Capitol Reef Itinerary: How to Spend 1-4 Days at Capitol Reef National Park

If you’re looking for the perfect 1-4 day Capitol Reef National Park itinerary, this post is for you!

Most people just drive through Capitol Reef on their way to Moab or Bryce Canyon National Park, which is a shame because there is a lot to do here! If you enjoy off roading and/or hiking, you will want to spend more time here.

My husband and I spent an entire week exploring this part of Utah in May of 2021. We returned to Utah to visit Moab in October of 2024, and couldn’t resist coming back to Capitol Reef for an extra couple of days to check even more things off our list.

This post is the ultimate guide to spending 1, 2, 3, or 4 days in Capitol Reef National Park. Whether you have just 1 day or multiple, this Capitol Reef itinerary has you covered with how to spend your time here!

Capitol Reef National Park Overview

Capitol Reef is a very long and narrow National Park in southern Utah. It preserves the 100-mile long Waterpocket Fold, a north-south wrinkle in Earth’s crust that runs all the way to Lake Powell in Arizona.

Along the fold, erosion has exposed the layers of the Earth and rocks have been pushed upward, making for a very unique landscape. You’ll see colorful cliffs of rock along with green vegetation along the Fremont River that runs through the park.

Utah Highway 24 is the main road that travels east-west through the park. Most of the attractions in Capitol Reef National Park are located here: the Visitor’s Center, Fruita Historic District, and a lot of the trailheads.

Capitol Reef also has a ton of back-country roads in Cathedral Valley and the Waterpocket Fold District with some amazing hikes and views, but you will need a high-clearance 4×4 vehicle to access them. 

I’ve annotated the map below with major points of interest, but you can download a high-resolution map here.

The Best Time to Visit Capitol Reef National Park

The best time to visit Capitol Reef National Park is in the spring or fall when temperatures are pleasant. It gets brutally hot in Utah during the summer, with highs over 100 degrees. Summer is also the busiest time to visit since kids are out of school and people are taking their summer vacations.

In Utah, most hikes don’t have treecover to shade the trails, so you get full sun exposure most of the time. It’s important to prioritize hiking early or late in the day because of this. The months of March, April, October, and November will have the best weather for hiking.

October is a busy time to visit since you get all the fall breakers, but the weather is perfect. Capitol Reef doesn’t get as many visitors as its more popular neighbors, Arches and Bryce Canyon, but still expect some crowds midday here. If you really want to avoid the crowds, try visiting the last week of October or early November instead. 

When we visited in May, it got hot during the middle of the day. In October, we had a day of 80 degree highs and then it snowed overnight! Visiting during shoulder season means that there is more variation in the weather.

Related: Capitol Reef to Bryce Canyon Road Trip: Epic 9 Days on Utah Scenic Byway 12

How to Get to Capitol Reef National Park

Capitol Reef National Park is located in south central Utah. If you’re looking at the Utah Mighty 5 National Parks in a line, Capitol Reef is situated between Bryce Canyon and Canyonlands National Parks.

There are no major nearby airports, so your best option is flying into Las Vegas or Salt Lake City and renting a car.

Las Vegas is a 5 hour drive to Capitol Reef, but is more convenient to the Grand Canyon and Zion National Park. Salt Lake City is a 3.5 hour drive to Capitol Reef and is more convenient to the Moab area.

From Salt Lake, you’ll take I-15 south to US-50 south, and then head east on UT-24. From Las Vegas, you’ll take I-15 north and then wind along some two lane highways until you reach UT-24.

You really can’t go wrong with either airport, so choose the one that is most convenient for the trip you are planning. We flew into Las Vegas the first time we visited and then Salt Lake the second time.

We much preferred the Salt Lake City Airport, as it was much cleaner and easier to navigate than Las Vegas.

Here are driving times to Capitol Reef National Park from nearby popular destinations:

• Salt Lake City, UT: 217 miles / 3.5 hours
• Las Vegas, NV: 327 miles / 5 hours
• Moab, UT: 136 miles / 2 hours
• Bryce Canyon National Park: 111 miles / 2.5 hours
• Zion National Park: 175 miles / 3 hours
• Grand Canyon South Rim: 355 miles / 6.5 hours
• Phoenix, AZ: 495 miles / 8.5 hours

Related: 15 Best Things to Do in Capitol Reef National Park

Fees & Passes Information

Admission to Capitol Reef National Park costs $20 per vehicle and is good for 7 days, unless you have the America the Beautiful National Park Pass.

