u/Ope-a-bear

Did String Lake Trailhead to Lake Solitude via Hidden Falls, Inspiration Point, and up Cascade Canyon in July. Solo.

Went in expecting it to be busy and it was very quiet in the morning — I was the only person at both Hidden Falls and Inspiration Point, saw the first people (trail runners) about a mile up Cascade Canyon.

My save-worthy notes:

• Started at 6AM. String Lake lot was already filling. Luckily I got dropped off.
• Skipped the boat shuttle both ways. Walking the shoreline adds ~4 miles total.
• Total was ~18 miles with the shoreline walk, ~3,033 ft gain. Last 2.7 miles gained ~1200 ft at altitude - that part took the longest. Total time was around 8 hours.
• Saw 5 moose total, all in Cascade Canyon. No bears, but did see wet paw prints from cascade creek up the Hidden Falls spur, carry bear spray, give them space.
• Hidden Falls + Inspiration Point are usually the busiest section. Past that, crowds in Cascade Canyon thin out fast.
• Lake Solitude is incredibly beautiful.
• It is absolutely worth doing from any starting point.

Happy to answer logistics if you're planning it — boat vs. walk, water, turnaround times, etc..

Did String Lake Trailhead to Lake Solitude via Hidden Falls, Inspiration Point, and up Cascade Canyon in July. Solo.

Went in expecting it to be busy and it was very quiet in the morning — I was the only person at both Hidden Falls and Inspiration Point, saw the first people (trail runners) about a mile up Cascade Canyon.

My save-worthy notes:

• Started at 6AM. String Lake lot was already filling. Luckily I got dropped off.
• Skipped the boat shuttle both ways. Walking the shoreline adds ~4 miles total.
• Total was ~18 miles with the shoreline walk, ~3,033 ft gain. Last 2.7 miles gained ~1200 ft at altitude - that part took the longest. Total time was around 8 hours.
• Saw 5 moose total, all in Cascade Canyon. No bears, but did see wet paw prints from cascade creek up the Hidden Falls spur, carry bear spray, give them space.
• Hidden Falls + Inspiration Point are usually the busiest section. Past that, crowds in Cascade Canyon thin out fast.
• Lake Solitude is incredibly beautiful.
• It is absolutely worth doing from any starting point.

Happy to answer logistics if you're planning it — boat vs. walk, water, turnaround times, etc..

I put together a short itinerary through Capitol Reef National Park for anyone trying to make the most of a short visit.

The itinerary starts the afternoon of the day we arrived with a drive to Cathedral Valley to see Glass Mountain and the Temple of the Sun and Moon and a sunset at Panorama Point. The next day it hits Hickman Bridge, Petroglyphs, Gifford House Pies, Cassidy Arch, and the Scenic Drive.

Capitol Reef can be easy to underestimate on a road trip to the Big 5. The drive itself is beautiful, but the hiking trials and short walks are where the park really opens up.

I made a full video guide showing the route and what to expect:

Video link is in the comments.

Did this in May in the Needles District. 10.8 miles round trip, ~1,900 ft elevation gain. The trail follows Elephant Canyon for most of the way, which sounds pleasant except there's little shade and zero water.

The highlights:

- Slot canyon at mile 1.9. Walked through it and immediately understood why people say video doesn't do it justice. The light, the scale, the quiet — unreal.

- The final scramble. ~1/4 mile and ⬆️250-300ft. Trail turns into a rock wash and you're hands-on the whole way up. Not technical climbing, but steep enough.

- Druid Arch itself. 450 feet tall and tucked into a canyon where you don't expect it. Photos don't capture the scale at all.

The lowlight: my water bladder leaked and I didn't check it before starting. Filled it the night before, got a 1/2 mile in and found out it was empty. Luckily we had a cooler full of water - had to back to the vehicle and refill. PSA — always check your bladder.

If anyone's done Chesler Park or Joint Trail in the same area, I'd love to hear how they compare. Planning a return trip.

Most people think about Island in the Sky when Canyonlands comes up, but the Needles District is one of my favorite places in the National Park System. We did Druid Arch and it was one of the most rewarding hikes we've done. Here are a few stills from the hike - with a mandarin orange for scale.

Full stats: 10.8 miles round trip, ~1,900 ft elevation gain. Trail follows Elephant Canyon for most of the way before a scramble up a rock wash to the arch.

A few things I learned along this adventure:

• My water bladder was empty when we started the hike. Filled it the night before, showed up early the next morning, got a half mile into the hike and discovered it was empty. Luckily we had a cooler full of water in our vehicle - I ran back and refilled it. Always check your bladder before you start.

• There's zero water and little shade on the entire trail. Carried 3L and still ran dry near the end.

• Only place to get water and supplies in the Needles District is at the visitor center.

• The final scramble is no joke. Hands-on rock through a water shoot/wash. Not technical, but steep enough to make it interesting.

• There's a slot canyon about 1.9 miles in that photos genuinely don't capture. That alone is worth the hike.

• No cell service anywhere in the Needles District.

Best months are April-May and September-October. I can't imagine doing this in summer heat.

If anyone's debating whether the Needles District is worth the extra drive from Moab — it absolutely is, just go prepared.

I put together a full trail guide with footage of the entire hike if it helps — slot canyon, scramble, and the arch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YNxt4sBRRxQ

We checked out the overlooks, hiked to both overlooks at upheaval dome, drove the Shafer Trail into the canyon, and ended the day trying to catch a sunset from Grand View Point but clouds rolled in from the west and blocked it.

We hit all the main stops: Visitor Center Overlook, Shafer Canyon Overlook, Mesa Arch, Buck Canyon Overlook, Green River Overlook, Whale Rock, Upheaval Dome, and Grand View Point.

The Shafer Trail drops ~1,400 feet via switchbacks from the Island in the Sky rim to the canyon floor. We spent all day on top looking down. Then decided to drive into it. We aren't much into overlanding or offroading but we did it anyway and it was cool but took way longer than we expected. The views going down the switchbacks were incredible the entire way. We took it all the way back to Moab, then came back into the park and watched the sun set from Grand View Point.

We threw a video together about what we did here - in order, so if you're planning a trip to this area, check out the video in this link: https://youtu.be/O7JM_oh0BDg