HICKMAN BRIDGE TRAIL

HICKMAN BRIDGE TRAIL

A towering 400-foot-tall sandstone pillar, located three miles west of the visitor center off Highway 24 and accessible via a short hiking trail.

The trailhead to Hickman Bridge gives you three hiking options, depending on how much time and energy you have.

LENGTH:

  • The 1.8-mile round-trip walk to Hickman Bridge takes about 1.5 hours, the 4.6-mile round-trip hike to the Rim Overlook (on the Navajo Knobs trail) takes three to four hours, and the 9.4-mile round-trip hike to the Navajo Knobs takes six to eight hours.

TRAIL DETAILS:

The trail to all three of these destinations starts along the Fremont River and then heads down into a wash with a great view of the park’s namesake Capitol Dome.

After 0.2 miles you’ll reach the Hickman Bridge/Navajo Knobs junction. To see Hickman Bridge, a natural sandstone arch, go left. The trail gradually climbs 400 feet through a landscape defined by tall tan rock walls, junipers, cottonwoods, and ancient sand dunes. There are some artifacts of the Fremont people, like the remains of a pit house and of a granary, that you can check out along the way. The trail then comes to a junction, and you can go in either direction to circle beneath the bridge. The Hickman Bridge, which was shaped by flowing water, stands an impressive 125 feet high and is 133 feet long. 

LOCATION

Right off of State Route 24 – 3 miles west of the Visitor Center.

GPS COORDINATES

38.288780, -111.227650

GEAR CLOTHING WE NEEDED

With climbing up and down on sandstone it’s best to have good grip hiking shoes or sandals. Here are our favorites.

During those warm summer months just make sure to bring sun screen, a hat, and always extra water. We always like our Days packs with our hydration bladder. Here are a few of our favorites.

CAPITOL REEF GALLERY

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