Cathedral Valley Road Trip in Capitol Reef
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- čas přidán 24. 07. 2024
- Our road trip this time takes you into the Cathedral Valley area of Capitol Reef National Park in Utah. See the full story at www.backroadswest.com/blog/cathedral-valley
00:00 Introduction
01:40 Getting There & Tour Specs
04:25 Full Tour
24:45 Aerial View of Tour
#capitolreef
#utah
#waterpocketfold
#cathedralvalley
Well you officially made me kick myself for skipping this trail. Me and my wife did Potash Rd/Shafer trail from Canyon lands back to Moab, but we only had a day in Capitol Reef (again totally regret only spending a day) so we didn't have time.
This video was AMAZING, way better than all these wannabee bloggers. Editing was awesome, pics were awesome, and the way you lay out the entire route was excellent. Great work, great editing. Now let me drown in my sorrows for missing this epic trail.
Thank you very much for your great comments. Yes, it is an amazing place, and that's only a third of the N.P. Hopefully we'll be able to publish a video tour on a variation of this trip that goes in the other direction but ends at I-70, which passes through some more great scenery. See our other tour on the Burr Trail, which is in the bottom third of Capitol Reef, at czcams.com/video/toMDGigG-i8/video.html
Oh god the ebegging bloggers. I'm using BlockTube to block all those channels. The moment I see a watermark, a dollar sign, a donate link - it's blocked. They're ruining the internet when some of us are just looking for information. I blame cell phones. The internet wasn't flooded with these people in the 90s and 2000s.
We need to get back to understanding what the internet really is: the FREE dissemination of information!
Thanks BackRoads, by the way. Murfdigidy is right.
So many wonderful places to see! Thank you for taking us along.
Excellent video, thanks for sharing this. I will be adding this to my to-do list
Beautiful. I never get tired of the west and all the beauty.
Great presentation of the Valley. I’ve been there twice and I’m going back again next year.
Amazing! Thank you for your marvelous presentation. I REALLY enjoyed.
My pleasure and thanks for commenting!
Outstanding video. Thank you! I feel much better prepared for my trip through Cathedral Valley!
You're welcome and thank you for commenting
Very well done. Thank you.
I really enjoy your videos; as a trained geologist and avid rock hound I believe your presentations are educational and easy to understand by all viewers
Thank you!
Awesome and very detailed video! We are going in late August and this in on the to do list! I will be studying this video again before we head out 👍😉 thank you for sharing!
One of the very best produced videos on You Tube. Very Professional job! Thank You!
Thank you!
Congratulations excellent video
Thank you very much!
Fantastic!!! Thanks.
Splendid video that certainly makes a case for "The Road Less Traveled" adventure. Good job and thanks for sharing.
Pro tip : watch movies at Flixzone. Me and my gf have been using them for watching loads of movies during the lockdown.
@Noe Bryce yea, I've been watching on Flixzone for since november myself :)
Very well presented and informative.
Bravo! The best of the best.
Thank you very much!
Wow! Great job! Very professional. Appreciate all the hours and effort you put into this.
Thank you!
really gorgeous photographs, looking forward to heading out this way in September
Best video on Capitol Reef anywhere
Great information. Thanks very much.
You're welcome. Thanks for commenting.
Love this!
#1 fan of your channel im glad your getting more feedback. Thanks for all the great info.
Thank you Victor!
Can't wait to trace out your trip. Wonderful presentation and photography.
Thank you! Glad you enjoyed it.
Ok, so you have my wanderlust going!
Thanks so very much for sharing the beauty God created and your efforts with all the details for my next trip there, hopefully next year. Here in KY.
Magnifique! Un des endroits où j'irai un jour, c'est sûr!
Extremely well done!
Thank you kindly!
What a video! Great
Thank you!
best video I have yet seen of amazing Utah. Excellent information and mapping. Bravo!!!
Thank you very much for the comment!
Simply SPECTACULAR! I had driven through on 24, but missed all this. Utah is so scenic! The draining of the CO inland sea via the Rockies uplift was monumental. Thank Yoy very much.
You're welcome and thank you for commenting. We were at the "desert lookout" just last weekend that offers a fantastic view of the Cathedral Valley from the west side. There are 2 other roads in that area that we need to explore more and possibly produce videos on.
Thanks for this! love your use of google earth to make a really great and practical presentation of your journey through the loop along with some cool pics, will be making the trip in a couple weeks
You're welcome and thank you for commenting! Have a good trip...
