All About Capitol Reef National Park in Utah
Capitol Reef National Park is a stunning and lesser-known hidden treasure in South-Central Utah.
Visit Capitol Reef National Park to view its unique geological formations including the Waterpocket Fold which is a 100-mile-long warp in the Earth’s crust. The park has a variety of hiking trails, a scenic drive, historic buildings, fruit orchards, and museums.
Fremont River flows from the Fish Lake Plateau to the Muddy Creek near Hansville and is a crucial watercourse shaping the park’s landscape and supporting its ecosystem.
What to do at Capitol Reef National Park
The Best Trails and Hikes at Capitol Reef
There are handful of easy trails, but many of the trails are moderate to strenuous (with many having a 400+ ft elevation gain). In addition, there are three slot canyons within the park that can be hiked to — but only by experienced canyon-country hikers as they are strenuous, difficult routes. They all contain dry rock falls, chock stones, and potential pools of water that require wading through. The slot canyons are called Burro Wash, Cottonwood Wash, and Sheets Gulch Slot Canyons.
Pioneer Register Hike
Easier Trails
- Hickman Bridge Trail
- Grand Wash Trail
- Cohab Canyon Trail
- Capitol Gorge Trail to the Pioneer Register Trail
Things to do at Capitol Reef National Park
- View the many rock layers throughout the park that tell of the geologic monocline and the history of Capitol Reef Country.
- Go to the Fruita Area, the historic district in Capitol Reef, to learn about human history. This is often called the heart of the park.
- Find a picnic table in one of the many picnic areas and enjoy lunch in the heart of red rock country.
- Pick fresh fruit from the fruit trees in Fruita's historic orchards when there's a U-Pick sign by the orchards.
- Visit the Ripple Rock Nature Center to experience the park's history through daily hands-on programs.
What to see at Capitol Reef National Park
Capitol Reef Visitor Center
Capitol Reef Visitor Center
There’s one visitor center in the park located at the intersection of UT-24 and the Scenic Drive. Hours vary by season and it’s open daily except for major holidays.
The visitor center has new exhibits showcasing the park’s diverse plants and animal life, the human history in the area, and the unique geology of the rock walls. Stop in to check out the exhibit, speak to a park ranger, get a passport book stamp, pick up a Junior Ranger book, get a park map, visit the gift shop, and use the restroom before hitting the trails.
Passport Book Stamp Location
National Park Passport Book Stamp Locations
- Capitol Reef Visitor Center
Capitol Reef National Park Basics
52 West Headquarters Drive,
Torrey, UT 84775
$20 per person
Valid for 7 Days
Mountain Time Zone
1971
Location, Phone Number, and Address
Capitol Reef, in Southern Utah, is one of Utah’s many impressive National Parks called the Utah Mighty Five.
The physical address of the park is 52 West Headquarters Drive, Torrey, UT 84775. The park can be reached by phone at 435-425-3791.
What are the Entrance Fees for Capitol Reef?
Like most of the other parks, Capitol Reef has a few options for entrance passes. The standard entry pass is valid for 7 days from the date of purchase and is $20 for a private vehicle, $15 for a motorcycle, or $10 per person walking or bicycling into the park.
Capitol Reef offers an annual pass for this park only for $35 per year. If you are planning to visit more than one national park in a year, consider purchasing an America the Beautiful annual pass.
Current as of July 2024
What Time Zone is Capitol Reef National Park in?
Capitol Reef is in the Mountain Time Zone.
When is the Best Time to Visit?
For the best weather conditions, visit Capitol Reef in April, May, June, September, or October. Mid-June through Mid-October is not only the hottest time of the year when temperatures reach dangerous levels, but it’s also monsoon season and the park is prone to flash floods.
When did Capitol Reef become a National Park?
Capitol Reef was designated as a National Monument with the National Park Service in 1937 but was not open to the public until 1950. Road access was greatly improved in 1962 when SR24 was completed through the Fremont River Canyon. It became a National Park on December 18, 1971.
How Big is Capitol Reef National Park?
Capitol Reef National Park is 241, 904 acres or about 378 square miles.
Park Website
Always check the official park site for the most up-to-date information, hours, prices, and conditions.
Travel Tips for Capitol Reef National Park
Driving Through Capitol Reef National Park
Capitol Reef is open year-round and you can take the paved road from the visitor center into Capitol Gorge on the scenic drive. Notom-Bullfrog Road is a paved road through the eastern side of the Waterpocket Fold for about 10 miles.
Cathedral Road is an unpaved road that goes through the northern areas of the park. It takes you through Cathedral Valley passing the Temples of the Sun and Moon.
Where are the National Park Entrances?
There is only one park entrance to Capitol Reef National Park. No matter which direction you are coming from, you’ll need to get to SR-24 in Utah and take that until you meet up with the park’s entrance station.
What is the Nearest City to Capitol Reef?
The closest city to Capitol Reef is Torrey, Utah.
Beyond Torrey, the next main city is Loa, Utah which has the nearest grocery store in the area.
Boulder and Escalante are also cities to consider but they’re further away and you will need to cross Lion Mountain to get to the park.
What is the Nearest Airport to Capitol Reef?
The closest major airport to the park is Salt Lake City (SLC) which is about 225 miles from the park, a 4-hour drive. Closer regional airports include Cedar City Regional Airport (CDC), Grand Junction Regional Airport (GJT), and St. George Regional Airport (SGU).
No matter which airport you fly into, you will need a rental car so make sure to take in vehicle availability when making reservations.
Itineraries including Capitol Reef National Park
Lodging Near Capitol Reef National Park
Where to Stay
Unless you are camping, there aren’t any options for sleeping inside the park boundary. Look for hotels in the town of Torrey, just outside of the park entrance. Otherwise, if you are doing all of Utah’s Mighty Five parks, consider staying somewhere between Capitol Reef and Bryce Canyon National Park in the town of Boulder or Escalante.
Campgrounds in the Area
Fruita Campground is the only developed campground in the park. There are 71 sites and reservations are available from March 1-October 31. There are also two primitive campgrounds called Cathedral Valley Campground and Cedar Mesa Campground.
Backcountry camping is available in the park with a backcountry permit.
What are the Closest National Parks to Capitol Reef National Park?
Facts about Capitol Reef National Park
The Plants and Animals of Capitol Reef
The park’s desert ecosystems feature juniper and pinyon pine forests, as well as unique desert flora adapted to the arid environment. There are over 840 species of plants in the park and over 40 are classified as rare and endemic to the park.
Capitol Reef is home to a diverse range of desert wildlife, including mule deer, bighorn sheep, mountain lions, and numerous bird species.
What is the Highest Point? What is the Lowest Point?
The highest elevation in the park is 8,960 feet above sea level in the Upper Creek drainage. In contrast, the lowest elevation in the park is at only 3,880 feet above sea level where Halls Creek drainage exits the park.
Capitol Reef Fun Facts
- The name Capitol Reef is a combination of "capitol" from the Capitol Dome (white Navajo Sandstone domes reminiscent of the United States Capitol Building) and "reef" from the geologic term that refers to a ridge or an area of resistant rock that may cause a barrier or obstruction. It does not have to do with coral reefs or underwater reefs.
- There are 1,164 different species of plants and animals in the park.
- Capitol Reef was designated an International Dark Sky Park in 2015.