Cassidy Arch Hiking Guide: Uncover Capitol Reef’s Hidden Gem
During our 2 week Southern Utah Road Trip, Cassidy Arch was an ideal stop when driving from Moab to Bryce Canyon. Having seen so many arches already at Arches National Park, we didn’t have too high expectations here. To our surprise, this hike turned out to be one of our favourites!
Within this compact 2-3 hour hike, you will traverse through otherworldly landscapes of red and white slick rocks and at the end, get to walk on top of one of Utah’s most famous arches. Compared to the hikes in Arches National Park, this is definitely one of those off-the-beaten-path experiences and absolutely worth it!
Below we’ll dive into the details of the hike, a trail guide, what to expect during the hike, and photos to capture the beauty of this experience.
Let’s jump right in!
Cassidy Arch Hiking Stats
Distance: 5km / 3.4 miles out-and-back
Elevation gain: 204m / 670ft
Time to hike: 2-3 hours
Difficulty: Moderate
Toilets: Yes, at parking lot
Fees: Capitol Reef National Park fee (20$) per vehicle but Free if you have the America the Beautiful Pass
Location: Within Capitol Reef National Park
What is special about Cassidy Arch?
Cassidy Arch, is an exquisite natural sandstone formation nestled in the heart of Capitol Reef National Park in South-Central Utah. It distinguishes itself by offering a rare opportunity for visitors to traverse its span. Measuring approximately 50 feet across and towering 400 feet high, this remarkable rock bridge provides the awe-inspiring experience of standing on a rock bridge formed millions of years ago.
Legend has it that the arch earned its name from the notorious railroad bandit Butch Cassidy, who reputedly sought refuge in the area.
Conveniently located between Moab and Bryce Canyon National Park, Cassidy Arch serves as an ideal stopover for those journeying between these two renowned destinations.
How to access the trailhead of Cassidy Arch
After entering Capitol Reef National Park, make sure to stop by the Visitor’s centre. It is important to always consult with the park rangers to obtain more detailed information about the current condition and safety of the trail. Given that the Cassidy Arch trail does cross through some slot canyons and riverbeds, flash floods are are inherent risk to be aware of.
To get to the trailhead, drive towards down the Capitol Reef Scenic Drive and then turn left on Grand Wash Road. This is a gravel road but is accessible with a standard car.
Here you will pass through some incredible scenery and if you pay attention to the cliff faces, you will notice several barred off adits. These were in fact used in the 1900s by prospectors to mine for potential Uranium.
Originally, Uranium was believed to have medicinal properties that could help with rheumatism. Radioactive ore from these mines was crushed and put into pouches that were then worn around the individual’s neck or mixed into water to be consumed. In the end, little Uranium ore was found here, and the prospectors abandoned this site.
You can actually walk right up to the adits to get a glimpse of the tunnels, and the big radioactive sign. How fascinating!
Continue down to the end of the road where you will arrive at the small parking lot. Here you will also have access to a dry toilet before starting the hike.
Experience of hiking Cassidy Arch
Below we’ll guide you through the four sections of the Cassidy arch trail.
Start of the hike
From the parking lot, you will start walking on the narrow dried riverbed trail for about 5-10 minutes to find the Cassidy Arch Trailhead. If you continue down this trail, you will be embarking on the Grand Wash Trail, surrounded on both sides by the red rock cliffs.
In order to join the Cassidy Arch trail, be on the lookout on your left side for the trailhead sign. From here, you will start heading uphill along multiple switchbacks.
The Switchbacks
From here you will start zig-zagging along multiple switchbacks to gain in elevation. This is the hardest part of the hike but is constantly rewarding since every switchback brings you an even more elevated view of the valley below. As you get higher, the dramatic landscape across the horizon will also be revealed to you.
The trail is carved out into natural rock stairs making it easier and safer to climb. There are some mild exposed areas here so make sure to have sure-footing and don’t walk too close to the edge. This section takes about 30-45 minutes to climb up.
