Hiking to Beautiful Hickman Bridge in Capitol Reef National Park

Looking for more hikes near Hickman Bridge in Capitol Reef National Park?
Head to Fruita to hike the Cohab Canyon Trail, or follow the Scenic Drive to Cassidy Arch and Capitol Gorge.

WE HIKED IT

April, 2026, 1 hour and 30 minutes

CURRENT INFO

Find more information about Capitol Reef National Park on the National Park Service website. Good maps and reviews for the Hickman Bridge Trail are available on the AllTrails website. 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. Flush toilets are available two miles away at the visitor center.
• Bring water, shade hats, sunglasses, and sunscreen. There is little shade on the trail. No water is available at the trailhead, but you can fill up ahead of time at the visitor center.
• Before your hike, stop by the Gifford House for pie. I say before you hike because if you wait until afterwards they may 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).
• Arrive to the trailhead early. Hickman Bridge is one of the most popular hikes in Capitol Reef. Additional parking is available along Highway 24 if the lot fills up. We hiked on a weekday in early April around mid-morning, and it was busy, but not overly crowded.
• I recommend hiking the Hickman Bridge Trail in fall or spring. You can hike in summer, but prepare for heat.
• There are a few longer trail options from the Hickman Bridge trailhead. For a strenuous choice with expansive views, take the Navajo Knobs Trail. This trail gains more than 2,000 feet in elevation and is 9.2 miles out and back, so prepare accordingly.
• For something a bit easier, cross the road to the Cohab Canyon Trail, which leads to Fruita. We hiked from the opposite end of this trail as far as the Fruita Overlooks. You can hike to the overlooks from this end of the trail as well.
• Always follow Leave No Trace principles.

HIGHLIGHTS

Hickman Bridge is a graceful arch surrounded by stunning sandstone cliffs. That in and of itself makes this destination worth the hike, especially considering that the 1.8 mile round trip trek is doable for a wide range of hikers. But as with other trails in Capitol Reef National Park, the destination isn’t the only draw. Enjoy the walking through a lovely canyon, pause for picture-perfect views across the desert landscape, marvel at ancient pictographs, and maybe spot a lizard or two. There’s plenty to discover on the short and sweet hike to Hickman Bridge.

THE KIDS’ TAKE

Hickman Bridge is a great trail for all ages. It’s short, but strenuous enough to get the heart pumping on the way up. Compared to the Cassidy Arch Trail with its steep drop-offs, it’s more approachable and safer for younger kids. In other words, it’s exciting, but not scary.

I recommend families grab a copy of the interpretive leaflet at the trailhead. Markers along trail indicate where to stop and read about the local flora, fauna, or geology. It’s a good way to take a quick break and sneak in a little learning. Another way to get kids involved is to pick up the Junior Ranger booklet from the visitor center ahead of time.

The Hickman Bridge Trail is also a good place to spot lizards. We came across two desert spiny lizards on our hike (and I think my youngest found even more). After you pass under the bridge, there’s yet another surprise in store — look for the handprint pictographs lining the cliff as you walk by. There’s so much to see, you’re bound to make more discoveries of your own.

WHILE YOU’RE HERE

Capitol Reef National Park offers a wealth of fascinating hikes and history to explore. From the Hickman Bridge Trailhead, head west to the visitor center, stopping to check out the Petroglyph Panels and the Fruita Schoolhouse on the way. From the visitor center, it’s another mile to the orchards of Fruita and the Gifford House, famed for its homemade fruit pies. No trip to Capitol Reef is complete without sampling some pie, and the picnic areas by the orchards are the perfect place for a relaxing break from the trails. Next door, Fruita Campground is the ideal home base for campers looking to stay longer.

