Capitol Reef National Park: Everything You Need to Know

Of all the national parks in Utah, Capitol Reef National Park is the ultimate hidden gem.  With beautiful landscapes, cliffs, canyons and even a historic homestead, this park is a must-see.  And with amazing hiking trails, canyoneering, bike trails and off-roading roads, there is truly something for everyone here. 

Everyone knows that Utah is a powerhouse when it comes to their national parks like Zion and Arches.  But if you stop there you’ll miss an amazing trip to Capitol Reef National Park!  With only 1.4 million visitors in 2024, Capitol Reef is the nearly the least visited national park in Utah.  But the lack of visitors just improves the trip!  Sure, the popular trails will still have a full parking lot, but it’s nothing compared to the 5 million people who visit Zion each year.  

From the fees, things to do here, camping options and everything in between, here is everything you need to know about Capitol Reef National Park.  So let’s dive in!

Important Links 

• Capitol Reef National Park website
• Basic Capitol Reef Map
• Fruita Campground – Make Reservations Here
• Hiking Journal – Never Forget the Details of Your Favorite Hikes Again!
• Camping Journal – Never Forget Your Camping Trips Details Again!

Location

Capitol Reef National Park is located in south central Utah and pretty much in the middle of nowhere.  The closest towns are small and definitely cater to the tourism that Capitol Reef brings in.  

If you are driving to Capitol Reef in the middle of a Utah road trip, you’ll be driving a few hours from any major city.  The entrance is about 2 hours from Moab, UT, 3.5 hours from Salt Lake City, UT, and 3.5 hours from St. George, UT. 

Fees

As with all national parks, Capitol Reef National Park has an entrance fee.  Whether you enter the park by foot, on a motorcycle, or in a car, there is a fee.  Here are the standard fees.

• Standard Vehicle: $20 (Valid for 7 days)
• Motorcycle: $15 (Valid for 7 days)
• Per Person (walking): $10 (Valid for 7 days)

The typical person/family/couple will pay the standard fee of $20 per vehicle.   This will give them access to the park for 7 days without any additional entrance fees.  

But if you are looking to visit more than 7 days, there is an Annual Pass Option! 

Annual Pass Options

Whether you are looking to enter Capitol Reef National Park multiple times in a year, or you want to visit multiple parks in a year, there are options for you.

• Annual Pass – $35 (Entrance to Capitol Reef National Park for 12 months)
• America the Beautiful Pass – $80 (Entrance to all federal recreation areas)
• Senior Annual Pass – $20 (Ages 62+ for Entrance to All Parks)
• Senior Lifetime Pass – $80 (Ages 62+ for Lifetime Entrance to All Parks)
• Military Annual Pass – Free (Entrance to All Parks in a year)
• Military Lifetime Pass – Free (Lifetime Entrance to All Parks)

The annual passes are valid for 12 months and the lifetime passes are valid for a lifetime (hence the name).  With any of these passes, you and your ID can enter any federal park with a car-full of guests.  So if you intend on visiting multiple parks in a year, you’ll be able to save quite a bit of money with one of these annual passes.

Hours

• Park Entrance: Open 24 Hours, 7 Days a Week
• Visitor Center: 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM or 9:00 AM to 4:30 PM (Winter Hours)
• Gifford House: Mid-March – November, 9:00 am to 4:30 pm

A Touch of History – Gifford Homestead

Capitol Reef National Park was first classified as a national park in 1971, but the history of the Gifford Homestead goes all the way back to the 1880s.  Mormon settlers created an irrigation system that brought water into the valley.  This water allowed the growth of their orchards, gardens and the ability to raise cattle.

The famous barn you see above, and the house you see here, were originally constructed in the early 1900s and still stands to this day.  In fact, you MUST grab a photo of the barn at some point on your visit.

Today, the barn and house stands as a beautiful reminder of the history here.  And inside the house you can buy reproductions of the items used in those times.  You can also buy DELICIOUS pies if you arrive in the morning.  But be quick!  These pies often sell out before noon.  

