Ranger Tales
Grand Wash Road

Grand Wash Road

The story

A dirt spur leaves the Scenic Drive for a steep-walled canyon, ending at the Grand Wash and Cassidy Arch trailheads. It suits ordinary cars when open, but closes after storms. The gated openings of an old uranium mine show at the base of the cliffs just past the junction.

A dirt road leaves on your left in under half a mile, into Grand Wash. It's a mile and a quarter at fifteen miles an hour, for cars and RVs up to twenty-three feet when open. Allow twenty minutes. Skip it if storms threaten. We stay on the pavement. Boone has the tale of what's just past it, and what it paid.

Photo: Famartin / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 3.0

Good to know
Where is Grand Wash Road?
Grand Wash Road. A dirt spur leaves the Scenic Drive for a steep-walled canyon, ending at the Grand Wash and Cassidy Arch trailheads. It suits ordinary cars when open, but closes after storms. The gated openings of an old uranium mine s…
Is there an audio tour of Grand Wash Road?
Yes — Grand Wash Road is a stop on the Capitol Reef National Park: The Waterpocket Fold self-guided audio tour. The story plays automatically by GPS as you drive there, and works offline. Get the free Ranger Tales app on iPhone or Android.
🎧 Get the tour

Hear Grand Wash Road's story on the drive

Download the tour, leave your phone in your pocket, and let it play itself as you go. Works offline.

Buy the self-guided tour, or get it in the app.