General description: A rugged hike through a narrow canyon rewards the hiker with a close-up view of Brimhall Natural Bridge, a double span.  The route is largely unmarked, so carrying a topographic map is recommended.  It is extremely hot in summer and water sources are unreliable; carry adequate water.  Use caution in narrow canyons during flash flood season (July-September.)

From the Halls Creek Overlook trailhead, the total round trip distance is 4.6 miles.  The hike can be done as a long day hike.  Backcountry permits are required for all overnight trips and can be obtained at the visitor center.

Location of trailhead: Halls Creek Overlook is located on a spur road 3-miles west of the Notom-Bullfrog Road. The spur road is rough and sometimes requires high clearance four wheel drive.  The Notom-Bullfrog Road is hard-packed dirt, usually passable to passenger cars.  Total distance from Hwy 24 is 57.6 miles.

Maps: USGS 7.5-Minute Series: Deer Point. Available at the visitor center.

Best season for hike: Spring and Fall

For more information: Contact Capitol Reef National Park 435-425-3791, ext.111.

Halls Creek Overlook provides an outstanding view of the Waterpocket Fold.  From this vantagepoint, Brimhall Double Bridge is visible in a narrow canyon directly across from the overlook.

From the overlook, a steep trail, marked with rock cairns, descends 800 feet over 1.2 miles to the Halls Creek drainage.  Pay attention to landmarks as no signs mark the point where this route climbs out of the canyon; it would be easy to walk past the route on your return trip.  The marked trail ends here.  From this point on you will need to do your own route finding.  Walk down canyon (south) .2 miles until you reach the first major side canyon on your right (west).  This is Brimhall Canyon.

The first quarter-mile of Brimhall Canyon is an easy hike up the wash bottom. The canyon quickly deepens as you walk toward the heart of the Fold (west).  Soon you come to a point where the canyon appears to end in a steep, talus-filled crack straight ahead of you. The main canyon actually makes a 90-degree bend to the right (north), and you must negotiate a steep sloping dry fall to continue. A short, steep friction climb on the slickrock slope just downstream of the dry fall will get you into the upper canyon.

A short distance beyond the top of the dry fall, the canyon makes another right angle turn, this time to the left (west.) Here the canyon narrows dramatically for a short distance and usually holds a pool of water that may require a deep wade or a short swim. The upper end of this narrow stretch is choked with many large boulders that require the use of both hands and feet to negotiate. As you work your way through the rocks, stay to the left and follow along the high, curving wall of Navajo Sandstone. This will keep you in the main wash.  Another hundred yards of scrambling will bring you to an impassable dry fall. Climbing the steep slope to your right will bring you to the edge of a cliff and an impressive view of Brimhall Double Bridge. If you want to get closer to the bridge, you have two options: 1. Work along the ridge to your right and then down the sloping ledges visible below and in front of you, or 2. Walk south along the ridge you are on toward the point of the large meander in Brimhall Creek. You can descend this ridge to the creek bottom.  To return to the trailhead, simply retrace the same route back to Halls Creek Overlook.

Mileage:
Halls Creek Overlook to canyon bottom…1.2 miles
Bottom of Halls Creek Overlook Trail to mouth of Brimhall Canyon…0.2 miles
Mouth of Brimhall Canyon to Brimhall Bridge…0.9 miles
Total round-trip mileage…4.6 miles