Conditions Right Now
Use sunset as your turnaround alarm.
Why Hike This
This is the Capitol Reef hike that finally shows you the whole Waterpocket Fold at once, not just one canyon of it. It runs as a continuation of the Rim Overlook trail, so you earn the rim view first and then keep climbing to what the park calls a 360-degree mountaintop panorama. The park's standing advice here is to always carry water, and it notes that trails start near 5,000 feet, which lowlanders feel fast. Go early, and watch the sky in monsoon season.
The Trail
360° summit view over the whole Waterpocket Fold.
Pack Loadout (Strenuous)
3+ liters water, broken-in boots, layers for weather swings, headlamp, real food (jerky, trail mix), trekking poles, first-aid kit, and an early start.
Official figures differ. The NPS trail guide lists 1,620 feet, which appears to be net trailhead-to-summit rather than cumulative gain (NPS). Our distance and gain come from GPS tracks, so treat both as approximate.
Getting There
Make it a weekend: Fruita Campground (Camping, 1 mi) · Singletree Campground (Camping, 15 mi) · Boulder Mountain Lakes (Fishing, 21 mi) · Fish Lake (Fishing, 30 mi)
More hikes nearby: Cassidy Arch (Hike, 1 mi) · Hickman Bridge (Hike, 2 mi) · Grand Wash (Hike, 3 mi) · Capitol Gorge & The Tanks (Hike, 7 mi)
Quick Answers
- How long is the Navajo Knobs hike?
- 9.5 miles round trip with 2405 feet of elevation gain.
- How hard is Navajo Knobs?
- Strenuous. Kid rating: 1 out of 5.
- When should I hike Navajo Knobs?
- Best season: Spring & Fall.
- Why hike Navajo Knobs?
- For the payoff at the top. Capitol Reef gives you plenty of canyon-bottom walks, but this one puts you above the fold looking down on it in every direction. It is rated strenuous by the park and it earns that, so treat it as a full day rather than a morning stroll.