Once you reach the top, the trail flattens out and you will notice a stark change in the landscape
Before moving ahead, make sure to look back to get the final elevated view of the valley below.
Alien Landscape
We call this next section the “Alien Landscape” since it truly feels like you are stepping onto Mars. The bright red and white coloured streaks on the slick rock, contrasted by the dramatic rocky background are truly otherworldly.
Here, you will also catch your first glimpse of Cassidy Arch. From this angle, it doesn’t look like much and actually appears more like a cave than an arch. You will need to continue further down the trail to get to the main viewpoint.
Make sure to follow the cairns placed along the trail to help guide you on the right path. Since this section is mostly slick rock, it is easy to get lost and the trail is not always obvious. We took the wrong path multiple times but it is easy to re-find your way. Just look for the cairns.
This is one of our favourite sections of the hike since every corner brings a different perspective of the landscape. You can go about and freely explore the multiple levels of this terrain. There are also several landmarks along the way with uniquely shaped rock formations.
Once ready, continue down the trail towards Cassidy Arch. Generally when given the choice of pathways, stick to the right as it will be the more elevated side and brings you closer to the arch.
Cassidy Arch
The first sign that you have arrived at the arch is when you see the gigantic hole in the ground. Cassidy Arch will be to your left (west) but to truly appreciate the magnitude of this rock bridge, head to your right (East) until you are on the Eastern edge of the hole.
From this angle, you can see Cassidy Arch in its full glory, with the massive void below it, and the beautiful Capitol Reef backdrop. This brought back the memories from a few days ago of our exciting experience canyoneering down such a cliff in Moab.
You can access the arch from either the left or right side and it is completely safe to walk on. From this viewpoint, the arch looks quite narrow but it is actually very wide. Nan normally has a fear of heights but was completely comfortable walking onto the arch by herself.
From straight opposite the arch, it is the best spot to capture the iconic photo of you standing on top of Cassidy Arch. We were here at sunset and had the place entirely to ourselves so we needed to set up a tripod to get our photo. But if there are others around, we would highly recommend asking a fellow visitor to help you take the shot.
We set up our tripod with a 30-second timer but the run from my tripod to the centre of the arch took close to 30 seconds. We would not advise doing what we did and running to the arch as it can be quite dangerous. However, the camera/tripod was too far from me and couldn’t be activated by Bluetooth.
After running back and forth several times to capture these photos, we sat quietly together to admire the arch with the backdrop of the setting sun.
Return to the parking lot
Since we stayed till after the sunset, we made sure to bring headlamps to light our way back to the parking lot. You will retrace your steps and descend the same switchbacks to get back to your car. Downhill is far easier than climbing up so it should take only about 40 minutes.
Be careful when traversing through the “Alien Landscape” as the rock is slick and finding the trail in the dark will be more challenging.
Safety considerations when hiking Cassidy Arch
Height and exposure
During the Switchback sections and the actual Cassidy Arch section, there are a couple of areas of exposure. The trail is very safe to hike but just be aware that there are a few parts where you may need to walk close to an edge.
Flash flooding
Flash flooding is the largest safety consideration when hiking in Utah. Since the Cassidy Arch trail crosses through a couple of river beds and slot canyons, being caught in a flash flood can be quite dangerous.
Even if there are no clouds or rain right above you, the rain from a neighbouring region can still flow and aggregate into the region that you are in. Since most of Utah is slick rock, the rainwater doesn’t get absorbed into the ground and flows almost like a waterslide.
We were told that the Grand Wash trail crosses through a few dry riverbeds that can end up flooding, which would cut you and your vehicle off from getting back to the Scenic Drive.
It is for this reason that we highly recommend speaking with the Park rangers at the Visitor’s Centre before embarking on this hike.
Slippery rock
As with most hikes in Utah, you will be traversing through slick rock. As the name implies, the trail is sometimes slippery, especially if there was some rain prior. Make sure to wear proper hiking shoes with good grip.
What to do after Cassidy Arch?