I have been to Capital Reef National Park. Nice seeing it again and seeing what I missed. Thank you very much 😊
Great video. Will be there in two days.
Thank you. Enjoy!
Thanks for the wonderful and informative video. With the information provided by this video and to make sure that I must stop at the Visitor Center first, I will try to take my Subaru Forester to do the loop. The Fremont River crossing would be the go-no-go turning point.
Wow. Simply stunning! and you have a magnificent channel! Subscribed and Liked.
This is a spectacular video! Watched it on my iPad but I’m going to watch it again with my husband on the TV. You need a big screen for all this beauty.
Yup, big screens are nice to watch big scenery with! Thanks for commenting.
Great job!
Thanks!
i can say only "wow" "wow" and Thank you.
My pleasure. Thanks for commenting!
Fabulous job guys
Thank you!
These videos are so informative and comprehensive! The Little Finland video was extremely valuable! Thank you!
Glad you enjoyed them. Thanks for commenting!
Great job.
Thank you so much for this outstanding video! There’s no way I am able to take the trip personally, so this is the next best thing to being there. Again, thank you 🙏.
That's what I was going for - bringing places like this to people that can't get there. Thanks for commenting.
Excellent video.
Thank you!
What a great job you guys did to capture this area. I’ve been and hopefully will visit it and make the loop the last week of April. Thanks for sharing. LN 😀👍
You're welcome and thank you for commenting
Thanks Cliff & Ilene....great little staycation for me under covid isolation
Our pleasure! Glad you enjoyed the virtual escape...
Capitol reef is Absolutely breathtaking and the least crowded of all the national parks in Utah
Oh yes it is and the hike to the arch is amazing as well
Extraordinary video, extremely useful tips!
Thx for sharing. Suscribed.
Glad you enjoyed all the videos. Thanks for commenting.
Thank you.
You're welcome!
Well done. We visited Capitol Reef a few years ago, but we were in a sports car. The camp ground is beautiful. Now we want to go back in an off road vehicle. Thanks.
Definitely need at least high clearance to see more of this area.
Well done.
Thank you!
Bravo pour cette vidéo ! J’y vois maintenant un peu plus clair contente d’avoir trouvé votre chaîne !
Merci d'avoir commenté ! Notre objectif est d'emmener virtuellement nos téléspectateurs dans des endroits magnifiques...
Had one day left in Capitol Reef last year and had to pick between the Cathedral Valley loop or Burr trail. Decided we would take the road less traveled and do the loop. It was absolutely surreal, especially the Bentonite Hills. One of the coolest places we saw in Utah (impossible to rank really) and there was barely another soul out there. Thanks for making this video it takes me right back!
Thanks for the comment! You're absolutely right, the Bentonite Hills are indeed surreal. It's one of those places that just makes you stand there for 20 minutes and finally say "wow". We had the same experience at White Pocket. We like Cathedral Valley so much, we're doing the loop next week, but in the other direction.
@@BackRoadsWest1 Except you didn't wait even 1 minute before talking.
You always have the information I am looking for! I love your channel.
I don't have any outdoor skills and experience. This step by step information makes me feel less anxious.
It is really helpful!
Thank you very much!
Glad you found it helpful. Thanks for commenting!
Did this today and took the junction to 70.. loved it
That road to I-70 deserves another video. Lots to see along that stretch too.
Like the music in your video. Very different. West has such beautiful places to visit that you don’t even know where to start from. Fist week of October I got to visit Yellowstone, Bryce Canyon, Capital Reef, Canyonland and the Arches. Last week of October visit Grand Canyon north rim, The Chain by Glen Dam an Lake Powell, Horseshoe Bend, Mexican Hat, Monument Valley, Toadstool Hoodoos and Four Corners Monument which was closed. My next return will complete it sometimes next year along with Zion, Antelope Canyon and will try my luck with the wave for a permit. There are endless beauty of Mother Nature to explore in Utah and Arizona, but Utah is the topper of all state! Thank you for sharing.
Thanks for taking the time to comment.
Hello ! New friend here !
Very well captured and edited, well explained but going across that river whit a normal VUS 🚙 I think my wife would go crazy ! Lol!
Merry Christmas 🎄🎁
Hélène et Serge 🤶🏻🎅🏻
Fantastic video sir!! Looking to do a similar trek from the your starting point into Capital Reef!!
