Sulphur Creek Top-Down Route
Trail Overview
Distance: 5.9 mi | Location: Torrey, UT | Best Seasons: Late Spring, Summer, Early Fall | Elevation Gain: 416 ft | Route Type: Point to Point | Bathrooms @ Trailhead: No
Sulphur Creek is located in Capitol Reef National Park near Torrey, Utah. While the creek is relatively small it has carved a deep canyon through the park. There are two ways to hike this trail. Today I am going to focus on the top-down route. If you would like more information on a kid friendly route read more HERE.
Getting There
There are two trailheads for Sulphur Creek. There is the official Sulphur Creek Trailhead which is located 3.3 miles west of the Visitor Center for Capitol Reef National Park. Or you can use the Chimney Rock Trailhead which is about 3 miles from the Visitor Center.
Sulphur Creek Trailhead
PROS: The Sulphur Creek Trailhead is convenient in that you are not required to cross the highway to reach the trail and the parking lot is bigger.
CONS: It adds about .25 miles to your hike (vs. using the Chimney Rock Trailhead). There are no bathrooms at the trailhead. And you DO NOT want to use Google Maps to find this parking lot as it will take you to the wrong location. I would recommend looking up directions to the Chimney Rock Trailhead and as you approach the trailhead keep an eye out for the Sulphur Creek parking lot located on the south side of Highway 24.
Chimney Rock Trailhead
PROS: There are bathrooms at this trailhead and it cuts .25 miles off of your hiking distance.
CONS: You have to cross the highway to reach the trail and the parking lot is smaller and more crowded.
Trail Conditions
The top-down route of Sulphur Creek is an exciting hike that takes you through 2 miles of scenic narrows and traverses three waterfalls. You begin the hike by walking through a dry wash for about 1.8-1.5 miles (depending on the trailhead you use). You will then reach the creek where the water will be fairly shallow. The creek will then become your trail. The depth of the creek will vary depending on the time of year and recent rainfall. It can fluctuate anywhere from being knee-deep to 6 feet deep. To get a feel for the current depth you can review comments on apps such as All Trails, Strava, Cairn, etc.
Trail Highlights
Since this is a lesser known trail it is not very crowded. When my husband and I hiked it earlier this summer we only saw one other family the entire time. It also provides beautiful views of the towering sandstone cliffs that have been created as the creek has carved its way through Capitol Reef National Park.
Logistics
The ideal way to do the top-down route of Sulphur Creek is to do it as a point-to-point hike vs. an out-and-back hike. This is ideal because it saves you from having to hike back up Highway 24 to the trailhead, which would add an additional 3+ miles on to your total distance (a whopping 9 miles total). Plus there isn’t much of a shoulder on Highway 24 and the asphalt doesn’t make for good hiking conditions on a hot summer afternoon. In order to do Sulphur Creek as a point-to-point hike you will need to either have access to two cars from your group OR you can pay Sleeping Rainbow Adventures to shuttle you.
Two-Car Approach
To provide your own shuttle services you will need to leave at least one vehicle in the parking lot located just west of the Visitor Center, which is the end of the hike. To find that parking lot drive towards the Visitor Center. About 500 feet before you reach the Visitor Center you will drive over a bridge and there will be a gravel parking lot immediately on your left-hand side.
NOTE: It is not recommended you park in the Visitor Center parking lot. The lot is small and the National Park Service needs the space for those visiting the center.
You would then take the rest of your party in a second vehicle to your trailhead of choice (Sulphur Creek or Chimney Rock).
Sleeping Rainbow Adventures Shuttle
To arrange a shuttle with Sleeping Rainbow Adventures you will need to email them at info@sradventures.com. They can take 4 passengers per vehicle. At the time of writing this post, the cost is $60 per vehicle + tax and tip. I like using Sleeping Rainbow Adventures because they are a local guiding service and they do a great job of checking the weather forecast and ask that you text them once you have made it out of the canyon – which is always reassuring.
When using their shuttle service they will have you meet them at the parking lot west of the visitor center to leave your car and will drop you off at the Chimney Rock Trailhead.
Hiking Directions
From the Sulphur Creek Trailhead, you will hike about 1.8 miles before you reach the actual creek. Below are directions on how to reach the creek from the parking lot.
Just over the hill next to the parking area is a short hiker-made trail that leads down into a small wash after 0.1 mile. Continue downstream in the small wash for 0.4 mile until it runs into a much larger wash. Bear right (south) and follow the wash for another 1.3 miles.