Since Utah Highway 24 runs through the park and it is the only highway in the area, there aren’t entrance stations located at each end of the park like you’ll find at other parks. Capitol Reef uses the honor system, so please don’t abuse this policy! You can pay the entrance fee at the Visitor’s Center or purchase a pass online at the recreation.gov website here.

If you plan to visit 3 or more National Parks or Monuments on your trip to Utah (or within one year), getting the America the Beautiful National Park Pass will save you money vs. paying the separate fees at each park. It costs $80 and you must order ahead of time as they will ship you a physical pass.

Related: Top 16 Things to Do in Arches National Park

How Many Days Do You Need in Capitol Reef National Park?

The time needed in Capitol Reef National Park depends on what you like to do.

If you enjoy hiking and/or off-road driving, you can easily spend 4 days here and not get bored. There are two incredible off-road drives that will take almost a full day each to complete and tons of incredible moderate hiking trails to explore. The more nights you can fit in here on your Utah road trip, the better!

If hiking or off-road adventuring isn’t your thing, 1 day is all you need to visit the highlights and do the Scenic Drive.

We have spent a collective 5 days in Capitol Reef and we still haven’t gotten to everything on our list. We just can’t stop coming back to southern Utah, there is so much to do and see here!

Where to Stay at Capitol Reef National Park

Torrey is the best place to stay near Capitol Reef National Park. It’s a cute town located just 8 miles west of the park with restaurants, hotels, gas stations, gift shops, and a general store.

On our first trip, we actually stayed in an Airbnb in the neighboring town of Teasdale (there is literally nothing there, so we did all of our eating and shopping in Torrey). The second time, we stayed in Torrey at the Red Sands Hotel and Spa.

Here are some good lodging options in Torrey:

• Red Sands Hotel and Spa: We stayed here for 2 nights on our second trip and would recommend it. There is a pool, spa, rock garden, and a restaurant on-site.
• Capitol Reef Resort: You can stay in a luxury room, a glamping teepee, or a wagon with an amazing view of the red rock cliffs. There is also a restaurant, pool, and hot tub.
• Chuck Wagon Lodge: This is a great budget option with a convenient location above the general store with a bakery and deli. 
• Broken Spur Inn: Simple, affordable accommodations 5 minutes from the park. They also have wagons you can stay in.

There are no restaurants inside Capitol Reef National Park except for the Gifford House, which only serves pie and ice cream. Plan to pack a lunch to bring into the park or eat in Torrey (there are some really good options here).

As far a restaurants go, we really loved the bakery and deli in the Chuck Wagon General Store for breakfast and ate here almost every morning! Our other favorite restaurants neaby are Chak Balam for Mexican, Hunt and Gather for a slightly more upscale dining experience, and Slackers for burgers.

I also highly recommend making the trip to Hell’s Backbone Grill in Boulder for a special meal. Hell’s Backbone Grill is a world-famous, farm-to-table restaurant that features a regional cuisine. It is a bit pricey, but was definitely worth the splurge for us. We ate here on both of our trips because the food is really that good. The hours change every season, so make sure it’s open when you plan to go.

Helpful Tips for This Capitol Reef Itinerary

Start your hikes early to ensure a parking space, avoid the midday heat, and minimize crowds. Capitol Reef National Park is the least visited of Utah’s Mighty 5, but that doesn’t mean that it can’t get crowded during the day.

Be prepared to hike! Most of the best views and attractions are accessed from hiking trails. Most of the trails are easy to moderate so it is possible to do multiple hikes in one day.

Bring lots of sunscreen, sunglasses, and a hat. Utah is in the desert and doesn’t have a lot of treecover, so you will be out in the sun while hiking and exploring. 

There are so many opportunities to get off the beaten path at Capitol Reef National Park, so a high-clearance 4WD vehicle is highly recommended. It is a non-negotiable for the Cathedral Valley Loop (you have to cross the Fremont River) and highly recommended for Looping the Fold. If you don’t plan to drive either of these loops, you will be fine in a regular car!

You can rent a Jeep Wrangler for the day through Capitol Reef Jeep Rentals if you don’t have a suitable rental car for the off road drives. It’s a bit expensive, but probably less expensive than upgrading your rental car if you only need 4×4 for one scenic drive.

If rain is in the forecast or it has rained recently, stay out of the canyons, gorges, and dirt roads as flash flooding can happen very quickly in these areas and it is very dangerous if you’re caught in a flood! Don’t even try Looping the Fold or driving the Cathedral Valley Loop under these conditions.