Thank you and thanks for commenting. Enjoy your trek!
We will be there 6 months (from today), this is defiantly a possibility (have to go home the next day)
Nice video
Thank you!
People, go to their blog! There are lots to see there! Perfect guide to travel in the back roads.
Thanks for the plug!
I was jist curious as to the distance of the entire loop from crossing the creek to arriving at hiway 24?
It's detailed in our blog post www.backroadswest.com/blog/cathedral-valley/
@15:56 the view is mind blowing.
You sir have produced one amazing video and I can appreciate just how much work you put into it. This was no small task. I do have one question about a comment you made about the road conditions. "How long would you need to wait after a rain for the BENTONITE to dry enough to be able to drive on that road>" We'll be in MOAD in mid September staying at the Portal RV Resort. I'm towing a 2019 F-150 4x4 CrewCab and after watching your video am now considering taking this very trip. It appears to be an all day trip I'm guessing.
Thank you! I really don't know how long it takes for the road to harden. Living in SW Utah, I know the roads here take 2-4 weeks to dry up after rain or snow, then there are still small muddy segments.
Fantastic Job...blew away any GoPro video!
Thanks! Yes, being able to touch up those still pictures during post production makes all the difference. You can't do that with video easily. However, my GoPro camera really performs well under the ideal light conditions. See our "How to visit Zion" video, where I use that camera a lot.
Serious question pleas: do I have to stop at the visitor center the day I go and get the map and ask road conditions? Because I really don’t care. Every time I go I go in there it is filled with people and I can’t get a ranger. Please help. I do reply....
No, you don't need the guide. The road is easy to follow as seen in the video. You'll just miss out on all the details at the stops the guide provides.
Great Scenery!!! Really well done guide!!! What was the music playing at minute 14? I play, and want to find those musicians, to play with them, and get their album. Can you tell me what it was? Thanks, Russell Dobkins, Gila, NM
Sorry, the music doesn't come from an album. It is licensed thru Audioblocks.com.
Can this trail be done in a 2wd crossover or suv?
I'm not familiar with driving those types of vehicles. My suggestion is to speak with someone at the Capital Reef visitor center.
You really made me want to drive this loop. My wife and I will be in Moab and perhaps Capitol Reef area for a week in early October. She fears damaging a rental car (high clearance, 4WD, of course) on such a drive. Not that I'd do anything crazy, just follow the road, but how founded are her fears?
#1: I'd check your rental car contract. Most rental companies don't allow their cars to be driven on dirt roads and they have GPS so they'll know when you return them and #2 I'd check with the Capitol Reef visitor center for road conditions.
Q: At Hartnet Road Junction the road continues West (outside the park). Can you tell us anything about that area ? Love the way you incorporate maps and give us time to absorb what images go with each location. Bravo !
Sorry, I can't. That's road we still need to do some day. I can tell you that the road that starts near the Gypsum Sinkhole and goes north to I-70 and SR 10 is a beautiful road and was in good condition. I'd follow a map though as there are a few confusing intersections. Thanks for commenting!
A very fine 1 day-trip. More stunning Utah beauty. Is the Gypsum sinkhole a natural or is it a relic of past mining???
Gypsum sinkhole is natural. It happened when a gypsum plug (like Glass Mountain) that had formed underground dissolved away over time. The void it left behind collapsed and left the sinkhole.
@@adamgreenhaus4691 Interesting, thanks.
This was incredible! I am definitely adding this to my list of places to visit in Utah next month. Your production quality is really good, you totally deserve way more subscribers! Your recap of the trip through Google Earth was a nice touch as well. Looking forward to (possibly) seeing more videos of Utah in the near future!
hey,there's Mark,the guy with the green JEEP:) in a picture @ 13:13
I love my Country 🇺🇸..
Not the government 😔...
God bless America 🇺🇸🙏☝️ 🌹
Do you need 4 wheel drive to make this trip? I have a Mercedes dual wheel van,
I'm pretty sure you need a 4WD. It's a shame it isn't more accessible, since I'd love to visit this area.
Judging from the pictures and only the pictures, it looks like a 2wd can make the trip. However, don't let that deceive you and get you into trouble. This site: www.backroadswest.com/blog/cathedral-valley/ requires 4WD high clearance capability. But later it says 4wd preferred. Therefore, if you make the trip in a 2wd and things get dicey, turn around. Don't push your luck. Another site says just a high clearance vehicle can make it if the Fremont River isn't running high.
