Our Visit To Capitol Reef National Park
We finally made it to national park number ten this year and finished up the Utah mighty five with Capitol Reef National Park.
We spent two weeks boondocking outside the park and managed to visit five different days.
This park is set up a little differently than most. After the official national park sign, you can do multiple hikes before reaching the visitor center and scenic drive.
A couple of miles from the visitor center is where the official pay fee station is located. It’s self-pay so if you don’t have a national parks pass, which I recommend purchasing, pay your entrance fee here.
The visitor center is open daily, except for Christmas and hours vary seasonally, so be sure to check the park’s website for current hours of operation.
Restrooms, trashcans, and a water bottle filling station are all available here. The parking lot isn’t that large and will only fit a few larger rigs at a time.
A small gift shop is located inside as well as some exhibits. Rangers and volunteers are available at the information desk to answer any questions you may have.
Behind the visitor center, you can access the trail for the Sulphur Creek hiking route. This was my favorite hike in the park and should not be missed.
The Gifford House and Museum is located about a mile away from the visitor center on the scenic drive. They open at 9 am and you want to get there early to grab a fresh homemade fruit pie. It’s a must while visiting the park.
We got the strawberry rhubarb and it was delicious.
Grand Wash, Cassidy Arch, Capitol Gorge, and Golden Throne are a few of the hikes we did and they can all be found off the park’s scenic drive.
Capitol Gorge and Grand Wash are amazing and easy hikes through canyons perfect for the whole family.
If you bypass the turn to the visitor center and continue down Utah State Highway 24 you will find the Fruita Schoolhouse And Fremont Culture Petroglyphs. A total of fifteen minutes at each spot provides a wealth of history on the area.
A little farther down the road, you’ll find the Hickman Bridge Trailhead. This is a fun hike to an amazing natural arch that should be added to your list of things to do during your visit.
A lot of the parking lots for the trailheads are small and fill up when it’s busy. I suggest getting there early or later in the day to secure a spot.
For more details on anything I listed above just click on the link. We did more hikes as well and you can check out all my posts on Capitol Reef National Park here.
There is a ton of BLM land near the park to camp for free. We spent our time at Beas Lewis Flat. There are also many hotels and campgrounds in the area.
There were a few hikes we missed, but we’ll just be sure to hit them up on our next visit. We had fun during our visit and it’s a destination I would recommend if you’ve never been before.