Related: 15 Can’t-Miss Things to Do at Canyonlands Island in the Sky District

1-Day Capitol Reef Itinerary

With just one day in Capitol Reef National Park, you’ll be able to see the highlights and fit in a hike or two. 

I know most people tend to visit this park on a road trip and don’t have a lot of time here, so here is how I would make the most of one day in Capitol Reef.

MORNING: HIKE THE CASSIDY ARCH OR HICKMAN BRIDGE TRAIL

Get an early start to the day and go hiking in the morning before the heat and the crowds show up! 2 of the best hikes in the park are the Cassidy Arch Trail (3.1 miles, 666 feet of elevation gain) and the Hickman Bridge Trail (1.7 miles, 416 feet of elevation gain).

The Cassidy Arch Trail is the more strenuous of the two, but you’ll have the opportunity to stand on the Cassidy Arch and see some amazing views of the Grand Wash. 

The Hickman Bridge Trail follows the Fremont River before winding up to a loop trail to a natural bridge. You cannot stand on top of this bridge, but it is still a great photo opportunity!

Related: 10 Best Day Hikes in Capitol Reef National Park

MIDDAY: GIFFORD HOMESTEAD & SCENIC DRIVE

After your hike, explore the Fruita district and Gifford Homestead. The Gifford House is one of the only buildings left from the Mormon settlers in the early 1900s. The house is now a museum and gift shop where you can buy handmade soaps, jams, and other crafts.

But the real reason you want to stop by here is for the homemade ice cream and fruit pies! The Fruita district is scattered with 19 orchards planted by the Mormon settlers, and the fruit from these trees are used to make the pies. 

The Gifford House is open from 9 – 4:30, but they often sell out of the ice cream and pies before noon during peak season. I recommend grabbing your dessert here before heading to Torrey for lunch.

You can also see some petroglyphs in this area via a short, boardwalk trail (there is a sign pointing them out along the road).

After lunch, head for the Capitol Reef Scenic Drive, an 8-mile paved road suitable for any passenger car. The rock formations and colors here are absolutely unbelievable. The NPS has an accompanying virtual tour so you can learn more about the geology of Capitol Reef National Park.

AFTERNOON: HIKE THE CAPITOL GORGE TRAIL

The Capitol Gorge Trailhead is located off of Scenic Drive Road, so this is a good hike to do at the same time as the Scenic Drive. You’ll follow a dirt road down the gorge for about 2 miles before reaching the trailhead parking lot. This road is fine for regular cars if it’s dry outside (there will be a gate closing off the road if conditions are bad).

Capitol Gorge is a wide, flat trail through a deep canyon for a mile before a steep scramble up some rocks to the “tanks.” The entire hike is just over 2 miles with 396 feet of elevation gain. These “tanks” are hollowed out sandstone that are a result of millions of years of erosion from rain and snowmelt. 

You can stop after 1.5 miles at the Pioneer Register (petroglyphs left by early settlers), or keep going up to the tanks.

EVENING: VISIT PANORAMA POINT, GOOSENECKS OVERLOOK, & SUNSET POINT

End your day in Capitol Reef National Park by exploring 3 of the most scenic viewpoints in the park. They’re all located in the same area and have short, easy trails leading to the viewpoints.

Turn off of Highway 24 on Panorama Point Road and take in the colorful view at Panorama Point.

Keep heading down this road and it will turn into Goosenecks Road. At the end of this road is a parking lot with two trailheads. Take the right trail for the 0.3-mile Goosenecks Overlook and the left trail for the 0.4-mile Sunset Point Trail.

Sunset Point gives you one of the best areas in the park to watch the sunset and Goosenecks gives you an awesome overlook of where the Sulfur Creek carved out a canyon. What a gorgeous way to end your day in Capitol Reef National Park!

2-Day Capitol Reef Itinerary

With 2 days in Capitol Reef, you’ll be able to see the highlights at a more leisurely pace, go on a couple of hikes, and Loop the Fold.

Day 1: The Highlights

This is the same itinerary as the 1-day Capitol Reef itinerary above. I’ve briefly recapped it here for your convenience:

MORNING

• Hike the Cassidy Arch or Hickman Bridge Trail
• Visit the Gifford Homestead and see the petroglyphs

MIDDAY

• Get lunch in Torrey

AFTERNOON

• Do the Capitol Reef Scenic Drive
• Hike the Capitol Gorge Trail

EVENING

• Panorama Point, Goosenecks Overlook, and Sunset Point
• Get dinner in Torrey and relax in your hotel

Day 2: Loop the Fold

“Looping the Fold” in Capitol Reef is a 124-mile driving tour of the Waterpocket Fold district. 

