Best Things to Do for One Day in Capitol Reef National Park
Capitol Reef is considered one of the “Mighty Five” National Parks in Utah, but it’s still somewhat of a hidden gem. Compared to Greater Zion or Moab, the town of Torrey where Capitol Reef is quite small and undeveloped. There are no major brand-name hotels, very few restaurants, and one tiny general store. But that’s part of the charm of the place! It’s somewhere you can go to escape the crowds that plague some of the other national parks. The park itself is massive, but most of it is considered back-country and only accessible by four-wheel drive. It’s worth taking the time to explore, but if you only have one day to visit, here are the best things to do in Capitol Reef National Park.
The Best Things to do in Capitol Reef National Park
Here are 5 things you can do in one day in Capitol Reef National Park to add to your Utah bucket list. Follow this itinerary in order, and you’re sure to have a fantastic day!
As you head into the park, you’ll drive along Highway 24. I was not expecting to be so blown away by the scenery on this drive! This is without a doubt one of the most unique scenic drives I have ever done. Highway 24 cuts east/west through Capitol Reef National Park itself (in a no-fee zone), so you get some spectacular views of the red cliffs and white sandstone domes. Our kids felt like they were on Mars.
1. Learn about pioneer & Native American history
The earliest known inhabitants of the area were the Fremont people, who resided here from around 300-1300 CE/AD. There are several easily-accessible places where you can see petroglyphs carved into the cliffs. The most popular is the Capitol Reef Petroglyph Trail, a 0.3 mile round-trip walk along a relatively flat boardwalk. It’s right off the highway and makes for a quick first stop to learn about the history of the area.
The first Mormon Pioneers arrived to settle the area in the 1870s and established the town that would eventually be known as Fruita. They were the ones who came up with name Capitol Reef. ‘Capitol’ because the white sandstone domes reminded them of the US Capitol building and ‘Reef’ because they found the huge cliffs to be impassable, like a barrier reef. Fun fact! As you meander through Capitol Reef, you can see old historic buildings, cabins, barns, and schoolhouses throughout the park. The most iconic of them is the Fruita Barn.
2. Hike Cohab Canyon
As you would expect from a Utah national park, Capitol Reef has some exceptional hikes. Our favorite trail we hiked was Cohab Canyon. If you only have one day in Capitol Reef National Park, this is a solid choice. The trailhead is located just across the street from the Fruita Barn and takes you up ¼ mile of switchbacks for some pretty epic views of Fruita and the cliffs along Highway 24. At the top of the mountain is where Cohab Canyon starts and the trail takes you along a sandy wash with some fun mini slot canyons to explore. The entire trail is about 3 miles round trip, but we only ventured about ½ mile before turning around.
The views were amazing and our kids loved the sandy slot canyons. And with the trailhead located right near the barn, it’s the perfect hike to do in the morning to earn that slice of pie. The switchbacks are a bit steep and slippery on the way down, so you may want to consider getting some hiking shoes before your trip. The combination of the hike & pie afterwards tops the list of our favorite things to do in Capitol Reef National Park.
3. Fruita orchards & fresh pie
When you think of the Utah desert, fresh fruit pie probably isn’t the first thing that comes to mind. But within a couple miles of the visitor center lie over a dozen orchards with over 3,000 apple, pear, apricot, and other varieties of fruit trees. When the fruit is in season, you can actually walk through the orchards and pick the fruit yourself. You can eat whatever you want on site for free but you have to pay for anything you take with you.
However, the best part is the fresh fruit pie, baked daily in the Gifford Homestead, a historic pioneer building. Make sure to go early, because the pies usually sell out before noon. You can literally get a taste of pioneer history at Capitol Reef!
4. Scenic drives that make you think you’re on another planet
Once you’ve eaten your pie, spend the afternoon on a scenic drive. There’s a road that cuts north/south through the park aptly named… Scenic Drive. Clever, right? It takes you from the visitor center to Capitol Gorge in about 30-40 minutes round trip. You get to drive through multiple washes (so beware of flash floods on a rainy day) and past some beautiful scenery. There are multiple places to stop and hike along the drive if you feel so inclined. If you want to venture beyond the end of Scenic Drive, you’ll have to do so on dirt roads where 4WD is recommended. But it would take you to some of the most secluded, pristine wilderness in Utah.
5. Panorama Point, Goosenecks, and Sunset Point
If you only have one day in Capitol Reef National Park, this is a nice, quick option to catch some amazing scenery, especially at sunset. Some more favorite were these three trails that we explored during golden hour right before sunset. Panorama Point is an easy short walk out to an area with 360-degree views of Capitol Reef. The light during golden hour was magical and just lit up the red rocks and sandstone in a way that is hard to describe. There isn’t really a trail there but it’s a fun place to just explore the various rock formations.
From there, it’s a short drive along a dirt road to the trailhead for Goosenecks and Sunset Point. Both of these are short trails and relatively easy but also somewhere you need to keep a short leash so-to-speak on your kids because of dangerous dropoffs to the river below. Sulphur Creek is no Colorado River and Goosenecks is no Horsheshoe Bend, but it’s a similar experience and a nice place to watch the sunset.
Bonus for Day Two: Hickman Bridge & Cassidy Arch
If you decide to stick around for a second, the park has more incredible hikes that are worth checking out. Arches National Park isn’t the only place to see amazing natural arches – Capitol Reef has a couple of pretty spectacular ones as well. Do you know the difference between a bridge and an arch? They look essentially the same but bridges are formed by water. The more you know! The Hickman Bridge Trail clocks in at just under 2 miles and takes you past some Fremont ruins as well. The Cassidy Arch is a bit longer of a trail at just over 3 miles but gives you the unique opportunity to actually walk out on top of the arch. Can’t do that at Delicate Arch! And to answer your question: yes, Cassidy Arch does get its name from the famous outlaw.
For an adventurous place to stay, try glamping near Capitol Reef in a covered wagon or a teepee! And check out our other posts on the best kid-friendly things to do in Utah national parks.
Happy trails!
-JJ
Our family is on a mission to experience the best our home state of Utah has to offer and help other families find affordable, kid-friendly adventures in the process. You can follow us on Instagram @theminivanbucketlist or download our free printable The Ultimate Family-Friendly Utah Bucket List with the top 100 things to do in Utah, both kid-friendly and more adventurous.