There is no need for 4 wheel drive on this loop. Mostly fire road and some two-track. No loose sections to require 4wd.
The day we traveled it, yes a high-clearance 2WD vehicle would be fine. It was October. However, in early spring or after a good summer thunderstorm, the road would be very muddy and requiring 4WD in places. Then there is the river ford. Before going on this trip, I would check in with the rangers at the visitor center to get the latest road conditions in Cathedral Valley.
did it in my Tacoma which is 4 x 4, but not sure I ever needed it. I think there are a couple steep hills, but I went through backwards, which meant I was going up instead of down. Though that might have been on the side road, and not the main road. It's been too long to remember. Obviously don't do it when the road is wet or the river is too high. I think any high clearance vehicle driven sensibly can do it, preferably one without those large rims.
Is crossing the river the only way to get to the CV area?
No. You can do the route in reverse. This actually takes you to CV quicker, but you miss the first half of the loop. When you do it in reverse, you can also turn right and head north near the Gypsum sinkhole and follow the main road to I-70, which will give you a bit of a different trip that is equally as scenic. In fact, I need to create a video tour showcasing that route. See our blog post to look at the interactive map: www.backroadswest.com/blog/cathedral-valley/
Thank you. Super👍👍👍. Would like to meet the person with thumbs down, why????
Thank you for the kudos!! Every one of our videos has someone that is just bitter or sour about what they either see or hear. Just goes to show you how many unhappy people there are out there...
I had to been a 5 year old that hit that dislike.
Jealousy
Are you allowed to camp along this route. So much to soak up.
We don't camp. I'm guessing that you cannot camp inside the park borders, but the road is mostly outside the borders. There are a few primitive campgrounds. I would check at the visitor center.
Thank you for answering. Love all yor vids. Such a good source info and not to mention great for the bucket list. Looking forward to your next adventure. Always a thumbs up, but not always a comment. Have a great day and happt travels.
Can regular cars make this journey? I have a Dodge Grand Caravan..... By the way, awesome photography, videography & illustration that was quite informative and enjoyable to watch.
Thanks for the kudos! No, I wouldn't recommend it. You'll need to cross the river in the first mile, and without 4WD, you'll probably get stuck. You might want to attempt starting at the end of our tour (near Caineville), go the opposite way, and see how your vehicle does using your best judgement. But I think you're going to find that the rough road will slowly rattle your vehicle apart.
@@BackRoadsWest1 ... I heard the river is only 12 inches at times or lower, so I would go there the end of winter or early Spring.... I would be more concerned about thick sandy roads & such.... I took my Dodge Grand Caravan on so many dirt roads in the Northwest of Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and to Garnet Ghost Town (South Entrance) near Missoula, Montana and the road was quite rough with deep pot holes & large rocks I had to try to navigate around, but sometimes I would have to physically move some rocks by hand, but I made it to the top of the mountain to the Ghost Town.... I was also warned to NOT attempt to cross the Great Basin Divide in Wyoming, but I actually drove my van across it anyway and made it..... Yes, I am a risk taker, but I do use common sense too.... With that said, I did eventually need new TIRES (actually 6 tires), 4 BRAKE Pads & Rotors, 2 STRUTS, TIE-RODS & a new RADIATOR that same year in 2020..... THANKS FOR THE TIPS!!!!!
There goes another SUPERB production, you should work for NatGeo or something.BTW, are the starting and ending points interchangeable, or is there a reason for your sugested direction?
Thank you! That's an excellent comment! Now if Nat Geo would only listen!! Yes, the two points can be interchangable, but it's better to do the river crossing first to make sure you can even do it and that the river isn't at flood stage. It would be real bummer to drive 80 miles, then have to go back if you can't cross. Read our blog post at www.backroadswest.com/blog/cathedral-valley/ for more details.
Coming in a couple of days.
Shoot .... doesn’t look like I’ll be bringing the Corvette for this trip.
Looks like a high clearance vehicle is needed to cross the river.
Even if there's no water, there's lots of big rocks that will damage low clearance vehicles...
Hey guy's can you ATV this trip?
Don't see why not. It's a long voyage! Pick a good weather day and bring enough fuel.
Cathedral Valley isn't in Southern part ??
Nope. Look at a map. See our interactive map here: www.backroadswest.com/blog/cathedral-valley/
This is a good video, but I've been out west, and it isn't THAT red.