A high-clearance 4WD vehicle is recommended, but not necessary for this drive. The roads are unpaved, rough, and sandy, so be prepared! 

This drive can take anywhere from 4 hours to all day depending on how often you stop for photos and hiking (there are some cool, short hikes along the way). 

You can grab a map of this drive at the Visitor’s Center for a few dollars. Make sure to check the weather, start with a full tank of gas, and bring plenty of food and water with you. If you don’t feel comfortable doing this drive in your rental car, Capitol Reef Jeep Rentals has Jeep Wranglers available for daily rentals.

On our second visit to Capitol Reef, we rented a Jeep Grand Cherokee specifically to do the Waterpocket Fold Loop. Mother Nature had other plans though, and we had some rain and snow on that day and were unable to do the loop. Dirt roads in Utah become impassable when wet, even in a 4WD vehicle.

Oh well, it’s just another excuse to come back again in the future!

I highly recommend eating at Hell’s Backbone Grill just south of Boulder after Looping the Fold, since you’ll pass right by it on your way back to Torrey. If you start this drive in Capitol Reef National Park and drive clockwise, you’ll end up in Boulder at the perfect time to have an early dinner.

3-Day Capitol Reef Itinerary

With 3 days in Capitol Reef National Park, you’ll have time to thoroughly explore the Waterpocket Fold and Cathedral Valley areas, along with seeing the highlights.

Days 1 and 2 are the same as the 2-day itinerary above. On day 3, you can either drive the Cathedral Valley Loop or do some more hikes (Capitol Reef is full of amazing hikes so you can’t go wrong!).

Day 1: The Highlights

MORNING

• Hike the Cassidy Arch or Hickman Bridge Trail
• Visit the Gifford Homestead and see the petroglyphs

MIDDAY

• Get lunch in Torrey

AFTERNOON

• Do the Capitol Reef Scenic Drive
• Hike the Capitol Gorge Trail

EVENING

• Panorama Point, Goosenecks Overlook, and Sunset Point
• Get dinner in Torrey and relax in your hotel

Day 2: Loop the Fold

• Loop the Waterpocket Fold
• Dinner at Hell’s Backbone Grill

Day 3: Drive the Cathedral Valley Loop

Drive the Cathedral Valley Loop on day 3 of your Capitol Reef Trip.

If you’re not up for another off-road adventure, I’d recommend spending the day hiking (check out the next section for my hiking recommendations).

You WILL need a 4WD vehicle for the Cathedral Valley Loop. You will have to cross the Fremont River, so you will need a high-clearance 4WD vehicle. Do this loop in the clockwise direction so you get the river crossing over with first. You DO NOT want to save this part for last, find out the water level is too high, and then have to turn around and redo the entire 6-hour loop to get back to civilization.

All of the tips for Looping the Fold apply to driving in Cathedral Valley. This area is very remote with no cell signal, so it’s important to be prepared. You’ll explore Capitol Reef’s northern district full of sandstone monoliths and wide-open deserts.

Driving the 57-mile Cathedral Valley Loop will take you between 6 hours and one full day, depending on how often you stop for sightseeing and hiking. 

There are a ton of awesome hikes and scenic spots in Cathedral Valley. Some of them are pointed out on the map below, but you can find more details on the NPS website here.

4-Day Capitol Reef Itinerary

With 4 full days, you will have plenty of time to thoroughly experience all 3 regions of Capitol Reef National Park and do 4-5 hikes.

Capitol Reef is such a huge park that you can spend 4 full days without getting bored. Take advantage of all it has to offer by following the itinerary below!

Day 1: The Highlights

MORNING

• Hike the Cassidy Arch or Hickman Bridge Trail
• Visit the Gifford Homestead and see the petroglyphs

MIDDAY

• Get lunch in Torrey

AFTERNOON

• Do the Capitol Reef Scenic Drive
• Hike the Capitol Gorge Trail

EVENING

• Panorama Point, Goosenecks Overlook, and Sunset Point
• Get dinner in Torrey and relax in your hotel

Day 2: Loop the Fold

• Loop the Waterpocket Fold
• Dinner at Hell’s Backbone Grill

Day 3: Drive the Cathedral Valley Loop

• Drive the Cathedral Valley Loop

Day 4: Go Hiking

Take your pick of one or two more hikes in Capitol Reef National Park for your last day.

