Sulphur Creek Trail

Sulphur Creek Trail is the canyon hike through Sulphur Creek Canyon in Capitol Reef National Park, Utah—about a 5.8-mile (9.3 km) one-way walk. The route follows a perennial stream corridor that varies with upstream water use, snowmelt, and heavy rain, so water depth and creek crossings can change from day to day.

Plan around creek travel: expect walking in shallow water for long stretches, plus occasional deeper pools that may require swimming. There are about two miles of narrows and three small waterfalls; bypassing the falls involves scrambling down ledges and then negotiating slickrock and tight canyon walls.

Most hikers do the downstream direction for flow and logistics, typically starting at the paved parking area 3.3 miles (5.3 km) west of the visitor center on State Route 24 and finishing at the visitor center behind the buildings. The NPS notes the route nearly always requires some walking in shallow water, but deeper, avoidable sections can appear after higher flow.

Approach the first waterfall after roughly 1.5 miles (2.5 km) from the Sulphur Creek confluence, with the canyon narrows beginning around that transition. The trail character stays water-and-wash driven: angled slickrock bypasses and short pitches are part of getting around the waterfalls and staying in the corridor.

Past the second waterfall, it’s about 1.7 miles (2.8 km) to the third and final waterfall. The final obstacle is only about eight feet (2.4 m) high, but the NPS describes a short, slippery traverse on a narrow ledge before a downclimb, with a more accessible line via an upstream bypass track if needed.

Logistics matter: if you don’t have two vehicles, you’ll be walking about 3.3 miles (5.3 km) along Highway 24 to return to your starting point. Vehicle shuttles aren’t provided or facilitated by the park, and hitchhiking is legal but not recommended.

NPS access notes also call out safety and water quality constraints. Do not hike if there’s a chance of rain due to dangerous flash floods, and avoid fully submerging yourself or ingesting creek water because E. coli can be present; ask at the visitor center for the latest condition report.

For a shorter option, you can hike upstream from the visitor center for about 0.7 mile (1.2 km) to a small waterfall using parking by the bridge on State Route 24 just west of the visitor center in the gravel area adjacent to the highway.

More information: Visitor information, Visitor information, The Desert Narrows: Sulphur Creek In Capitol Reef