for our photo without fear. I encourage you to check it out for yourselves if you ever do this hike. After all, it’s not often that you have the opportunity to stand atop a natural stone arch.

The clouds began to thin as we hiked back, revealing blue sky that contrasted beautifully with the red rocks. As with our hike through Cohab Canyon, the return trip opened our eyes to new views and rock formations. The desert landscape is ever-changing.

We took our time as we made the descent back into Grand Wash. It’s easy to get distracted by the view, and I stopped frequently to get a good look or snap a photo. When hiking, my eyes were focused squarely on my feet.

Soon we were back at the trailhead, energy still high from our incredible hike. There were more adventures to come in Capitol Reed National Park, but Cassidy Arch is hard to beat. If you’re looking for some excitement, strap on your hiking boots and hit the trail. This is one hike that’s not to be missed.