I would start the day with either the Cassidy Arch or Hickman Bridge trail (do the one you didn’t do on day 1) and then pick another trail to hike after lunch. Here is a list of some of the best hikes that are easily accessible in the Fruita/Scenic Drive area:

• Rim Overlook Trail: 4.3 miles, 1066 feet of elevation gain
• Cohab Canyon Trail: 3.3 miles, 764 feet of elevation gain
• Chimney Rock Trail: 3.3 miles, 793 feet of elevation gain
• Grand Wash Trail: 5 miles, 341 feet of elevation gain
• Navajo Knobs Trail: 9.1 miles, 2139 feet of elevation gain

We loved the Cohab Canyon Trail. You’ll hike up some switchbacks to an incredibly scenic hidden canyon. Keep hiking up to the North Viewpoint for an incredible view over Fruita!

Related: 10 Best Hikes in Capitol Reef National Park

If you want the ultimate day hiking experience, hike the Rim Overlook to Navajo Knobs trail. This trail is very strenuous and will take you all day, but you’ll get the best panoramic view of Capitol Reef National Park.

If You Have More Time

If 4 days in Capitol Reef still hasn’t satisfied your red desert landscape adventure itch, I highly recommend exploring parts of the Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument or making a day trip to Bryce Canyon National Park.

Grand Staircase Escalante is a severely underrated, remote, rugged, and thrilling area to visit. If you enjoyed Looping the Fold and/or driving the Cathedral Valley Loop, you’ll love exploring the slot canyons and unique landscapes in Grand Staircase Escalante. Some of the best parts are just an hour or two away from Torrey! We especially loved the Zebra Slot Trail and exploring the sandstone formations at Devil’s Garden.

Bryce Canyon also makes for a great day trip from Torrey at just 2 hours away. You can will drive on the Utah 12 Scenic Byway and see some spectacular views along the way.

Continue hiking in Capitol Reef National Park. Again, there are lots of great trails to choose from!

I hope this post helps you plan your own epic trip to Capitol Reef National Park! Let me know if this itinerary was helpful for your trip planning in the comments below.

-Megan

More Information on Southern Utah

MORE ON CAPITOL REEF NATIONAL PARK: Check out the top 15 things to do in Capitol Reef and the best day hikes in Capitol Reef National Park.

UTAH ROAD TRIP: Visit Capitol Reef, Bryce Canyon, Grand Staircase Escalante, and some incredible Utah State Parks with this epic 9-day Utah Scenic Byway 12 road trip itinerary.

GRAND STAIRCASE ESCALANTE NATIONAL MONUMENT: Nestled on one of the most scenic highways in the US, Grand Staircase is a massive National Monument that is home to incredible waterfalls, slot canyons, and remote outdoor adventures. It typically gets overshadowed by the Mighty 5 National Parks, but it is just as impressive.

HANKSVILLE, UTAH: Hanksville is a tiny town between Capitol Reef and Moab that is near some otherworldly landscapes similar to the surface of the moon. Here’s how to visit Factory Butte and the Moonscape Overlook, hike to the Long Dong Silver Spire, or check out Goblin Valley State Park.

CANYONLANDS NATIONAL PARK: Explore this incredible National Park while you’re in Moab, just 2 hours from Capitol Reef. Check out the best things to do in the Island in the Sky District, drive the Shafer Canyon-Potash Road loop, or get off the beaten path in the Needles District.

DEAD HORSE POINT STATE PARK: This state park provides an incredible panoramic vista over the Colorado River, and it’s on your way to Canyonlands Island in the Sky District.

ARCHES NATIONAL PARK: Explore over 2000 sandstone arches in this incredible National Park that neighbors Canyonlands in Moab. Check out my guide to the best things to do in Arches National Park.

BRYCE CANYON NATIONAL PARK: Bryce is a compact park, so you can thoroughly explore the hoodoos in just one day. It’s 2.5 hours from Capitol Reef, so it is possible to visit on a day trip. This post shows you how.

ZION NATIONAL PARK: Visit Utah’s most popular National Park. Hike the famous Angel’s Landing, the Narrows, and do the scenic drive. Zion is still on my list of parks to visit, and is currently experiencing lots of overcrowding issues. I plan to visit during the off season when we get a chance!