Guided Tours

A lot of Capitol Reef National Park can be seen in your own vehicle, but if you want to see the park in unique ways, here are a 3 possible tours you can book that will add to your incredible experience here.  

North Capitol Reef Jeep Tour (4×4)

Your first option is a 6-7 hour Jeep tour* that will take you around the northern area (known as the Cathedral Valley) of Capitol Reef.  For nearly a whole day you’ll be driven around in a 4×4 vehicle by an expert guide/driver.  This section of the park is frequently skipped by the average visitor, but you’ll get to see these incredible sections of the park.  

With stops at the Cathedral Valley Overlook, the Temple of the Sun, Temple of the Moon and more, you’ll love this incredible Off-Roading Tour of Capitol Reef*.  

Canyoneering Adventure

Next we have a 6 hour Canyoneering Tour of Capitol Reef*. This unique experience is an amazing way to see unseen parts of the park.  The colorful sandstone cliffs act as a natural obstacle course with scrambling, hiking and rappelling required.  A professional guide will lead you and be there to help you on this unique canyoneering experience in Capitol Reef National Park*.  

Horseback Riding in Capitol Reef

And finally, we have this 2 hour Horseback Riding Tour* that lets you experience Capitol Reef National Park on the back of a horse. This tour is an incredible way to see the park in a small group.  An experienced guide will not only lead you safely through the park, but provide incredible information about the park and area. Book your Horseback Riding Tour of Capitol Reef today! 

Now that you have seen a few unique options, let’s check out what else there is to do at Capitol Reef National Park.

Things to Do Here

Capitol Reef National Park is so much more than just a pretty face in the middle of Utah!  There are so many amazing ways to spend your time here, so let’s dive right in.  

Hiking

First up are a few of the incredible trails you can find in Capitol Reef.  

For quick and easy trails, you can’t miss The Goosenecks Overlook Trail, the Capitol Reef Petroglyph Trail, and if you don’t mind the drive, the Cathedrals Trail.  Each of these trails are between 0.5 and 2 miles long with minimal elevation gain.

A few moderate trails that you can’t miss, you have to hike to Hickman Bridge, Cassidy Arch and the Chimney Rock Trail.  While these trails are only between 2 – 4 miles long, they each have a few steeper sections that might get your heart pumping.  

And if you want a harder trail, you could hike the 9 mile Navajo Knobs Trail for a great way to experience more remote sections of the park. There is also the Frying Pan Trail that you can connect with Cassidy Arch or the Grand Wash Trail. 

Whichever trail sounds right for you, remember to pack plenty of water, sun protection and all emergency items.  Be safe out there!

Biking

In Capitol Reef National Park there are several bike trails with varying levels of difficulty.  Bikes are required to stay on these roads and can not ride on the hiking trails, the washes or the off-road roads.  

The first option for riding is the Scenic Drive and the Spur roads.  If you bike the entire road and the entirety of the spur roads, you would be right around 28 miles.  This route is considered easy to moderate and can always be shortened by turning around at any time.

Next up is the Cathedral Valley Loop.  This loop is considered strenuous and you’ll be riding for 57 miles.  There is the free Cathedral Valley Campground at the midway point, but is first come first serve.  This option takes more planning, but is available to all adventurers.

South Draw Road is the next option and while it’s very strenuous, can be completed in a single day.  This area is recommended for Fall and Summer since the higher elevation trail will often be snowed in during the winter months.  

And finally, the longest biking option is the Boulder Mountain/Utah Highway 12 – Burr Trail Road/Notom – Bullfrog Road/Utah Highway 24 Loop.  This 124 mile loop is a mixed surface loop with 70 miles of paved roads and the remainder is dirt, sand and mud.  On this loop there is the Cedar Mesa Campground that is also free and first come first serve. Again, this loop requires a lot of planning and strategic packing, but is perfect for bikers looking for a challenge. 

