Cathedral Valley is the quintessential backcountry drive - a journey filled with mud, dust and expansive desert views. Think of it as Monument Valley but on a more intimate level - you can easily walk around the monuments and explore.

Cathedral Valley is also empty and isolated. Most people haven't even heard of the national park it is in let alone of Cathedral Valley. This makes it the perfect destination for people who want to get off the beaten track and explore.

Cathedral Valley is located in Capitol Reef National Park, which is in south central Utah around 100 miles west of Canyonlands National Park and Moab. The valley is filled with large Entrada sandstone monoliths that resemble cathedrals. There are only a couple of real trails but hiking can be had in the many small washes that crisscross the valley.

A 59 mile long loop road meanders through Cathedral Valley. It can be accessed from UT-24 just east of the park boundary. The fording of the Fremont River, which is seldom more than a few feet deep, is usually required. However, if you don't want to do this, you can take the other part of the loop road near Cainville and back track when you are done sightseeing.

A high clearance 4 wheel drive vehicle is needed to negotiate Cathedral Valley's rough dirt roads and muddy washes. Drive slowly over the many rutted surfaces and watch for rain, as the clay based road will be impassable to any vehicle when wet.

Sand and silt was deposited over 160 million years ago to form the soft Entrada sandstone monoliths that abound in Cathedral Valley. The largest monolith, Temple Rock, is 500 feet tall and many others are hundreds of feet tall. Some are unnamed while the larger monoliths have mysterious names such as the Temple of the Sun and the Wall of Jericho.

The feeling of solitude in Cathedral Valley can be inspiring. Often, there is no sound at all and the only movement comes from the shadows made by clouds as they blow across the valley. Even during the height of the season you will probably see only 1 or 2 cars a day and no hikers.

The clouds and colors in Cathedral Valley are amazing and make for great photography. The colors of the the monuments are ever-changing - from a light tan to a reddish brown depending upon the sun and cloud cover.

You could easily spend days exploring the many monoliths and small canyons around Cathedral Valley. While the sandstone monoliths are everywhere throughout the valley, they are concentrated in 3 areas, which makes for easy viewing. In fact, you don't even have to get out of your car to see most of the sights.

Side Trips
There are many interesting sites right outside of Cathedral Valley and Capitol Reef National Park that tempt any intrepid explorer.

One is the road to Thousand Lake Mountain and the Fishlake National Forest, which is accessed from Cathedral Valley at Hartnet Junction. Because of the altitude change, this route is usually passable only from early June to late October. The scenery change is dramatic as you leave Cathedral Valley and climb 3000 feet to a thick forest of quaking aspen and cool breezes.

Another interesting trip from Cathedral Valley is to head north from Cathedral Valley Junction through the plains of a place called, appropriately enough, the Last Chance Desert. Here, there are more temple monoliths and empty desert. This road intersects with I-70 27 miles after leaving Cathedral Valley and Capitol Reef National Park.

More information on both routes can be found in the "Valley of the Cathedrals" booklet that can be purchased at the visitor center.