Thank you for commenting. Every computer screen is different with colors. The pictures we took and see on our screens do match the colors we saw out there.
Merci pour les très bonnes explications .Images superbes et excellent montage , nous connaissons certaines régions , voir vidéo sur CZcams ( lavallee1000) Les paysages sont une merveille y love USA .
Merci!! Heureux que vous ayez apprécié!
Michel lavallée
Hello NicMic nice to see you here ! Lol!😉
Je suis d’accord avec vous c’est un très beau vidéo et bien expliqué! Mais je suis pas certains que je pourrais traverser la rivière avec Hélène...Lol! 😂😂😂
Joyeux Noël 🎄
The fun part of a vacay is escape the mundane getting lost exploring finding your own way home not following someone else's lame safe road map.
The fun ends when you get stuck/lost and become a statistic not knowing that the lame map really was accurate. The sad part also is that due to someone not trusting the proven expertise out there (thinking they know better), they end up needing help from a County/State agency, which is funded from their budget, and then unable to spend time/money on creating more accurate information.
@@BackRoadsWest1 👏👏👏 That was a classy response to someone who didn’t deserve it.
@@ceciliapetrowsky2572 🙂
Nothing but a commercial for thier blog
You know, that's a pretty selfish and stupid remark William. You think I just provide all this hard work to you for free or with no benefit? Would you like me to come over this weekend to wash your dishes?
Just another beautiful place being promoted globally thru CZcams videos for profit.
What's the problem with this? So many of these places are starting to be heavily visited and are becoming crowded tourist traps...so much for getting away for a little solitude.
So, have you thought of the reverse? Have you ever thought how videos like this were responsible for NOT bringing people to this location? But before I go down that road, think of how this video is also responsible for showing people that are unable to travel to see this awesome and beautiful place. People such as disabled, unable to afford it, don’t have a 4WD, or live in another continent. Without a video like this, especially using the virtual format I use, they would have no way to experience it.
Back to not encouraging people to visit a special place like Cathedral Valley, or any other unique place for that matter - even heavily visited Zion Canyon. Now, don’t forget that the NPS and BLM encourages people to visit these places; I’m not alone. Then there’s all the travel books that have always been out there, which is the way I’ve learned. Videos are the new medium, get used to it. Videos, such as mine that explain how to visit these areas, actually discourage people to visit. Rather then people thinking they can drive or hike a mile to two to see places like this, the video makes them realize that a lot more effort needs to go into visiting these places. Just wait until you see my video on how to visit The Wave - it’s really cool to see, but this is what you have to do to get there. Sometimes just seeing it on a video like this is enough for many people. And, with the case like Zion, seeing all the crowds will simply discourage people from visiting. They misewell go to New York City to experience that solitude.
And, let me assure you, if go out to Cathedral Valley tomorrow, you probably won’t see anyone. Well, maybe one or two vehicles.
So, put that in your pipe and smoke it…
@@BackRoadsWest1 Lets talk about Zion...because so many people see the videos on CZcams and the promotions by the NPS it is a friggin zoo...especially during the summer months. Many city folk don't have a clue as to how to protect fragile areas, and now you need a crowded tram to see a good chunk of it...nothing like getting away from the traffic of the city!
Look at Yosemite Valley...You need to take a crowded tram and they even have a small jail in the valley because of the drunkards, and druggies...yes, even in Yosemite you have prostitution...just ask any valley cop.
Is it a lawless place? Of course not but unless we go to a reservation system it'll only get worse.
I've been to Cathedral Valley many times and I think the only thing that saves it from becoming a tourist trap are it's dirt road.
Antelope Slot Canyon near Page Az....It's a really small, narrow place, yet it's wall to wall tourists in a small area. Last time I was there I tried to get a photo looking upwards but had a hard time getting a clear shot because of all the dust kicked up by the too many tourists below.
IMHO...There's too many places that we're loving to death, and videos on CZcams calling attention to them, giving more and more people "vacation ideas" isn't helping.
@@jc4evur661 Welcome to evolution, over population and technology. Maybe moving to remote places like North Dakota or Siberia may help. You're not going to be able to escape the increase in population, especially near Calif.
@@BackRoadsWest1 I totally agree.
Even if we were to setup a reservation system in our National Parks it wouldn't take long before the backlog would be years long.
Nice share👍😊🈵👍