After returning to Fruita Campground in Capitol Reef National Park and getting a good night's sleep (after enjoying a few beers and dinner over the campfire, of course), I wake early and start packing up my gear. I'm returning home today, but not before getting in a few more hikes and checking out more of this park. The first on my list starts just a mile or so east of the turn for the campground. As sunrise was only about half an hour ago, there is no one else here at the trailhead for the Hickman Natural Bridge.
The trail starts by running parallel to the Fremont River and the highway, while slowly climbing the side of the red cliff. Eventually, the the trail switches back at a break in the cliff wall to head into the canyon beyond and leaves the river behind. The landscape here is breathtaking, as beautiful as any desert landscape I have ever laid eyes on. The red and yellow stone monoliths surrounding me inspire a sense of awe. This truly is a magnificent place.
For a bit, the trail gets steep, as it pushes over another ridge and then descends into a sandy wash below. At the head of that wash, I encounter two small natural bridges. I'm unsure if this is Hickman, as I hadn't seen any pictures before visiting, but as the trail continues on around, it seems unlikely that these are the destination of the trail. They are stunning though. Two stone bridges rising in parallel over the sandy, dry wash below could have provided shelter to two or three families, until the rains came, at which time, I imagine the same waters that carved these formations would have flooded this entire wash and driven any inhabitants out.
Leaving the wash, the trail now heads toward a tall white canyon wall. The rocks on south side have hints of pigment, as if some ancient visitors created some rock art here, but they are so faded as to leave substantial doubt in my mind as to whether it is truly human-placed or not. I decide to move on. After just a few dozen more yards, I encounter a crude map on a sign, which indicates a loop through the natural bridge, which is indicated to be to my right.
As I make the turn, the gigantic feature comes into site. Approximately seventy feet above the trail the gigantic white arch leaves the southern cliff-side, spans a distance of roughly 40 yards, before connecting to the northern cliff. It's stunning and the trail pass just below it, offering some fantastic views. I take a few pictures and then pass under the arch and around the loop on which I came into this area. Eventually, I arrive back at my jeep after having hiked 1.8 miles out and back to reach the wonder. The effort was well rewarded.
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