From the Chimney Rock Trailhead, you will hike about 1.5 miles before you reach the actual creek. Below are directions on how to reach the creek from the parking lot.
To reach the trail, you will need to cross the highway to a hiker-made trail.
You will follow this hiker-made trail down into a small wash.
Continue downstream in the small wash for about 0.2 mile until it runs into a much larger wash. Bear right (south) and follow the wash for about another mile.
Once you reach the creek turn left and begin hiking downstream.
It is about 1.5 miles from where you reach the creek to the first waterfall. Be sure to look up when you are about half a mile downstream to catch a glimpse of the fenced overlook at Goosenecks Overlook.
The first waterfall marks the beginning of the 2-mile stretch of narrows which is arguably the most beautiful section of the hike. To navigate the first waterfall stay to the right. The bottom of the first waterfall may require swimming or wadding so prepare to get wet.
From the first waterfall, it is only about 750 feet to the second waterfall.
Once again to navigate the second waterfall you will want to stay to the right. You will want to go behind the large rock with the bolder on top of it vs. along the edge. Depending on the water level the bottom of the second waterfall may require swimming. Below is a picture looking back at the route you want to take.
It is then 1.7 miles to the third and final waterfall. To navigate the third waterfall the recommended route is to slide down the actual waterfall. You can watch a video of my husband sliding down the waterfall along with other video footage from the hike HERE.
If you don’t want to do that you can head to the left and walk along the ridge until you get to a spot where you can downclimb. Just be aware that the rock can be extremely slippery when wet and that route is precarious even when dry.
If you choose to take the above route, please know you do so at your own risk.
You will then walk the remaining .7 miles to the parking lot just west of the Visitor Center to complete your hike. Continue to follow Sulphur Creek until you see a sign directing you to a sandy trail that will lead to the Visitor Center. This is a more direct route than following the creek all the way back – it also takes you right past a historic lime kiln.
Some Things to Be Aware Of
Although this hike is located in Capitol Reef National Park you do not have to pay a park fee to complete this hike. Capitol Reef National Park is unique in that there is only one section of the park that requires you to pay an entrance fee. That section is the Scenic Drive. Since you will not be heading that far into the park you do not need to worry about paying the $20 entrance fee. Woot woot!
Make sure you bring the appropriate gear:
Footwear: You will want to wear shoes that you don’t mind getting wet. The creek bed can be sandy at times so no matter what type of shoes you wear, you will need to stop occasionally and dig rocks out of your shoes. Some options are hiking sandals such as Chacos, Keens, or Tevas. Or an old pair of tennis shoes with quick dry socks (such as hiking socks, wool socks, or running socks). You definitely DON’T want to wear cotton socks.
Clothing: You will want to wear quick-dry clothing or your swimsuit (depending on the time of year you are doing the hike).
Additional Gear: Since you are hiking in a creek bed the footing can be uneven. Bringing a pair of hiking poles can be handy, just make sure you have a way to strap them to your daypack for when you are traversing the waterfalls. You may also want to bring a dry bag for your phone, snacks, camera, etc. And be sure to bring plenty of water and snacks, and wear sunscreen.
Cautions:
Due to this hike being a creek bed, you will want to make sure to check the weather forecast before beginning your hike. You will NOT want to hike this trail if there is a chance of rain as there is a danger of flash floods.
You will also want to make sure you start this hike early enough so you have plenty of time to make it back before sunset. This hike can take anywhere from 5 to 7 hours to complete.
There are a variety of blog posts about people taking their small children on this hike. Personally, I would NOT recommend taking small kids on this hike (under the age of 6/7). If you want to experience Sulphur Creek with your kids I would recommend hiking up Sulphur Creek from the Visitor Center to the first waterfall. You can read more about that route HERE.
Lastly, be sure you don’t get the water in your mouth or eyes and that you wash your hands thoroughly after the hike. The National Park Service has detected E. Coli in water samples taken from the creek.
Enjoy!
If your family is planning a trip to Capitol Reef National Park I would highly recommend checking out this trail. It makes for a fun, unique hiking experience and definitely will be something your family will remember in years to come. If you are able to get out and enjoy this hike I would love to hear how it went.
If you don’t plan on going to Capitol Reef National Park in the near future be sure to pin this post for a future date. This is one hike you won’t want to miss!
