Capitol Reef National Park
UT
Park Alerts (3)
About Capitol Reef National Park
Located in south-central Utah in the heart of red rock country, Capitol Reef National Park is a hidden treasure filled with cliffs, canyons, domes, and bridges in the Waterpocket Fold, a geologic monocline (a wrinkle on the earth) extending almost 100 miles.
Things To Do
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Bicycle Touring
Bicycling touring in Capitol Reef offers opportunities to explore paved and unpaved roads throughout the park. Explore colorful canyons, beautiful vistas of red rock country, and the verdant Fruita Historic District by bicycle.
Watch the Sunset
Watch the sunset from various scenic points in Capitol Reef. Take an easy stroll or a strenuous hike as the sun goes down. Don't forget to bring a headlamp.
Visit the Petroglyph Panel
From 600 to 1300 C.E., native people of the Fremont Culture made their home at Capitol Reef. Petroglyphs carved into the Wingate sandstone remind us of their time.
Stargaze
Capitol Reef protects extremely dark night skies, and is a wonderful place to stargaze.
Scenic Drive Tour
Take Capitol Reef's Scenic Drive, and experience colorful cliffs and deep narrow canyons from the comfort of your vehicle.
Hike in the South (Waterpocket) District
Get to know the South (Waterpocket) District on foot by hiking an easy trail or strenuous backcountry route. Many of these hikes are accessible only by unpaved roads.
Available Activities
Weather
Weather is posted daily; check at the park visitor center for weather updates. Do not enter into narrow canyons if there is a threat of rain or if rain has been falling in the area. Rain and snow may also make dirt roads impassable to vehicles.
Getting There
From I-70: Take exit 149, then take UT-24 west toward Hanksville; continue for 43.8 miles (70.5 km).
Turn right to continue on UT-24 west and continue for 37.3 miles (60 km). From I-15: take exit 188 then US-50 east toward Scipio.
Left on UT-50; continuing 0.7 miles (1.1 km).
Turn right onto US-50 east; continue for 24.4 miles (39.3 km).
Turn right onto UT-260 south and continue 4.2 miles (6.8 km), then right on UT-24 for 71.
3 miles. UT-12: North on highway 12 to Torrey, UT. Right onto UT-24.
Plan Your Visit
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Capitol Reef National Park
Capitol Reef is a 24 hour park, open all day, every day. The visitor center is open daily, except for some major holidays. Visitor center hours vary, call 435-425-3791 and follow the prompts for current visitor center information.
Entrance Fees
Entrance - Private Vehicle
An entrance fee is charged per vehicle.
Entrance - Motorcycle
Valid for 7 days. Admits up to 2 private, non-commercial motorcycles with up to 4 total passengers.
Entrance - Per Person
Admits one individual with no car. Typically used for bicyclists and pedestrians.
Commercial Entrance - Per Person
Commercial Road-Based Tours are required to obtain a Commercial Use Authorization before visiting Capitol Reef. When visiting the park, the tour must then pay the separate entrance fee at the visitor center (or through pay.gov). Tours with vehicle capacity of 15 or less should apply for a CUA in the "Guided Interpretive Tours" category. Tours of this size fall under the Guided Activities entry fee structure.
Commercial Entrance - Mini-bus
Commercial Road-Based Tours are required to obtain a Commercial Use Authorization before visiting Capitol Reef National Park. When visiting the park, the tour must then pay the separate entrance fee at the visitor center (or through pay.gov). Vehicle capacity of 16 seats or greater: $100.00 entrance fee
Commercial Entrance - Motor Coach
Commercial Road-Based Tours are required to obtain a Commercial Use Authorization before visiting Capitol Reef National Park. When visiting the park, the tour must then pay the separate entrance fee at the visitor center (or through pay.gov). Vehicle capacity of 16 seats or greater: $100.00 entrance fee
Commercial Entrance - Per Person
Guided Activities include all types of guided services, such as bike and motorcycle tours, hiking guides, photography classes, hiking shuttles, and road-based commercial tours with vehicles <16 capacity. Guided activity groups are charged the per person fee of $10.00 per client, excluding the trip leader or guide. If a client has an America the Beautiful Resident pass (annual, senior, access, etc.) it covers 4 people in the group. (Non-resident annual passes cover only the pass owner.)