Sunday, May 15, 2022
Cooks Mesa Trail near Capitol Reef NP
Hi! I’m Allie and I sold everything in 2020 to live solo in my RV full time. Traveling the United States, I camp mostly in public lands for free as I hike, bike and seek out quiet spots in nature.
It’s a great campsite when I can leave the RV and walk to a hiking trailhead. This is actually a rare occasion, but not at Capitol Reef Overfill National Forest Campground.
Finally Finding the Perfect Campsite, Great Weather and Amazing Hike
After traveling out of Arizona I looked for about 2 weeks for good weather but not finding it in the Northern California Sierras, Southern Oregon and Northern Nevada, I finally found it in Utah! To be specific, at Capitol Reef National Park.
Also read : RVers Running From Crappy Weather in Western 5 States
I was pleasantly surprised to find not only free camping just 6 miles from the national park’s visitor center at Capitol Reef Overfill National Forest Campground but a hiking trailhead right at the CG!
I live in my Minnie Winnie RV to travel to beautiful places in search of hiking trails. Cooks Mesa Trail gave us what I needed right in camp!
Hiking the Fascinating Cooks Mesa Trail in Utah
Starting out on a glorious sunny day about 9am with a weather forecast stating 85* F this afternoon, I knew it was going to be a pleasant hiking day.
I was excited for this walk! I had been camping now in this campground for a few days looking up above at the red cliffs and millions of years of colorful layered rock that I was itching to see everything from above!
The trail is no joke from the start. For the first 1/2 mile there’s a climb of about 500 feet, this certainly activates your glutes.
After passing through tan, red, yellow, gray, and charred layers of earth you reach the rim where the hike levels out. Pinion pines and Buffalo Berry bush are the dominant plants in the region. Birds like the Pinion Wren and lizards scamper about up here seeming to not be bothered by me walking through their backyard. The trail is not as popular as the ones just a few miles away in the National Park so they must not see too many humans to worry about us.
Up here there are views of Highway 25 below, the tiny town of Torrey, UT and the mountains of Capitol Reef. The climb is always worth the view!
Once at the rim there’s a slight gradual climb that is mostly unnoticable for the 2 miles out. Looking up at the red dirt cliffs and huge boulders it makes one wonder how long has it been since large rock chipped off to plumet down changing the landscape for possibly millions of years.
It’s a dry region here except for the few seasonal creeks and rivers yet it’s May so out here there’s no noticible water to be seen. But you can see where water did rush down the mountainside taking rocks the size of small houses with it. I never underestimate the power of water!
There’s a slight breeze that I’m thankful for since I tend to hike hot. But that’s ok I always take my trusty sun umbrella just in case the sun gets to be too hot for me.
Petrified wood!
After about 2 miles the trails seems to end, I turned around.
On the way back I noticed new tracks on the trail! Snake! It didn’t seem like a big one yet some snakes don’t need to be big to be dangerous so I kept a leery eye of the trail and surrounding areas for reptiles sunning themselves. I saw many lizards but no snakes.
Sauntering up here for a little over 2 hours I arrived back at the RV just in time to make a sandwich for lunch. (My typical after hike meal.)
It was a great hike and great day here in Utah!
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