Across from Fruita Campground, the Cohab Canyon Trail is a great option, leading to gorgeous views overlooking the valley. From Fruita, the Scenic Drive leads into the rocky heart of the park. My top hiking pick along this route is Cassidy Arch, one of the park’s more adventurous trails. At the end of Scenic Drive, take it easy with a hike through Capitol Gorge, with the option to hike up to the Tanks for a little more excitement. As golden hour approaches, head back to Highway 24 and Sunset Point. The views here and at neighboring Goosenecks Overlook are breathtaking.

For even more adventures, the “Loop the Fold” scenic drive leads to a more remote area of Capitol Reef National Park. We did this incredible drive after our morning hike to Hickman Bridge. 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. Check the weather before you go, as rain storms can turn the otherwise dry roadbed to a thick slurry of slick mud. Hungry? Make a stop in Boulder, where the Burr Trail Grill and Little Bone Food Truck serve some of the region’s best food.

It was our final full day at Capitol Reef National Park, and there was one iconic trail we had yet to hike: Hickman Bridge. Fortunately, it turned out to be the perfect day for this charming little hike. Where one day earlier we had been greeted with pouring rain and even snow, now cheery white clouds flecked the edges of the vast blue sky. That’s springtime in the desert for you; you never know what you’re going to get.

After a brief walk along the Fremont River, the trail began its ascent. Compared with the Cassidy Arch Trail, the Hickman Bridge Trail is not as steep or precarious, but it’s enough to quicken the pulse. I grabbed an interpretive leaflet at the start of the trail, which gave me a good excuse to stop at each of the trail markers for a short break while I read from the guide. It’s also worth stopping to appreciate the glorious views.

At the top of the switchbacks, the trail leveled out. We followed the sign pointing the way to Hickman Bridge (and in case you were wondering, it’s .7 miles from this point, not 7). The wide open desert landscape made me thankful we were here in April, not the heat of summer.

Apparently, the local wildlife was enjoying the moderate warmth of the sun as well. We came upon a desert spiny lizard basking near the trail. It let us get surprisingly close before scampering off under a rock.

As we neared Hickman Bridge, the trail changed dramatically. Navajo sandstone walls rose on either side, sculpted by eons of steady erosion. The trail became less defined and followed a winding path across the slickrock past bristlecone pines and boulders. We kept our eyes peeled for any cairns or rock markers to ensure we didn’t stray too far from the main route.

My 15-year-old was the first to spot it. At first, Hickman Bridge blended into the sandstone surroundings so perfectly that I didn’t even notice. But there is was, a massive arc spanning from one side of the canyon to the other, inviting us to go further on and further in.

The trail splits near the bridge, creating a short loop. A small sign directed us to go counterclockwise and head directly for Hickman Bridge. This ensures you get the best views while walking toward the bridge. In peak season, I imagine it’s also a convenient way to control the flow of foot traffic.

Michael and our 10-year-old had already made it to Hickman Bridge and waved at us from the red rocks at its base. The boulders here provided the perfect shady spot for a snack break. A few days earlier we had enjoyed a trailside snack overlooking Cassidy Arch, another famous formation within Capitol Reef National Park. Now, here we were enjoying a treat by another natural wonder, this time from below.

After our break, we continued on the loop trail. Behind the bridge, we were greeted by a wall of ancient handprints. These were likely made by the Fremont People, who lived in this area long before any white settlers arrived. We don’t know much about Fremont. Even their true name remains a mystery. Archeologists named them for the Fremont River, the American name of the river that flows through Capitol Reef, and their rock art is one of the few remaining clues into their culture.

We passed another fantastic viewpoint as we rounded a bend in the trail. This would, I decided, be an excellent spot for a picnic if you timed it right.

We headed back through the canyon, then down the switchbacks leading to the Fremont River. The trip passed quickly, and before we knew it we were back at the car. Next, we planned to “Loop the Fold”, taking an epic scenic drive down Notom Bullfrog Road as it follows the Waterpocket Fold before climbing the Burr Trail switchbacks. Our quick hike to Hickman Bridge proved to be pretty epic in its own right as well, and I could think of no better start to the day.