Capitol Reef National Park

Capitol Reef Table of Contents

• Maps of the national park
• Photographs
• Tours of Capitol Reef
• Hwy 24
• Fruita and the Fremont River
• Trails of Capitol Reef
• Narrow canyons of Capitol Reef
• Capitol Reef backcountry; Notom Road and Cathedral Valley
• Wildflowers of Capitol Reef NP
• Nearby places
• Similar places

Location

Capitol Reef National Park maps - overview, trails.

Photographs

Capitol Reef NP, Capitol Gorge Trail, Chimney Rock Trail, Hickman Bridge Trail, Cohab Canyon, Frying Pan, Cassidy Arch Trails.
All Capitol Reef photographs.

Capitol Reef Tours

4WD excursions and horse rides.

Hwy 24

The main road (UT 24) crossing the park east-west gives a flavor of the area and passes close to several of the most famous named features such as Chimney Rock, the deep twisting canyon formed by Sulphur Creek, and Hickman Bridge, a natural arch created by erosion, but it is well worth the national park entry fee to drive the ten mile scenic road which follows the reef itself, starting at the visitor center on UT 24 then south past huge, crumbling, multicolored cliffs with magnificent scenery in all directions. The last few miles are unpaved, and most of the route is narrow and winding so care is needed when driving. The road ends at the start of a narrow steep-walled canyon (Capitol Gorge) that extends for several miles southwards, and a pleasant foot trail runs along its base and passes some ancient Indian petroglyphs; in total there are over a dozen maintained trails along the park roads.

Fruita and the Fremont River

Near the Capitol Reef visitor center is the site of the former Mormon colony of Fruita, established in the 1870s - the good climate of this area and the fertile soil around the Fremont River allowed for successful orchards to be established. The settlers have long since left, departing around the time this area was designated as a national monument in 1937, but fruit is still grown and can be picked in season, for a small fee. Several traditional pioneer dwellings survive and may be visited free of charge. Other attractions along UT 24 include several petroglyph panels near the Hickman Bridge trailhead, a historic cabin, and a powerful waterfall along the Fremont River (formed when the river was rerouted due to road construction in 1962), though access to this has been restricted following several accidents. All other parts of the extensive park backcountry are reached only by cross-country hiking or unpaved roads, the two main routes being Notom-Bullfrog Road and Cathedral Valley Road.

Hiking in Capitol Reef

All Capitol Reef trails - maintained trails, starting along UT 24 or the scenic drive.

Featured Capitol Reef Trails



Capitol Reef Canyons

Capitol Reef Backcountry

Capitol Reef Wildflowers

Capitol Reef - Nearby Places

• Factory Butte (25 miles) - prominent peak surrounded by badlands and weathered rocks
• Goblin Valley State Park (61 miles) - thousands of strangely-shaped sandstone formations
• Dixie National Forest (10 miles) - public lands on the forested slopes of Boulder Mountain

Capitol Reef - Similar Places

• Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument - large region of spectacular cliffs and canyons, including the Coxcomb, a ridge of upturned strata