If you ask most people about which national park to visit in Utah, you’ll probably hear about Zion, Arches or Bryce Canyon National Parks. To be honest, Capitol Reef National Park wasn’t even on our radar when we set out on our Great Big Adventure. So when we had a few traveling families recommend Capitol Reef — emphasizing that it was Utah’s most underrated national park — we knew we just had to see it for ourselves!
Things to Know Before You Visit Capitol Reef National Park
Although it doesn’t get the same love as Utah’s other national parks, Capitol Reef National Park is a special place in its own right. Located in the south-central Utah, Capitol Reef offers visitors views of impressive cliffs and rock formations, as well as access to fantastic hiking trails surrounded by red rock country. It’s also a place rich with human history. You can find petroglyphs from the prehistoric Fremont people, and structures built by Mormon pioneers.
The first thing you should know about Capitol Reef is that the park extends along the Waterpocket Fold, a geologic monocline (best known as a wrinkle on the earth) that’s nearly 100 miles between Thousand Lake Mountain in the north, and Lake Powell in the south. Essentially, this divides the park into the north and south portions. There are also hundreds of miles of unpaved roads leading into the backcountry, including the Cathedral Valley Loop, a 70-mile scenic drive through Cathedral Valley, which requires a high-clearance, four-wheel drive vehicle.
The gateway town into the park, Torrey, is just eight miles west of Capitol Reef National Park’s visitor center, on Highway 24. The town offers lodging and restaurants, and easy access to the scenic wonders inside the park. (Make sure to swing by Castlerock Coffee for a delicious latte!)
On our first day in Capitol Reef National Park, we aimed to get a lay of the land. We do this with nearly every park we visit to get our bearings. It helps us understand how crowded it can get (or not), and allows us to plan accordingly for the time we have there.
With this national park, we discovered that you can see quite a bit in one day. We explored the entire Fruita region and several small trails (noted below). Highway 24 offers up profound views of Capitol Reef, following along the Fremont River. There’s also the out-and-back Scenic Drive which is a must, especially if you don’t have much time to stop and hike.
I should note that at the time of our visit, the park’s Visitor Center was closed due to the pandemic. Had it had been open, we definitely would have made a stop here on Day 1 too. (Some national parks allow you to download and print your own Junior Ranger booklets — here’s the one for Capitol Reef.)
Everything You Need to See in Capitol Reef National Park
Fruita Region
The Fruita Region is considered the heart of Capitol Reef, and you can’t miss it if you drive through Hwy 24. It’s a lush, green area along the Fremont River, where people have lived for thousands of years. Even today, you can see the fruit orchards along the drive! There’s still evidence of Mormon settlers, like the Fruita Schoolhouse. It’s a one-room log structure where children grades 1-8 went to school in 1896. Even though it’s locked, you can take a peek inside the schoolhouse.
Not too far up the road, there’s a pullout where you can check out the Fremont petroglyphs that decorate the cliff. It always amazes us to see these powerful cultural symbols that reflect the life of the surrounding tribes, and the land they believed to be sacred.
As you keep traveling up Highway 24, you’ll see the Behunin Cabin. While it’s not much to look at, the story behind this structure is fascinating! Elijah Cutlar Behunin used blocks of sandstone to build this home for his family in 1882. This family of 13 shared the space for several years… but all 11 children slept outside. How wild is that?! (It’s a good excuse to tell the kids how good they have it these days! ?)
Our favorite area of Fruita is the historic district. While the Gifford Farmhouse, Ripple Rock Nature Center and blacksmith shop were closed because of the pandemic, we spent some time at the day use area. There is lots of open space, access to play by the Fremont River and picnic tables. It’s a perfect spot to get a reprieve from the sun and enjoy a picnic!
Scenic Drive
If you’re only visiting for a day, you definitely need to make the Scenic Drive. It’s a relatively quick tour of some of the coolest geological features, and is an out-and-back route of 16-21 miles depending on where you stop. And trust me, you’ll probably want to stop!
Cathedral Valley
If you’re feeling adventurous — like really adventurous — then you’ll dig this remote region of Capitol Reef National Park. You’ll encounter sandstone monoliths, badlands, sand flats and the desert. Make sure you have four-wheel drive or a high clearance! We don’t have 4×4, just beefy tires, and there were some sections that were sketchy. And give yourself a full day to drive through this area… it takes awhile but are worth the canyon views!
