Hike Headquarters Canyon, Capitol Reef National Park, Utah

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Headquarters Canyon is one of the few named hikes along the Waterpocket Fold in Capitol Reef National Park and is the closest drainage to The Post, once an important meeting point for ranchers. It's 1.3 miles up the north canyon and 1 mile up the south. To to both of the canyons; 3.6 miles round trip for both forks. Headquarters Canyon features sheer, vertical walls and slopes of Navajo sandstone streaked with color. Departing from the Burr Trail Road, a signed, sandy track cuts west across a sagebrush flat and crosses the dry drainage of Halls Creek. Within 0.5 mile (0.4 km), the route crosses a couple of dry washes, edges around orange Entrada sandstone outcrops, and descends to a wide, stony gulch. Follow this drainage west into the Waterpocket Fold. Less than one mile (1.6 km) from the start, the deep gorge constricts to a narrow slot usually free of significant obstacles. Beyond the slot, the canyon is flush with vegetation. The hike ends at a sandstone ramp in the ledge-forming Kayenta formation. A 6-foot (1.8 m) dryfall atop the slide is passable to agile climbers, but progress beyond is quickly halted by a much higher dryfall.

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