Surprise Canyon Route
The short and easy Surprise Canyon Route is a 2-mile roundtrip hike.
Plan Around Surprise Canyon Route
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Surprise Canyon Route Details
The short and easy Surprise Canyon Route is a 2-mile roundtrip hike starting from Notom-Bullfrog Road. The path crosses a broad, grassy drainage and then enters a deep canyon in the Waterpocket Fold. Hikers will next cross the dry wash bed of Halls Creek, and then bear slightly left to crest a small, grassy hill. From this point the trail, marked by cairns, winds west through colorful outcrops before dropping steeply into a rocky ravine. Hikers follow a wash into the deep, relatively narrow canyon. The route ends here, at the base of a spiraling pour-off one mile from the Burr Trail Road. A bypass on the left offers access to the canyon's upper reaches, but progress is difficult due to large boulder jams and steep, crumbling slopes. Backcountry hikers should always keep safety at top of mind. Be careful in narrow canyons, particularly during flash-flood season from July through September, and always obtain a free backcountry permit from the visitor center before setting out. None of these routes are official, maintained trails. Backcountry hikers should have good navigational skills and should always let someone know their planned route and return date. Cell phone service in this area is not reliable or non-existent.
Difficulty
Low
Distance
2 miles
Estimated time
1-2 hours
Region
N/A
Nearby Parks Around Surprise Canyon Route
Compare nearby parks around Surprise Canyon Route when deciding whether to expand the route after this stop.
Nearby Points of Interest Around Surprise Canyon Route
Use nearby POIs to quickly expand your options beyond Surprise Canyon Route while the map context is still fresh.
0.5 mi away
Headquarters Canyon Route
The easy 3.2-mile round-trip Headquarters Canyon hike features sheer, vertical walls and colorful slopes of Navajo sandstone.
1.7 mi away
Notom-Bullfrog/Burr Trail Road to Lake Powell Tour
At the junction of the Notom Bullfrog Road and Burr Trail Road inside Capitol Reef, drivers can head south on Burr Trail, also known as BLM 12000) to Lake Powell at Bullfrog Marina.
1.7 mi away
Loop the Fold Tour
One of the best ways to take in the Waterpocket Fold is via the 124-mile roundtrip Loop-the-Fold tour.
2.0 mi away
Burr Trail Road
What began as a cattle trail, blazed by stockman John Atlantic Burr, is the present-day Burr Trail Road.
2.3 mi away
Lower Muley Twist Canyon Route
From 1881 to 1884, Lower Muley Twist Canyon served as a wagon trail for Mormon pioneers traveling south.