The Best Family-Friendly Hikes within Capitol Reef National Park
There are several awesome trails within Capitol Reef, many of which make for great backpacking trips. Given that we’re traveling with two kids under 7, we opted for some quick and easy hikes that also provided stellar views. The starting elevation for many trails in Capitol Reef is around 5,000 feet, which can make even easy trails challenging for people visiting from lower elevations. As with any hike, make sure you pack plenty of water and sunscreen. And many of these are exposed, so start early or go for a sunset hike.
Panorama Point
Distance: 0.3 miles (out and back) | Elevation Change: 29 feet
Don’t miss one of the first stops within Capitol Reef National Park. It’s a fast little trek up the slick rock to an expansive viewpoint. At the top, it’s easy to see how this place got its name. There simply isn’t a bad view in any direction! The kiddos will love this short and sweet walk, which feels more like a quick stop than a hike.
Sunset Trail
Distance: 0.8 miles (out and back) | Elevation Change: <50 feet
As the name suggests, this trail offers a stunning panoramic view that’s best viewed at sunset. Even though it’s super quick and easy, you’ll want to stay for the views of the Waterpocket Fold, Henry Mountains and Fremont River. There are a few bench spots where you can sit and take it all in. During our time in Capitol Reef, the wind really picked up in the evenings, so be sure to pack a blanket and warm layers. If you stay for the entire sunset, pack snacks for the little ones too.
A quick note if you’ll be kid-free. Keep going down the trail. There’s a cool rock formation that you can sit under or on top of for the most epic view. We didn’t get a chance to do this, but watched a gal climb to the top and just knew it’s a good way to catch the sunset!
Goosenecks Point
Distance: 0.2 miles (out and back) | Elevation Change: <50 feet
You can combine Goosenecks Point with the Sunset Trail, as both share the same parking lot and are super short. Goosenecks is super easy, and provides dramatic canyon views into the Goosenecks that Sulphur Creek cuts on its way to the Fremont River. Some call this the mini Grand Canyon! We really love small treks like this for the kids, as we can combine 3-4 into a day and the kids don’t feel like it’s a strenuous hike. ?
Hickman Bridge Trail
Distance: 1.8 miles (out and back) | Elevation Change: 442 feet
The Grand Wash Trail was easily our favorite hike in Capitol Reef National Park! Not only does it require easy effort, the trek provides stunning scenery, beautiful wildflowers and if you’re lucky, a big horn sheep spotting! Grand Wash is a famous gorge that cuts its way through the upper portion of the Waterpocket Fold.
Along this two-mile trail, you’ll find high desert views and a scenic sandstone side-canyon. It’s a fantastic playground for kids! Make sure to grab a trail guide to learn about the area’s history, as there are 17 markers along the hike with loads of info (wildschooling ✅).
The payoff is the grand 133-foot span of the Hickman Natural Bridge, which is absolutely magnificent! You can scramble right up underneath the bridge, which offers up some great photo opportunities. After the bridge, the trail swings south, where you come across a bluff overlooking the Fremont River. It’s an awe-inspiring viewpoint of Fruita and the mouth of Cohab Canyon!
Grand Wash Trail
Distance: 4.5 miles (out and back) | Elevation Change: 200 feet
This is easily my favorite trail in Capitol Reef. The Grand Wash Trail is an easy, family-friendly hike with lots of opportunities for all to climb, scramble and explore. It’s also the trail you should hike if you only have time for one.
The Grand Wash Trail cuts through the wash all the way from the Capitol Reef Scenic Drive to Scenic Highway 24, so you can actually start at either end.
There technically isn’t a trail — just a dry riverbed that you hike through. The canyon walls surround you, towering 800 feet high, and in some places, as little as 20 feet wide (known as the Narrows). This is a kid-fave, for sure.
Know before you go — check the weather report to ensure there isn’t a storm in the forecast. Slot canyons can be dangerous in rainstorms, even if it’s only pouring 100 miles away.
Where to Camp
There are a few RV parks within the nearest town of Torrey, but there’s also plenty of dispersed camping just a short drive from the park. (Before you forgo a campground, be sure to read our tips and tricks on dispersed camping here.) We stayed on BLM land between Torrey and Capitol Reef, but here’s a map of other camping alternatives to consider.
While Capitol Reef feels a bit out of the way if you’re traveling through Utah, we recommend adding it to your road trip route. Here, we felt as though we were on another planet! It’s incredibly expansive, provides sweeping vistas of desert rock and the night sky is worth staying up late for.
Have any other questions about Capitol Reef National Park? Drop us a comment below! ?
