What to Do in Capitol Reef National Park
I LOVE national parks, and last spring, Korri and I spent a week road tripping through southern Utah to visit Capitol Reef, Bryce Canyon, and Zion! They were the final three parks we had to visit in the Utah Mighty 5. Capitol Reef is one of the least popular national parks in Utah—I’m guessing because of its more remote location—but I highly recommend you do NOT skip this gem if you can! It is a truly incredible natural wonder.
Capitol Reef National Park got its name from early settlers (side eye) who saw the white domed Navajo sandstone pillars and thought they resembled the U.S. Capitol building. “Reef” came from the 87-mile-long Waterpocket Fold that resembles a reef you’d find in the ocean because it impeded travel. The park averages around 1 million visitors per year, making it the second least-visited Utah national park. That’s a bonus because they don’t have timed entry like other parks, and you can really take your time and not feel rushed while you’re exploring!
If you’re planning a trip to the parks of southern Utah, below I rounded up the best things to do in Capitol Reef National Park! There’s an interactive map at the end along with my other related Utah national parks blog posts to help you plan your trip.
READ NEXT: One Day in Capitol Reef National Park
What To Do In Capitol Reef National Park
There is SO much to do in Capitol Reef National Park that it’s impossible to capture it all in one post, and you probably won’t be able to explore it all in one trip unless you spend a good week there. There are three districts of the park you can visit: Fruita is the most accessible area of the park and is where the main highway (S.R. 24) passes through the park. You can also explore the Waterpocket District (south of Fruita) or Cathedral Valley (north of Fruita, accessible only by unpaved roads not connected to the main highway).
In this post, I shared six hikes and eight other non-hiking activities and things to do in Capitol Reef. If you’re planning to spend only one day in Capitol Reef National Park, you should be able to hit most if not all of these spots in one day if you start early and stay until sunset. We did almost everything on this list in our one day spent in this gorgeous national park!
Where Is Capitol Reef National Park
Capitol Reef National Park is located in south-central Utah, and the closest town to Capitol Reef is Torrey, about 5 miles from the west side of the park. Visitors also stay in Bicknell, which is about 8 miles west of Torrey (13 miles from the park). Other options on the west side include Lyman, Loa, and Fremont. Hanksville is the closest town on the east side of Capitol Reef at 28 miles away.
If you are flying and the renting a car, the closest major airport to Capitol Reef National Park is Salt Lake City. It is about a 3.5 hour drive south of SLC. You could also fly into Las Vegas and drive 5.5 hours to Capitol Reef. St. George in southwest Utah offers a regional airport, and the fastest driving route is just under 4 hours. Cedar City is a small town northeast of St. George that also has a regional airport, and the fastest driving route from Cedar City is just under 3 hours.
Best Things To Do In Capitol Reef National Park
Like I mentioned above, here are six of the best hikes and eight other non-hiking activities I recommend you do in the Fruita District of Capitol Reef National Park! You could attempt to do it all in one day or you can spread it out over two days or so (and visit other districts, too).
Hikes in Capitol Reef
Sunset Point | 0.8 miles round-trip (easy)
The Sunset Point trailhead is at the end of the gravel/dirt Goosenecks Road, which is accessible via the same turn off as Panorama Point (more on that below). Hike the quick 0.1 mile to the Goosenecks overlook for canyon views and then hike Sunset Point for a beautiful panoramic shot. As the name suggests, this hike is perfect to do at sunset!
Capitol Gorge | 2 miles round-trip (easy)
At the end of the Scenic Drive (read more about that below), you can continue straight on the dirt Capitol Gorge Road to the Capitol Gorge Trailhead. The hike is within a deep canyon for part of the way. It’s so pretty, but the steep cliffsides are a little terrifying! Also, be careful driving through and hiking after a good rain shower. You don’t have to hike too far (about a half mile) to come across the Pioneer Register on the south-facing side of the canyon wall. Early settlers to the region carved their names into the rock to mark their place in history. This is how historians today know about some of the earliest visitors to Capitol Reef!
Grand Wash | 4.4 miles round-trip (easy)
Stop at the north side of the Grand Wash Trail and hike to the other end and back (or leave a car at the other end so you don’t have to go back). We hiked (walked really, since the ground is relatively flat and there are not many obstacles) to The Narrows before turning around and heading back.
This hike was recommended by one of Korri’s friends and it was a great easy hike to end the day on. You walk next to extremely high cliff faces, and it’s even more impressive when you get to The Narrows (though it’s not as narrow as your typical slot canyon, and you also don’t walk through water like you do in The Narrows in Zion as there isn’t a river running through it).
Hickman Bridge | 1.8 miles round-trip (moderate)
If you love short hikes, you’ll love Hickman Bridge Trail! I personally love a round-trip hike that’s less than two miles long. The hike starts right along the bottom of the cliff next to the river; there’s a sign that tells you not to stop because of the possibility of rock fall. It’s a short but steep hike to the rim, and eventually you’ll make it to the Hickman Natural Bridge! We had it all to ourselves in the early evening, and it was fantastic if not a little spooky. You’re able to walk right up under it.
