This post is part 4 of my multi-part series sharing how I planned a 2-week road trip to Utah’s National Parks. Today, I’m sharing my itinerary and recommendations for how to spend 2 days in Capitol Reef National Park.
Check out my itineraries for the other Utah National Parks on this roadtrip:
- 2 Days of Hiking in Arches National Park Itinerary
- 2 Days of Hiking in Canyonlands National Park Itinerary
- A Half Day In Bryce Canyon National Park Itinerary
- 3 Days Hiking in Zion National Park Itinerary
Planning Your Visit to Capitol Reef
Capitol Reef National Park is located near a small town of Torrey, Utah. This park can be done in 1 day, but we spent 2 days here to have a leisurely visit.
We drove to Capitol Reef from Moab, which is a 2 hour drive. Check out my 2 day itinerary for Arches National Park and 2 day itinerary for Canyonlands National Park in Moab. We arrived at Capitol Reef National Park around noon, giving us a half day to fit in a hike before heading to find our AirBNB in Teasdale. We spent the whole next day hiking and exploring the area.
Capitol Reef National Park is in Torrey. It’s a super small town with less than 200 residents. The services are limited depending on the time of year you visit, but we were able to eat at a restaurant and get a coffee from a drive-thru coffee shop in November. Be sure to pack food, snacks, and your own water to be prepared. Highway 24 runs through the park, and an entrance fee isn’t collected until turning on Scenic Drive.
The NPS website has great info on the park. I recommend downloading or saving a copy of the Capitol Reef National Park map in case you visit when the visitor center is closed. It’s helpful to get familiar with the map to see what points of interest are in the park and where the trails are.
There are 3 main districts of the park. The first is the Fruita Historic District, an area to walk around, see orchards, and learn about the various historical buildings. Depending on the time of year you visit, the orchards will have fruit to pick or pies to purchase. The second area is the Waterpocket Fold District, accessed by driving down Scenic Drive. An unpaved rough road extends past Scenic Drive for 4-wheel drive vehicles, but we stayed on paved Scenic Drive for our visit. The last area is the Cathedral Valley, which can only be accessed through unpaved roads requiring a 4-wheel drive vehicle with high clearance. We were not able to visit the Cathedral Valley because of our vehicle, but photos from my research showed beautiful rock formations.
Capitol Reef Day 1 Itinerary
Day 1 at Capitol Reef National Park will have you drive to see petroglyph images, visit the Fruita Historic District, and hike through a part of the Waterpocket Ford.
Fremont Petroglyph Panel
Viewpoint, 20 minutes
Easy
E
Pullover and park to view several prehistoric petroglyphs, carved hundreds of years ago. The wooden boardwalks have you walk through many images and scenes of animals and humans.
Fruita Schoolhouse
Viewpoint, 10 minutes
Easy
Further down from the petroglyphs, pullover to walk around the former Fruita Schoolhouse. This one room schoolhouse educated the families of the area.
Fruita Blacksmith Shop and Gifford House Area
Walking Area, 1 hour
Easy
After passing the Visitor Center and turning down Scenic Drive, you’re welcomed to the hub of the Fruita Historic District. Take your time walking around this area to see the old Blacksmith Shop, fruit orchards, barn, and Gifford House. We visited during the off season so Gifford House was closed, but they offer baked goods and handmade items to visitors when open. This area is really beautiful and we set up a picnic for lunch here.
Capitol Gorge Trail
2 miles, 1 hour
Easy
Driving down Scenic Drive, there are plenty of pull off spots to enjoy the landscape. At the end of the paved Scenic Drive road, you’re able to access the Capitol Gorge trailhead. This is an easy hike where you walk through canyons to view more historic inscriptions on the rock walls. There is a small climb to view waterpockets, or tanks of water.
Capitol Reef Day 2 Itinerary
Day 2 of Capitol Reef National Park will take you on a couple of longer hikes to walk among canyons and view a large arch.
Grand Wash Trail
4.8 miles, 2 hours
Easy
This hike is relatively flat and easy, but long in distance. There are 2 entrances to this hike, meaning it can be 2.4 miles one way if you have someone pick you up on the other side, or turn around once you get to the other parking lot to do 4.8 miles. You hike through a dry riverbed in between towering canyons, reminiscent of The Narrows hike in Zion. See the different rock layers in the canyon and spot animals along the way.
Hickman Bridge Trail
1.8 miles, 1 hour
Moderate
I was interested to learn there was a naturally formed arch in this park and wanted to see it for myself. This hike has you go up about 400 ft in elevation and you’re able to walk through a large natural bridge.
Panorama Point and Goosenecks Overlook
0.2 miles, 20 minutes
Easy
Exiting the park towards Torrey, we stopped to view Panorama Point and take a really short hike to Goosenecks Overlook. This offers a panoramic view of Capitol Reef and its canyons. It’s recommended to come here to view the sunset.
What if I only have 1 day in Capitol Reef National Park?
Visiting Capitol Reef National Park in 1 day is doable. If you’re only there for 1 day and want to know what to see, this is my shortened itinerary recommendation:
- Fremont Petroglyph Panel
- Fruita Historic District
- Drive down Scenic Drive
- Bonus if you have time: Hike Grand Wash Trail or Hickman Bridge
- Panorama Point and Goosenecks Overlook
Visiting Capitol Reef National Park
I didn’t know what to expect at Capitol Reef National Park. Visiting in November during the off season surprised us with a beautiful, peaceful landscape found at the Fruita Historic District and solitude hiking around the Waterpocket Ford. I loved learning how people made a life in this remote area over the hundreds of years. These scenes made this experience stand out from the other national parks in Utah.
I hope this suggested itinerary helps you plan your 2 days in Capitol Reef National Park!
