Utah Hike of the Week: Golden Wall Trail and Castle Bridge in Red Canyon

This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated.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 • The Red Canyon Visitor Center sits between Panguitch and Bryce Canyon National Park on Highway 12. The trailhead for the Golden Wall Trail is at the visitors center.

Hike • Want to see some hoodoos and that red-orange rock and soil of south-central Utah without the crowds you'll find in the national parks? The Golden Wall trail offers that plus beautiful, panoramic overlooks. From the visitors center, take the southern fork of the Hoodoo Trail. After about a tenth of a mile, go south across the highway and follow the sign pointing to the Golden Wall Trail. Soon you will see the signs for Castle Bridge. Follow that sign and the trail. You will go up steep, narrow switch backs with loose footing that is the toughest part of the hike. Hiking poles will help here. At the top of the ridge is the Castle Bridge. Continue on the trail and you're back on the Golden Wall Trail. The trail continues up and done on a series of switchbacks. When you turn north, you're halfway finished. The trail ends at the Red Canyon Campground, but the trail becomes a loop when you walk through the campground, onto the paved walking and biking path and walk the half mile back to the visitors center.

— Nate Carlisle

Destination: Loop

Hiking time • 3 hours

Round-trip miles • 5 miles

Elevation gain • 1,069 feet

Difficulty • Moderate

Trail head restrooms • Yes

Dogs allowed • Yes

Bikes allowed • No

Fees • No