For all the technical information about biking in Capitol Reef National Park, check out this link!  This will be better able to answer any questions you might have.  

Scenic Drive

If biking isn’t your ideal way to experience an area, you’re in luck!  The scenic drive is 8 miles (one-way) and a gorgeous ride.  With the incredible towering rock formations all around you and quite a few pull offs along the way, you’ll love this beautiful drive.  

However, anywhere you drive in this park will give you stunning views.  So if you don’t want to drive down the Scenic Drive Road, you can simply stay on Route 24 and see other beautiful areas as well.  

Off-Roading

Let’s say the Scenic Drive sounds boring to you, have I got the solution for you!  There are 2 major sections for off-roading available to the public.

The Cathedral Valley (North District) has many unpaved roads that require a high clearance and 4×4 vehicle.  There are so many options to drive here, you’re going to want to check out this link for all the info about driving the Cathedral Valley.  

The second option is driving the Waterpocket (South District).  This area has even more unpaved roads, but they are not as challenging as the north district.  That being said, there are more roads and things to know about this area.  Make sure you read all this information about Driving in the Waterpocket before getting lost.  

If off-roading isn’t enough of an adventure for you, you can always go canyoneering. Let’s look at that!

Canyoneering

As rock climbing, bouldering and canyoneering grow in popularity, there are more and more options to climb in Capitol Reef National Park.  There are many sections to climb, and you’ll want to check out this link for all the details.   

Permits are required for all canyoneering, bouldering and rock climbing.  The day-use permits are free and can be obtained in person at the visitor center or via email.  You’ll need to email care_permits@nps.gov for a canyoneering permit and include your location, party size, vehicle, requested route.  Again, you can find the routes here. 

If you would like to try canyoneering, but are unsure of where to start, you can always book through a professional tour group. This 6 hour Canyoneering Tour of Capitol Reef* tour offers a unique experience to see unseen parts of the park.

Horseback Riding

A traditional way to experience Capitol Reef National Park is by horseback. Going back to the days of old, horseback riding was the original way this park was explored. 

There are a few recommended routes throughout the park such as the Halls Creek, South Desert and South Draw Road.  But as with anything in a national park, there are quite a few rules.  If you plan on bringing horses, mules or burros into the park, make sure you read this page thoroughly! 

If you would like to experience horseback riding in Capitol Reef, you can book this 2 hour Horseback Riding Tour*.  This tour lets you experience Capitol Reef National Park with an expert guide on the back of a horse. 

Camping 

And finally, we have reached the camping section! Camping in Capitol Reef National Park is limited to the Fruita Campground or backcountry primitive camping. 

The Fruita Campground is about 1 mile from the visitor center and costs $25 per night. The campground is open year round and the 71 sites are reservable at recreation.gov up to 6 months in advance. March to October are the busy season here, so you might have some trouble booking a spot.  

Each site here has a picnic table and fire ring with access to water, restrooms and a dump station.  Be aware that there are no showers here and the campsites, while they can fit campers, do not offer electric or water hookups.   

There are also 2 sections of backcountry primitive camping at the Cathedral Valley Campground or the Cedar Mesa Campground. Both campgrounds have a few sites that are first come, first serve and are free to stay at.  Click on the link for more detailed information. 

Conclusion

Capitol Reef National Park is not only beautiful and a must-see location in Utah, it’s also an adventurer’s dream!  With everything from hiking trails, to bike trails, to high-clearance roads, to horseback riding trails, and even a relaxing scenic drive.  There isn’t much more you could ask for.  

So be sure to pay a visit to Capitol Reef National Park the very first chance you get!

As always, feel free to email me at averagewildexperience@gmail.com and I’ll do my best to answer any questions or help you plan your trip.

-Happy Adventuring! 

*Tours are affiliate links. This means I received a small percentage of your booking cost at no extra cost when you book through my link. Thank you for your support!*