Capitol Gorge
What to Expect
Safety Advisory
Flash floods are the real danger here — Capitol Gorge is a narrow drainage with nowhere to escape rising water. Check the forecast before you go and skip this trail entirely if there's any chance of rain, even from storms miles away.
The Capitol Gorge Road closes after heavy rain and can remain impassable for days. Check road conditions at the visitor center before driving out.
Trail Details
Pro Tips
Drive the Capitol Gorge Road all the way to the trailhead rather than stopping at the Grand Wash turnoff — the unpaved road is passable for most passenger cars in dry conditions and the last two miles through the canyon are half the experience.
Visit in the late afternoon when the sun drops low enough to light up the upper canyon walls in deep orange and red — morning light barely reaches the canyon floor, so golden hour is dramatically better for photos here.
Most people turn around at the Pioneer Register, but the Tanks spur trail adds only ten minutes and the natural waterpockets are genuinely strange and worth the short scramble up the slickrock.
