This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

Directions • To reach the north end of the trail, park northeast of Recapture Dam along U.S. Highway 191, about 3 1/2 miles north of Blanding. Look for the pullout on the east side of the road. The trail begins at a gate.

To reach the south end of the trail at Browns Canyon Trailhead, from Blanding, take Highway 191 south to 1800 South, also called Browns Canyon Road. Turn east and follow the road 2.4 miles until it ends at the trailhead above the canyon. The road becomes County Road 219 about halfway to the trailhead.

Hike • You have heard about Recapture Canyon thanks to the illegal ATV ride in 2014 that sent a San Juan County commissioner to jail for 10 days. The Bureau of Land Management closed the canyon to motorized traffic in 2007 to protect archaeological resources after local ATV enthusiasts built an unauthorized trail and grave sites were found looted.

Controversy persists, but hiking and horseback riding is still allowed in the canyon along the south-flowing Recapture Creek that parallels U.S. Highway 191 only a few miles east of Blanding. This canyon has conveyed traffic from prehistoric times through the time of Anglo settlements, when it was as a principal route between Monticello and Bluff. To Native Americans this is hallowed ground.

Starting from the north at Recapture Dam, you can hike 5.6 miles to exit out a side canyon called Browns Canyon, or turn around and hike out the way you came. The first 2 miles follow a dirt road serving a buried pipeline that carries water from Recapture Reservoir. At the end of the road, an ancient dwelling can be seen in the hillside on the right. From here the illegal ATV trail, now overgrown and hard to see in places, veers off to the left from a turnaround. It tracks along the benches above Recapture Creek, crossing it a few times.

Along the trail is the handiwork that got trail builders in trouble with the law: severed juniper trees, culverts and moved rocks. Harder to see are the on-the-ground archaeological sites, such as graves and middens, which trail construction is said to have damaged. The cliff structures are much easier to discern and are worth a side hike to observe up close — as long as you don't disturb them or move any artifacts you might come across. Federal law protects these resources, which belong to all Americans and offer an irreplaceable record of Ancestral Puebloan culture.

Follow the track for about 3 miles from the end of the pipeline road to a large stock pond, where you will likely see herons and other wildlife drawn to the year-round water source. From here hike up a rugged road that climbs Browns Canyon to the canyon rim. The parking area is short walk to the south.

— Brian Maffly

Destination: Recapture Dam (if hiking north) or Browns Canyon Trailhead (if hiking south)

» Hiking time • 6 hours

» Round-trip miles • 11.2 miles

» Elevation gain • 573 feet

» Difficulty • Moderate

» Trailhead restrooms • No

» Dogs allowed • Yes

» Bikes allowed • Yes

» Fees • No