Located in Capitol Reef National Park, the hike to Hickman Natural Bridge is an easily accessible, short hike through white sandstone domes, and landscape dotted with ancient volcanic boulders. A hike suitable for all ages, Hickman Natural Bridge is one that little children will enjoy as well as the seasoned hiker.
Hickman Natural Bridge Hike Details
Distance – 2.0 miles roundtrip
Approximate hiking time – 1 to 1.5 hours
Elevation at Trailhead – 5340 feet
Elevation at Hickman Natural Bridge – 5700 feet
Elevation Gain – 400 feet
Difficulty – Easy
Trail – Dirt and rock, no shade on trail
Amount of water recommended – 2 liters
Bathrooms – Yes, located at the trailhead
Season to hike – March to November
Prone to flash floods? – The wash section of route can be prone to flooding
Permits – N/A
How to get there:
From Capitol Reef National Park Visitor Center on Highway 24, drive east for two miles. You will see a big sign for Hickman Bridge and a nice parking area on the north (left) side of Highway 24. In March 2013, the trail to Hickman Natural Bridge was temporarily closed due to a large rockfall near the Hickman Natural Bridge trailhead, and reopened in December 2013.
Hitting the Trail!
The Fremont River which has brought life to this area for thousands of years, flows along the trail for the first part of the hike
From the parking area, there is a Hickman Bridge sign that points you down the trail which goes along the Fremont River for a time. There is also a pamphlet you can get for $0.50 cents near the trailhead that points out various highlights during the hike. There is virtually no shade on the hike, so bring a hat and have sunscreen available. This is also a hike that children can do as well. After leaving the trailhead, you begin to wind your way up 120 feet the to the top of the plateau.
Along the trail you will see the landscape around you dotted with black igneous rock. These are actually volcanic boulders that were transported here by large debris flows associated with the melting of the high elevation glaciers in recent geologic time as stated in the brochure at the trailhead. This part of the trail continues to gain in elevation as you see the Rim Overlook/Navajo Knobs trail break off to the right.
The black round rocks are volcanic boulders, and were transported here by large debris flows associated with the melting of the high elevation glaciers
Shortly after topping out on the plateau, and about a half a mile from Hickman Natural Bridge, the trail will drop down into a wash which will lead you to the natural bridge. If you scan the wall on the right side of the wash, you’ll see a Fremont Indian granary. Shortly thereafter, you will pass two small natural bridges in the middle of the wash. As you continue, the trail will come to a sign showing the loop around Hickman Natural Bridge. From this point, the natural bridge will come into view up the trail to the right.
There is speculation on whether the structure is really a bridge or an arch. One book I read actual called it Hickman Bridge AND Hickman Arch. I’m going to stick with Hickman Bridge since that is how nearly all maps and official organizations refer to it.
Most people think that a natural bridge and an arch are the same thing. However, while they can look nearly identical, the way in which they were formed are different. Here is a simple way to explain it. A bridge is primarily water-formed, by a river or stream over thousands of years. Most natural bridges span canyon waterways. Whereas, an arch is primarily formed by weathering. which means, that the elements find weaknesses in the rock, usually through the freezing and thawing of water, or dissolving of minerals, and break away slivers of rock, forming an arch over time.
Looking up at Hickman Bridge
Hickman Natural Bridge is impressive as it spans 133 feet wide and 125 high, and is the largest natural bridge in Capitol Reef National Park. After snapping photos of the natural bridge, you will continue under the bridge to finish the loop and take you back to the main trail. Along the way are some interesting cavities in the cliff walls caused by water dissolving calcium deposits in the rock layers.
You will head back down into the wash, the way you came and down to the trailhead. If you wish, you can turn left at the Rim Overlook trail junction, and hike 4 miles roundtrip to the Rim Overlook to get a scenic view of the small village of Fruita down below.
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