Lower Muley Twist

Lower Muley Twist is a stunning canyon within Capitol Reef National Park. As the name implies, the canyon makes a lot of twists and turns, passing through a couple of amazing alcoves and below impressively high canyon walls.

There are a few different approaches one can take to hiking the Lower Muley Twist. If you wish to do it in it’s entirety you’ll likely want to spend a night, making a permit required. One can also turn it into a lollipop loop hike. And of course, one can explore only as far as they wish, cutting it short to their desired length.

Begin from the small trailhead just past the top of the Burr Trail Switchbacks. This first section of the twist is well traveled and, although the scenery is nice, it only gets better the further you go. The hiking is fairly easy and straightforward throughout the entire twist.

A few miles in you’ll come to the only side trail, the Post Cut Off Trail. Ignore this and continue through the twist.

The scenery really gets incredible and you’ll come to an awesome large alcove. Be sure to bring a wide angle lens or use your smartphone’s ultra-wide camera to capture the full grander of the scene!

Continue along, passing some really high canyon walls and another alcove before the twist curves and heads east. It then comes to an end at Halls Creek (don’t expect to find water here, although the Muley Tanks are a good source and not much further).

This is the turnaround point. Return the way you came, unless you wish to make a lollipop loop of sorts by following Halls Creek and the Grand Gulch Route up, then taking the Post Cut Off Trail to get back into the twist.