After hiking Cassidy Arch, you can head East towards Moab and Arches National Park or West towards Bryce Canyon. If you are searching for other nearby attractions, check out this list below:
- Gifford Homestead for apple pie
- Hickman’s Natural Bridge
- Gooseneck Overlook
- Twin rocks
- Spooky Gulch + Peekaboo Slot Canyon
- Bryce Canyon
- Arches National Park
Bryce Canyon hiking- Arches National Park in Moab
This post is part of our series about Utah. If you want to learn more about Utah, planning your trip, and some of the best experiences there, check out the guides below:
FAQ
Is Cassidy Arch worth it?
We definitely feel Cassidy Arch is worth visiting! Within a compact 2-3 hour moderate difficulty hike, you will get to climb up switchbacks, witness incredible alien-like landscapes, see multiple unique rock formations, and get to stand on top of a massive sandstone arch. This trail is also far less frequented than those in Arches National Park, making it even more worth it!
Best time to hike Cassidy Arch
The best time to hike Cassidy Arch is during the Spring and Fall. You will experience far more comfortable temperatures and there will be fewer crowds.
Attempting this hike during the middle of summer would mean extreme temperatures that can reach into the 90s, and with very little shade.
During the winter, there will be snow on this trail making it rather dangerous. There are multiple sections with heights and exposure so we would not recommend attempting this hike when snow/ice is present.
How hard is the hike?
We would consider this hike to be easy-moderate. The most difficult section is the “Switchbacks” as you will be constantly climbing upwards. Once you reach the top, the trail will be mostly flat.
Are dogs allowed on the trail?
Dogs are not allowed on this trail since it is within the National Park.
Best time to hike Cassidy Arch for photography?
The best time to hike Cassidy arch for photography would be during sunset. This will also be one of the more quiet times so you will be able to capture the landscape without other tourists around. Make sure to bring a headlamp as you will be returning to the parking lot in the dark.
Is this hike kid-friendly?
We would consider the hike kid-friendly. Just make sure to supervise the children closely as there are a couple of sections with some exposure. Once you reach the actual arch, there are quite a few cliff drop-offs and there are no security railings.
Can you see Cassidy Arch from the road?
No, you will need to climb up the switchbacks to see the Arch, as described above. You will not be able to see Cassidy Arch from the parking lot, the Scenic Drive road, or Grand Wash Trail Road.
Where to stay near Cassidy Arch?
Following your Cassidy Arch hike, the town of Torrey, located a mere 30-minute drive from the trailhead, offers the most convenient stop for lodging.
If, however, you are heading to Bryce Canyon next, then we would recommend continuing your journey to the town of Escalante. This strategic move ensures you’ll be a short hour’s drive from Bryce Canyon the following day, providing a more comfortable travel experience compared to the two-hour alternative from Torrey.
Check out below for some of the most recommended hotels to stay in each town:
| Hotel | Town | Price | Best For | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cougar Ridge Lodge | Torrey | $$$ | Luxurious Nature resort experience | 9.8 |
| Skyridge Inn | Torrey | $$ | Remote B&B experience | 9.4 |
| Torrey Trading Post | Torrey | $ | Simple Budget Cabin | 9.6 |
| Escalante Yurts | Escalante | $$$ | Unique and luxurious Yurt experience | 10.0 |
| Canyon Country Lodge | Escalante | $$ | A Large lodge experience | 9.0 |
| Escalante Outfitters | Escalante | $ | Small Budget Cabin | 8.6 |
Summary: Cassidy Arch
Cassidy Arch turned out to be one of our favourite experiences during our 2 week Southern Utah Road Trip. From navigating through the alien-like landscape to standing on a rock arch carved by millions of years of erosion, this quick 2-3 hour hike is packed full of incredible views.
We hope you found this guide useful and inspired you to add this stop to your Utah Road Trip.
For some more unique experiences in Utah, make sure to check out our guide to paddle boarding the Colorado River through Horseshoe Bend, or see our full 2 week Southern Utah Road Trip.
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