Capitol Reef National Park is one of our favorite parks in Utah! Not only is it the least popular and crowded, has no entrance fee, and lots of camping nearby, it's also breathtakingly beautiful! Capitol Reef is near a very small town called Torrey, Utah. There are some hotels and restaurants, but not very many. We love the small town feel. However, we like to go in the spring when a lot of places are closed for the season so if you're going then, plan on bringing your own food and supplies.
Capitol Reef was officially made a national park in 1971. It was originally names Wayne's Wonderland, due to being located in Wayne County, UT. Capitol Reef was originally made a national monument in 1937. It was named Capitol Reef for its white cliffs that look like dome's on capitol buildings. A reef is a rocky barrier on land or sea, hence the reef in Capitol Reef. The Waterpocket Fold runs through Capitol Reef and is the main attraction for the park. It is a warp in Earth's crust that has been there for millions of years! It created the big mountains and washes in the park. The park was also formed by water, similar to the rest of Utah's national parks.
Fremont and Paiute Native Americans first lived in Capitol Reef, and today you can find petroglyphs in the park from that time! Later, Mormon settlers came through the park and established the small town inside the park called Fruita. You can also find their signatures on the rocks nearby written in wagon wheel grease. Fruita is still a working farm today. There are orchards and beautiful grass fields in the middle of all of the red rocks!
Things to do at Capitol Reef National Park:
1. Drive through the scenic route through the park! Capitol Reef is a park that you can drive through and see a lot, no hiking required! First, you'll take the road from Torrey into the park, and even that is a gorgeous drive alone. Once you get into the park you'll pass through Fruita and the orchards from the Mormon pioneers that are still a functioning farm today. Go towards the right and you're on the scenic drive called Capitol Gorge Road. You'll get some great views of washes and huge rock formations!
2. Hike around! Capitol Reef has some gorgeous hikes including Cassidy Arch (3.4 mi), Grand Wash(4.8 mi but really easy), Cathedrals Trail (2.5 mi), and Headquarters Canyon Slot Canyon (2.6 mi). The views are amazing! Make sure to check the weather beforehand and never enter a wash or cross a wash if there is a chance of rain.
3. Explore Fruita and the Gifford Homestead! Right as you come into the park, you'll drive into Fruita. You'll know it by the green grass and orchards surrounded by the red rock desert. It's a historic farm, first built by pioneers that settled the area. The Gifford Homestead is their original home! They sell jams, pies, salsas, kitchen gadgets, and more. Make sure to grab a pie! They're made by fruit from the orchards and are so yummy. If you eat outside, don't be surprised if you see lots of mule deer feeding on the grass!
4. See the Pioneer Register and Native American Petroglyphs! These are so cool and historic! For the Pioneer Register, head to Grand Wash and hike about a mile and a half up the wash. You'll see signatures in the rocks from the pioneer settlers. You may see some hieroglyphics up there as well! To see Native American petroglyphs, stay straight instead of turning right to Fruita on your way into the park. There is a small trail with a boardwalk that leads to them. Take lots of photos, but never leave your own marks on the rocks.
5. Loop around the Waterpocket Fold! This drive is one of my favorites ever. It's usually suitable for standard cars, but we've only done it in 4WD vehicles. Do not go soon after or before a storm. And plan out some serious time in your day!
First you'll drive down Notom Bullfrog Road. First paved, but turns to gravel. There are a lot of slot canyons on this drive. It continues to Burr Trail Road, where there are super cool switchbacks in the road. The views are amazing! After you get to the top the road is paved again and you enter Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument (which I think should be our 6th National Park). You'll then arrive in Boulder! There's a fun visitors center there and some food trucks usually. You'll have views of the entire valley below! Not very many people come here since it's a bit out of the way. But it's so worth it. You'll head down the highway and right into Torrey after.
6. Panorama Point, Sunset Point and Goosenecks Overlook! On Highway 24, on your way into Capitol Reef, there are three amazing points to look at! These are all very short hikes, and I'd recommend doing these a little before sunset for some amazing lighting and views. You'll see views of Capitol Reef, the gorges created by rivers, and Torrey.
7. Explore Torrey! Torrey is a cool little town. If you go between May - September, the shops will be open. We love going in the spring, but unfortunately you miss out on those. We love exploring the gift shops, getting souvenirs, and trying all the places to eat. We have tried every place we can for burgers and finally last summer found our favorite! It's actually a food truck called Capitol Burger! This truck, along with Beehive Grill in Logan, is my favorite burger ever. So yummy! Don't miss it! You can four wheel into town also, which is fun.
8. Camp out nearby Torrey! There are so many cool campgrounds and free BLM land camping near Torrey. It's such a fun place to camp too! Since it's out in the middle of no where, there are lots of stars, so bring your camera for some night photography. And waking up outside to the red rocks is the coolest experience! We like to bring our four wheeler to explore the mountains and ride into town. There is a dirt ATV road next to almost every paved road in town.
9. Learn about Butch Cassidy! Butch Cassidy grew up here y'all. No joke. His childhood school, the Torrey School, is now a hotel that you can stay at! They have all the history of Butch Cassidy growing up there, and later visiting during his outlaw days. They even have photos of him there all over the walls! If you want a really cool place to stay, that's it.
10. Get professional photos taken! Capitol Reef is such a great place for photo sessions. From senior to family to wedding, your photos will look AMAZING. Bring your fancy clothes and have photos taken in the red rocks. I am always up for traveling to Capitol Reef for sessions! You can see my website & portfolio here and email me here to book a Capitol Reef session.
Thank you so much for reading! I hope your Capitol Reef National Park trip is absolutely terrific. Comment if you have any questions or thoughts! See more on my Instagram and Pinterest. Below are our other Capitol Reef recommendations!
Lodging:
Torrey School, Torrey UT
Days Inn, Torrey UT
Local camping on BLM land.
Food:
Capitol Burger Food Truck
Rim Rock Patio
Capitol Reef Inn & Cafe
Family / Wedding Photography:
Abigail Erin Photography - Click here to see their website.
Nature Photography:
Abigail Erin Photography - Click here to see their website.
Souvenirs:
Capitol Reef Visitor's Center + Gifford House
Torrey Trading Post
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