Hiking with kids is a challenge. But you can ease that challenge by choosing a hike that will keep kids interested the entire way. That’s why Cohab Canyon in Capitol Reef National Park is a great hike for the little ones.
Cohab Canyon
Cohab Canyon is one of the easier places to hike in Capitol Reef. It has a little bit of everything: immense views, steep sections, sand flats, a gorgeous canyon, slickrock, abundant plant like and more. There are even slot canyon that branch off from the main trail that are fun to explore.
The Hike
Begin at the Cohab Canyon trailhead on the Scenic Drive a little over a mile from the visitor center. The trail starts off steep with numerous switchbacks (22 to be exact) over 400 vertical feet. It’s a tough warmup with the most difficult part of the hike at the beginning. But the views of the park above Fruita Campground more than make up for the physical effort.
At the top of the climb, the trail traverses beneath a large cliff until it enter Cohab Canyon itself. It’s a bit of a hanging canyon in that it sits high up on the plateau. Looking down-canyon from here, it’s easy to see why this is such a wonderland of desert scenery.
The walk through the canyon is distracting, in a good way. There is much to look at and explore, which makes it so good to keep otherwise bored kids occupied. The geology is striking as candy-striped rock fins steal the show. Cliff walls are perforated with numerous holes like Swiss cheese.
Walking atop the sandy wash as the trail essentially disappears allows children a chance to play. The sand is very fine and soft here and my son could have occupied himself for hours if I had let him.
Two slot canyons split Cohab’s main draw. They are short but allow an opportunity to squeeze into the sandstone cuts. Beyond the slots, a hoodoo presents itself as a side-trail climbs up slickrock toward the Fruita overlooks. I recommend this for kids as an out-and-back for a 2-mile, round trip hike. Otherwise, hiking the entire length of the trail requires 3 miles and a shuttle vehicle parked at Hickman Bridge trailhead.
There are two overlooks to choose from: north and south. Both offer panoramic views of the Fremont River far below.
Getting There
To get to the Cohab Canyon trailhead, start at the Capitol Reef National Park visitor center and travel down Scenic Drive for 1.2 miles Park in the large lot across from the historic barn. The trail begins a few steps from the lot and is well signed.
For this and many more family-friendly hikes in Capitol Reef, definitely pick up a copy of “Best Easy Day Hikes Capitol Reef National Park” by Brett Prettyman.