Be sure to follow the sign that indicates which direction to go when you get to the loop. As we were leaving the parking lot, I saw someone starting this hike in flip flops…please wear real hiking sneakers or boots, especially on this trail since there are a lot of rocks and it’s not an easy hike! You don’t want to get injured here.
Cassidy Arch | 3.4 miles round-trip (strenuous)
The Cassidy Arch trailhead starts near the southern end of the Grand Wash and takes you right along the rim with expansive views of the landscape below. The hike ends at a natural arch that you can stand on top of (but be safe)! We didn’t have time for this hike on our trip, but it’s also on my list for next time.
Chimney Rock | 3.6 mile loop (strenuous)
When entering Capitol Reef National Park from the west on S.R. 24 (Highway 24), one of the first hikes (if not the first hike) you’ll come across is Chimney Rock (this hike connects to the Rim Overlook). Korri and I decided to go up just short of a mile just to see the view of Chimney Rock and the landscape below from the top of the rim before turning around and heading back to the car. It’s a steep elevation gain to the top of the rim. The parking area is small and located right off the highway so I recommend this hike earlier or later in the day. The view at sunset would be amazing!
Non-hiking Activities in Capitol Reef
Panorama Point
If you drive into Capitol Reef from the west, this will be one of the first things you can stop and check out. This was the second stop on our trip; we love a good view! And when it’s clear, you can see the mountains to the east of the park that separate it from Canyonlands. There’s a short, easy walk involved or you can see pretty much the same view from your car. You can also take Goosenecks Road (gravel/dirt) down to Sunset Point Trail and Goosenecks Overlook Trail for more canyon views.
Geology Talk
If you have time, definitely catch the Geology Talk hosted by a park ranger at the Fruita Campground amphitheater. The 30-minute presentations occur every day starting at 3 pm, and we learned a lot about the geologic history of the area (the big Waterpocket Fold that spans the length of the park is what it sounds like: a giant fold in Earth’s crust) and the history of the park itself (like how it was settled and named by the Mormons…seriously, why are all the Utah parks named by Mormons?!). It’s fascinating how basically all the Mighty 5 parks are from the same geologic formations yet all look so different. All of southern Utah could be one giant park.
Fremont River
If you have time to kill before or after the Geology Talk and want something a little more chill, take a stroll along the Fremont River Trail. Korri and I spotted a large herd of deer! There were even a couple that walked in front of us to go drink from the river. They didn’t seem to be all that scared of us, and we even watched one deer walk right into a campsite where a family was eating. (Be sure not to feed the wildlife!)
If you want more of a hike, the Fremont River Trail follows the river for a while and eventually ends up on top of a rim where you’ll end at an overlook with a panoramic view of the park. There is a steep climb to the top, and this part of the trail is considered moderately difficult.
Scenic Drive
Scenic Drive is beyond the entrance “gate” (it’s not really a true entrance like you’d see in the more popular parks, but you still need to pay if you don’t have a national parks pass) and is definitely worth the fee. The views are absolutely stunning! The road is paved but very narrow, so don’t stop along the road unless you find a pullout. There are also multiple spots where water runs over the road during flash floods. Pay attention to the weather and avoid driving through water running over the roadway.
We drove down to the end at Capitol Gorge; there was a pretty good shower when we were there that dampened the dirt road leading into the gorge. The road goes back quite a ways to the Capitol Gorge Trailhead and follows steep cliffsides. Scenic Drive is also how you access the southern end of the Grand Wash and the Cassidy Arch trailhead if you don’t want to walk all the way from the northern end.
Petroglyph Panels
An easy walk along a couple of boardwalks leads to views of the Fremont Culture petroglyph panels, located just off of S.R. 24. You might have to look more closely to spot them at certain times of day, as some of them have developed a patina.
Fruita Schoolhouse
Many years ago, Mormons settled in a community called Fruita in Capitol Reef that doesn’t exist anymore, and there are still some buildings remaining, including the one-room schoolhouse that is easily accessible from S.R. 24. You can peer through the windows and see how it would have been set up in the past, with the desks surrounding a stove in the middle of the room to keep warm.
Fruita Orchards
The historic Fruita Orchards continue to be maintained by the National Park Service using heritage techniques. I don’t think the orchards are worth a stop if you are there out of season like we were, but it’s worth checking them out when they are blooming in the spring and definitely when the fruit is ready to pick in the summer and fall! There are a variety of apricot, peach, pear, and apple trees. Look for the “U pick” signs and be sure to pay.
Gifford Homestead
The Gifford Homestead features a museum and shop, and it opens for the season on March 14th—Pi Day, of course, because they offer fresh pies! On opening day, grab a pie for $3.14 each while supplies last as well as cinnamon rolls (as I was told, but I’m not sure if they always have cinnamon rolls or if that was a special thing). The pies and cinnamon rolls are made at the Broken Spur in Torrey so you can try stopping there if you miss the homestead.
Capitol Reef National Park Map
You can find all of the trails and other things to do and see in the Fruita area of Capitol Reef National Park that I featured in this post in this interactive map! Be sure to pin the Capitol Reef Bucket List image below the map to your Pinterest for reference.
