Point of interest
Panorama PointDramatic views await at the aptly named Panorama Point: take your selfie stick photo here!
Capitol Reef
Centered on the dramatic Waterpocket Fold, Capitol Reef National Park blends towering cliffs, narrow canyons, and historic orchards into a uniquely layered desert landscape.
Top Stops
Top places to visit in Capitol Reef, from signature stops to easy additions for the trip plan.
Point of interest
Goosenecks PointMaybe this overlook gets its name from visitors craning their neck to take yet another amazing Capitol Reef view?
Point of interest
Sunset PointYour view is of a desert river valley and, notably, more distant buttes striped with layer upon layer of eroded sedimentary rock.
Information
Explore Information inside Capitol Reef with park-specific stops and route ideas.
Activities
Auto TouringCapitol Reef National Park, only a few miles wide but 100 miles long, showcases not only the beauty of the Waterpocket Fold, but also the area's human history.
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Basic Information
Fees & PassesTraveling the park's Scenic Drive beyond the Fruita Campground require a fee.
Auto Tour
Explore Auto Tour inside Capitol Reef with park-specific stops and route ideas.
Point of interest
Utah Highway 24 (UT-24)Utah Hwy. 24 (SR-24) offers the main access to Capitol Reef National Park.
Point of interest
Orientation PulloutRead the interpretive sign here to orient yourself at the park entrance, and take a moment to view Twin Rocks, a prominent rock formation you can see from this pullout.
Point of interest
Under Pressure Exhibit PulloutThe Waterpocket Fold is the result of pressure caused by tectonic plates pressing together about 60 million years ago.
Hiking
Explore Hiking inside Capitol Reef with park-specific stops and route ideas.
Point of interest
Rim Overlook/Navajo Knobs TrailThis strenuous trail is actually two trails in one, beginning at the Hickman Bridge Trail trailhead.
Point of interest
Old Wagon TrailScenic Drive in Capitol Reef park began as a wagon trail in the late 1800s, serving as a passage through the rugged Waterpocket Fold.
Point of interest
Goosenecks TrailNot a hike but a stroll, the Goosenecks Trail leads just 600 feet from the parking lot to Goosenecks Point.
Camping
Explore Camping inside Capitol Reef with park-specific stops and route ideas.
Point of interest
Fruita CampgroundOpen all year, the Fruita Campground the park's only developed campground.
Point of interest
Cathedral Valley CampgroundCathedral Campground is one of Capitol Reef National Park's two primitive campgrounds.
Point of interest
Cedar Mesa CampgroundThe Cedar Mesa Campground is one of two primitive campgrounds in Capitol Reef National Park.
Bicycling
Explore Bicycling inside Capitol Reef with park-specific stops and route ideas.
Point of interest
Capitol Reef Scenic DriveCapitol Reef's main road is called Scenic Drive, and it certainly lives up to its name.
Point of interest
Cathedral Valley LoopOne of the most popular ways to take in the Cathedral Valley is via the Cathedral Valley Loop Tour.
Point of interest
Notom-Bullfrog/Burr Trail Road to Lake Powell TourAt the junction of the Notom Bullfrog Road and Burr Trail Road inside Capitol Reef, drivers can head south on Burr Trail, also known as BLM 12000) to Lake Powell at Bullfrog Marina.
Scenic View
Explore Scenic View inside Capitol Reef with park-specific stops and route ideas.
Point of interest
Panorama PointDramatic views await at the aptly named Panorama Point: take your selfie stick photo here!
Point of interest
Goosenecks PointMaybe this overlook gets its name from visitors craning their neck to take yet another amazing Capitol Reef view?
Point of interest
Sunset PointYour view is of a desert river valley and, notably, more distant buttes striped with layer upon layer of eroded sedimentary rock.
Point of Interest
Explore Point of Interest inside Capitol Reef with park-specific stops and route ideas.
Point of interest
West EntranceThe west entrance to Capitol Reef National Park is along Utah Hwy. 24.
