Backpacking The Upper Muley Twist In Capitol Reef National Park. (2022)
What’s up, guys? I’m going to go over backpacking the Upper Muley Twist backpacking in Capitol Reef National Park.
I found out about this hike after speaking with a ranger at Canyonlands NP who said it was one of her favorite hikes of ALL time. Now when a ranger tells you that, you go! So, backpacking the Upper Muley Twist in Capitol Reef National Park was immediately bumped up to be my next stop on my van life adventure.
5 Tips For Backpacking In Capitol Reef National Park:
Before we get into the nitty-gritty of the Upper Muley Twist, let me give you some general tips for backpacking in Capitol Reef National Park:
Tip #1 Permits:
Backcountry permits are required for all overnight stays in the backcountry of Capitol Reef National Park. Fortunately, these permits are free of charge and can be obtained in person at the park’s visitor center. Check out the most up to date information regarding permits on the Capitol Reef National Park website.
Tip #2 Water Planning
Discussing water planning with the ranger when getting your permits is a must, no matter the hike, and Capitol Reef is no different.
Keep in mind Capitol Reef is a desert environment, so for the most part, this will require you to carry all water needed with you into the backcountry. However, depending on the area and time of year you visit, your water strategy may vary, so getting up-to-date information from the ranger is vital.
Tip #3 Pack Out Your Poop
Capitol Reef National Park requires you to pack your waste using a wag bag in the backcountry. To learn more about leaving no trace while pooping check out “How To Poop While Backpacking”.
Tip #4 Make Sure You Are Driving The Right Car
Many backpacking routes in Capitol Reef National Park require a four-wheel-drive car to reach the trailheads. So make sure you have the right vehicle to get to your trailhead, or take into account the extra mileage you will need to hike to reach the trailhead if you do not have a four-wheel-drive vehicle.
DO NOT attempt to drive a four-wheel-drive road with a two-wheel-drive vehicle! (I learned this the hard way)
Tip #5 Consider Bringing A GPS Device
Reason being, is that many of the backcountry routes in the park are not maintained, which can make trail finding difficult so having a GPS device as a backup to some awesome trailfinding skills using a map and compass may come in handy.
How To Hike The Upper Muley Twist:
Okay, now that we got out of the way, let’s get down to backpacking the Upper Muley Twist!
Upper Muley Twist Overview
Mileage: ~9 miles from trailhead (extra 6 miles if using a 2WD vehicle)
Elevation Gain: ~1,300ft
Trail Type: Loop
Permits Required: Yes
Difficulty: Moderate – Strenuous
Getting To The Trailhead:
The Upper Muley Twist trailhead is about a thirty mile on the unpaved road Bullfrog Notom road from the front country of Capitol Reef National Park. So I recommend getting any of the day hikes you wanted to do out of the way before doing this backpacking trip.
Keep in mind the last three miles to the trailhead requires four-wheel drive, so if you don’t have a four-wheel-drive vehicle you will need to hike an extra three miles to and from the trailhead adding a total of six extra miles to your trip.
Hiking Clockwise Vs Counterclockwise:
The direction you hike this loop in is really just a matter of personal preference. Counterclockwise has a steeper increase in elevation at the beginning of the hike, whereas clockwise is a more gradual ascent.
I went counterclockwise because I like getting the difficult portion of my hikes out of the way early, but you make the best decision for yourself!
What I Loved Yayy
The Views (Duh)
Would I ever tell you about a hike with crappy views? No way!
What was sick about the Upper Muley Twist was that for half of your hike, you are walking on a canyon rim with beautiful red rock formations of the “Red Circle Cliffs” on one side and “Water Pocket Fold” on the other. You can even camp on the rim, which would be epic, but I decided against it because of the intense winds when I was hiking.
Stargazing
Also, did you know Capitol Reef National Park is a gold tier international dark sky park? So if you go on a new moon, you can get some INSANE views of the milky way. Check out this shot I took on my iPhone!
Not Too Strenous
There is only one major portion of elevation gain after that it’s relatively smooth sailing.
No Bears!
That means no bear canisters! I did see some critters on the trail so I still hung my odorous items from a low hanging branch. But atleast you don’t have to deal with those bulky cannisters.
What I Hated Boo
No Natural Water Sources:
There were no water sources available during my trip in late may, so I had to carry all of my water with me :(. I went with carrying a total of eight liters with me, which because was more than enough because it was a bit cooler out. I would still stick with carrying the minimum four liters a day, just in case you encounter much warmer weather.
Instances Of Difficult Trail Finding:
There could be some difficulty with trail finding. Stay alert when hiking and keep your eyes peeled for them cairns.
That's The Upper Muley Twist!
That’s all for the Upper Muley Twist overall it was an incredible hike and I would absolutely do it again if I found myself in the area. I recommend only doing this hike with some backpacking experience under your belt as the trail finding can be a bit tricky. Hope this helps let me know what you think in comments!
