Hickman Bridge Trail

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walter.zegels

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Trail stats

Distance: 1.72 mi
Elevation gain: 407 ft
Technical difficulty: Moderate
Elevation loss: 407 ft
Max elevation: 5,734 ft
TrailRank: 1
Min elevation: 5,320 ft
Trail type: Loop

Coordinates: 161
Uploaded: August 29, 2023
Recorded: August 2023

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near Fruita, Utah (United States)

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Itinerary description

Fruita

Waypoints

Fremont River

The Fremont River was, and remains, central to both the topography and human history preserved in the park. The erosive action of the river and its tributaries continues today, especially during floods. For almost 2000 years the river has sustained agricultural communities on the arable land near its confluence with Sulphur Creek.

Capitol Dome

Directly ahead is Capitol Dome, which resembles the Capitol building in Washington, DC. The other part of Capitol Reef's name derives from a regionally common use of the nautical term "reef" to identify steep ridges that are barriers to transportation.

Pithouse Foundation

Walk on the side trail to the northeast about 30 paces. You can identify the remains of a pithouse foundation by the ring of black boulders. The prehistoric Fremont people inhabited the Capitol Reef area, making their homes in pithouses between 300 and 1400 C.E. the Fremont people left many of these sites and other cultural material from their life here. Please do not walk on this important archeological resource, or disturb any material you may find around it.

Wash

You are walking in a wash, so-called because water washes through here during storms. Between rains, the sand acts as an insulator to limit evaporation and enough sub-surface moistures is retained to support large trees and shrubs. Near the post are robust examples of pinon pine, Fremont cottonwood, skunkbush, juniper, and Utah serviceberry. Washes and narrow canyons are subject to flash floods, especially during thunderstorms.

Fremont Granary

Look up to the base of the cliff to the north. The remains of a granary built by the Fremont people are tucked within the layers of the Kayenta Formation. Here they stored their food and see crop of corn, beans, and squash which they farmed in the rich soil of the floodplain below. They also stored foraged food like pinon nuts. In order to protect the structure, do not leave the trail to climb around it.

Small Natural Bridge

A small natural bridge below the trail is evidence of the erosive power of water. Floodwaters, laden with sand and pebbles acting as grit, do most of the work. Erosion widened the canyons that have been deepened by flowing water. The small bumps on the trail ahead are erosion-resistant accumulations of iron.

Solution Cavities

The rock wall across the canyon is dotted with numerous holes called solution cavities, forms as slightly acidic groundwater dissolved the calcite that cemented the sandstone grains together. As you continue along the trail, look for a low post with a white arrow directing you to the Hickman Bridge, which will be to the right.

Hickman Natural Bridge

The Hickman Natural Bridge stands ahead. It is 133 feet (40 m) long, and 125 feet (37 m) high. The feature was named after Joseph Hickman, who was a local school administrator and Utah legislator. Hickman was an early advocate for this area, which he called "Wayne Wonderland." Wayne Wonderland was proposed as both a state park and a national park.

Kayenta Formation

This is a good place to consider how the natural bridge was formed. The Kayenta Formation consists of hard beds alternating with much softer layers. The bridge is firm sandstone, while next to the trail is friable red shale which crumbles easily. During wetter times, water coursed down behind the fin into which the bridge was cut, and eroded the soft shale until it broke through. Subsequent erosion enlarged the span. The trail passes under the bridge and turns left.

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