Point of interest
Orientation PulloutRead the interpretive sign here to orient yourself at the park entrance, and take a moment to view Twin Rocks, a prominent rock formation you can see from this pullout.
Point of interest
Panorama PointDramatic views await at the aptly named Panorama Point: take your selfie stick photo here!
Picnicking
Explore Picnicking inside Capitol Reef with park-specific stops and route ideas.
Point of interest
Capitol Reef Visitor CenterThe Capitol Reef Visitor Center is open daily, except for some major holidays, from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Point of interest
Nels Johnson Home Site (Chesnut Picnic Area)Mormon pioneer Nels Johnson was not only one of the first Europeans to settle in what later became the town of Fruita, he also planted the community's first orchards.
Point of interest
Capitol Gorge TrailheadThe Capitol Gorge trailhead lies at the end of a twisting dirt road (Capitol Gorge Road) connecting to the end of the Capitol Reef Scenic Drive.
Restrooms
Explore Restrooms inside Capitol Reef with park-specific stops and route ideas.
Point of interest
Chimney Rock TrailheadThe Chimney Rock Trailhead is the starting point for two of Capitol Reef's more challenging trails: the Chimney Rock Loop and the Spring Canyon Route.
Point of interest
East Entrance/Orientation PulloutWelcome to Capitol Reef National Park! Here's where to get your bearings for an auto tour that actually begins before you reach the park visitor center.
Point of interest
Grand Wash Trailhead (Highway 24)The Grand Wash Trailhead, which has parking and restrooms off Highway 24, is actually one of two trailheads for this relatively flat and easy trail.
Parking
Explore Parking inside Capitol Reef with park-specific stops and route ideas.
Point of interest
Orientation PulloutRead the interpretive sign here to orient yourself at the park entrance, and take a moment to view Twin Rocks, a prominent rock formation you can see from this pullout.
Point of interest
Under Pressure Exhibit PulloutThe Waterpocket Fold is the result of pressure caused by tectonic plates pressing together about 60 million years ago.
Point of interest
Chimney Rock TrailheadThe Chimney Rock Trailhead is the starting point for two of Capitol Reef's more challenging trails: the Chimney Rock Loop and the Spring Canyon Route.
Accessibility
Explore Accessibility inside Capitol Reef with park-specific stops and route ideas.
Point of interest
PetroglyphsThe Fremont Culture people who inhabited the Waterpocket Fold region for hundreds of years left petroglyphs, or rock drawings, in many locations across what is now Capitol Reef National Park.
Point of interest
Ripple Rock Nature CenterThe Ripple Rock Nature Center, typically open from Memorial Day to Labor Day, offers families lots of hands-on activities to learn about the history and geology of Capitol Reef National Park.
Point of interest
Nels Johnson Home Site (Chesnut Picnic Area)Mormon pioneer Nels Johnson was not only one of the first Europeans to settle in what later became the town of Fruita, he also planted the community's first orchards.
Nearby Parks Around Capitol Reef
Compare nearby parks around Capitol Reef when planning alternatives, extensions, or a follow-up trip.
Nearby Points of Interest Around Capitol Reef
Explore nearby points of interest around Capitol Reef to build stop-level options beyond this park's top picks.
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Capitol Reef National Park
Despite its nautical name, Capitol Reef has nothing to do with the sea; rather, this ridgeland was formed when a fault line moved 50 to 70 million years ago, warping the earth's crust to create a "monocline" known as the Waterpocket Fold.
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Capitol Reef Visitor Center
The Capitol Reef Visitor Center is open daily, except for some major holidays, from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
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Capitol Reef Scenic Drive
Capitol Reef's main road is called Scenic Drive, and it certainly lives up to its name.
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Utah Highway 24 (UT-24)
Utah Hwy. 24 (SR-24) offers the main access to Capitol Reef National Park.
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The Castle
Visible on the north side of Hwy. 24 from outside the visitor center, the Castle is an impressive geological formation much resembling its name.
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Amasa Pierce Orchard
The many orchards, including Amasa Pierce, that lie within a mile or two of the visitor center are remnants of the pioneer community of Fruita, which was settled in 1880.
