Sulphur Creek with Kids: Capitol Reef National Park

KID RATINGS

Fun: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (out of 5)
Difficulty:     Very Easy    EASY    Moderate    HARD    Very Hard                                                                   (Easy or Hard depending on which way you hike and for how long)

KEY FEATURES

Distance: 1.5 (easy) to 5.8 (hard) miles
Elevation Gain: 500 feet elevation loss on 5.8 mile hike, slight gain on 1.5 mile hike
Terrain: Water (creek, pools, waterfalls), sand, rocks, exposed trail in areas, canyon
Time Needed: 2 to 9 hours (depending on how far you go and how much you play on the way)
When to Go: Late Spring, Summer, Early Fall 

COST

Free

AMENITIES

• Bathrooms available at Capitol Reef Visitor’s Center

• No water for public at Visitor’s Center, plan accordingly

• If hiking full 5.8 miles, there is no water or bathrooms at trailhead

• Lodging and food available in Torrey, 10 minutes away
• Camping available at Fruita Campground within Capitol Reef

THINGS TO BRING

• Sturdy hiking shoes or sandals that can get wet

• Hiking clothes you can get wet in

• Plenty of water, 1 – 2L per person

• Snacks and/or lunch

• Waterproof bag to carry supplies in

• Sunscreen

• Small first aid kit

• Lifejackets/Floaties for kids who can’t swim
• Map of Sulphur Creek Hike

DETAILS

Sulphur creek is one of our family’s all time favorite hikes. The kids loved hiking through the creek and playing in the natural pools and waterfalls.

Narrow Canyon Safety

Sulphur Creek Hike is a considered a narrow canyon. It is very important to check weather conditions before attempting to hike any narrow canyon or slot canyon. Flash flooding can happen creating a dangerous situation. Before hiking any narrow canyon we check the National Weather Service at www.weather.gov/slc/flashflood for Flash Flood Potential. We only attempt to hike if flash floods are not expected.

You can also check in with the rangers at the Visitor’s Center to check for flash flood warnings.

Shorter Hike: 1.5+ Miles

If you want a shorter hike but still want to enjoy the scenery of Sulphur creek, I suggest starting from the backside of the Capital Reef National Park Visitor’s Center and hiking upstream from the bottom up.

From the natural pool, you can turn around and head back to the visitor’s center to finish your hike. Another option is to continue upward following the creek. This is not the recommended way to hike the creek. It can be difficult to get up some of the slickrock in the pool areas hiking this direction. However, having now hiked the full 5.8 as a family, I know we could have made it starting from the visitor’s center and continuing onward to each of the 3 waterfalls. However, I would say we are a quite a bit more adventurous than most families

Longer Hike: 6 Miles

For the full Sulfur Creek hike experience it is recommended to hike downstream from the top to bottom as a one way trip. Before making this adventure check with the ranger station for flash flooding risk and water depth. There is an area between the first and second waterfall that may require swimming depending on water depth. The water levels vary throughout the year due to upstream water usage.

If you have multiple vehicles in your party you can have someone drop you off at the trailhead which is 3.3 miles from the visitor’s center. You can also leave a car at the visitor’s center and another car at the trailhead, which is what we did. I have also heard of people planting a bike at the Visitor’s Center and then riding up the 3 miles to get to their vehicle at the trailhead after the hike.

The trailhead is just a paved pullout located on the south side of Highway 24, 3.3 miles west of the Visitor’s Center near chimney rock.

After coming to the creek, you will continue another 1.5 miles to the first waterfall. There is so much to look at and play in along the way. There is a layer of earth exposed through erosion that contains countless rocks that looked like geodes.

First Waterfall

The First Waterfall is 3.2 miles from the trailhead off of Highway 24. When you reach the first waterfall you will need to scramble down some red rock about 12 feet. There are plenty of hand and foot holes along the way to assist you down. Have one adult at the top and one adult at the bottom to help the kids. 

Between the first and second waterfall there is a long pool between narrow red rock walls. This pool was close to 5 feet deep. My kids that are good swimmers swam through it. We brought floaties for my seven year and three year old. I knew there would be pools and I wasn’t sure how deep the water would be. Our three year old ended up staying in the hiking backpack while my husband was able to walk through.

Second Waterfall

The second waterfall is only 750 feet from the first. It requires some more scrambling in between some rocks to get down to it. The younger kids needed a little help getting down but did really well.

Third Waterfall

The third and last waterfall is 1.7 miles from the second. This feels like a lot longer, luckily the views continue to be beautiful and there are fun pockets of water to play in and mini waterfalls for the kids to slide down. This area was probably my most favorite part of the trail.

The third waterfall is by far the most fun. You can actually slide down the rock as a natural water-slide and swim in the pool area. This is the area you would go to if you start from the visitors center for the shorter hike. 

We had so much fun in this area sliding down the natural water-slide and jumping into the pool.

PROS & CONS

PROS

• Free

• Water fun for the kids while hiking, including creek, pools and waterfalls

• Epic adventure

• Great hike for the summer heat

• Fun for all ages

CONS

• No water at trailhead

• First 1.8 of hike is completely exposed if starting from the top and doing the full 5.8 miles

• Need transport back to the top if doing full 5.8 miles

• Do not hike if there is any chance of rain due to flash flooding

• No water at trailhead

DIRECTIONS

If hiking the shorter length, you will start from the backside of the Capitol Reef Visitor’s Center. If hiking the full 5.8 miles from the top you will drive 3.3 west of the Visitors Center on Highway 24. There is a small pull-out on the south side of the road that you will park in. Make sure to have a ride back to your car so you don’t have to hike another 3.3 miles on the highway when you are done.

MAPS

MORE INFO

National Parks Service

National Parks Service Sulphur Creek Map

All Trails

OTHER NEARBY ADVENTURES

Petroglyphs inside Capitol Reef National Park (3 minutes)

Other hikes within Capitol Reef National Park (3 minutes to 1 hour)

Gifford House (3 minutes)

Fish Lake National Forest (1 hour)

Goblin Valley State Park (1 hour 15 min)

Lower Calf Creek Falls (1 hour 15 min)

Escalante Petrified Forest State Park (1 hour 45 min)

Arches National Park (2 hours 15 min)

Bryce Canyon National Park (2 hours 15 min)

Canyonlands National Park (2 hours 30 min)

Peek-a-boo & Spooky Slot Canyons (2 hour 30 min)