This Is Utah’s Least Crowded National Park! Here’s How To Experience Its Best Sights In Just A Day

Looking to make the most of your day trip to one of Utah’s hidden gem national parks with stunning rock formations and desert landscapes?

Capitol Reef National Park is one of my favorites in Utah’s Mighty Five. Unfortunately (or fortunately), many reviews name it as “the one you can skip if you don’t have enough time,” but let me make it clear: Capitol Reef is worth it. Plus, it’s so quiet, underpopulated, and the middle ground between ultra-popular national parks, Zion and Arches.

This article will map out a fantastic one day in Capitol Reef itinerary, including the best scenic trails and attractions, based on my months-long van life through West USA. 

Compared to some of the larger parks, a day is totally enough time to hit the highlights, starting with a sunrise over Hickman Bridge. Along the way, I’ll point out other must-see locales and other handy tips for visiting.

One Day in Capitol Reef National Park Itinerary

Here’s an itinerary packed with the highlights, all in one scroll.

And if you’d like to experience the park, like few others do, book an off-roading tour through the backcountry!

Morning:

• Sunrise Hike to Hickman Bridge for Instagrammable photos
• Alternative: Choose the relatively more difficult Cassidy Arch Trail
• Cruise along the Capitol Reef Scenic Byway to see the views of Waterpocket Fold.
• Find the ancient art etched into the rocks of Petroglyph Panels

Afternoon:

• Lunch at Gifford Homestead with orchard scenery
• Head to the Visitor Center for history and geology education.
• Stop at designated viewpoints like Panorama Point and Goosenecks Overlook.
• Head to Sunset Point for views of the Waterpocket Fold.
• At dusk, look up at Panorama Point for stargazing.

Places to Stay Nearby: Torrey, Utah

• 📍Luxury: Cougar Ridge
• 📍Mid-Range: Capitol Reef Resort
• 📍Budget: Red Sands Hotel

Quick Facts to Visiting Capitol Reef

Stretching across 60 miles of south-central Utah, Capitol Reef National Park is a striking landscape of towering cliffs, incredible natural bridges, and distinctive dome formations reminiscent of the US Capitol Building. Home to the scenic Grand Wash Trail, the Cassidy Arch, and the historic Gifford House known for its delicious pies, this park used to be the playground of ancient Native American cultures.

This park is certainly not large, and there is really only one main highway (Highway 24) that bisects the park, and most of the attractions are along the main road. 

Category	Information
Entrance Fee	$20 per vehicle, $10 per person (bike/walk-in) or 80$ for the America the Beautiful Annual Pass
Operating Hours	Open year-round, 24 hours a day
Visitor Center Name	Capitol Reef National Park Visitor Center
Park Entrances	Highway 24 entrance, Notom Road entrance, Burr Trail entrance
Main Activities	Hiking, camping, wildlife viewing, stargazing, scenic drives
Number of Campgrounds	3 (Fruita, Cathedral Valley, Cedar Mesa)
Number of Nearby Hotels	Over 10 nearby in Torrey 📍Luxury: Cougar Ridge 📍Mid-Range: Capitol Reef Resort 📍Budget: Red Sands Hotel
Best Time to Visit	Spring and Fall
Nearest Cities & Distances	Torrey (approx. 8 miles), Bicknell (approx. 20 miles), Loa (approx. 25 miles) Use DiscoverCars to find rental car deals
Nearest Airports & Distances	Canyonlands Field (approx. 160 miles) Salt Lake City International Airport (approx. 220 miles) Use Expedia to find the best flight prices.

What to Do in Capitol Reef in One Day

Early Morning: Hickman Bridge

• Trail Length: ~ 2 miles round trip
• Difficulty: Moderate
• Location: Easily accessible from the main road

Beginning your day with a sunrise hike here is the perfect choice. For starters, the cooler morning temperatures will make the moderate climb feel a little easier, and you’ll beat the crowds. The trailhead is just off the main road, and a well-defined inclined path leads to the red rock bridge.

Hickman Bridge is a 133-foot natural arch formation created through erosion over millions of years. Watch for ancient petroglyphs etched into the rocks as you hike the trail. 

Alternative: Cassidy Arch

• Trail Length: 3.1 miles out and back
• Difficulty: Moderate to Difficult 
• Location: Off the scenic byway – Grand Wash Trailhead 

I’m putting this as an alternative because this is one of the harder and longer hikes in the park, but also the most iconic. It is steep in a short time frame with rocky drop-offs but very well-marked. Another option is to combine it with the Grand Wash Trailhead, but that’s a longer trail that would make the hike over 7 miles.

This place is named after the infamous outlaw Butch Cassidy, who used the boldly standing arch as a hideout way back in the day.

Scenic Drive on Capitol Reef Scenic Byway

Take in all of the park’s landscapes from the comfort of your car by hitting the Capitol Reef Scenic Byway. Along the 1 to 2-hour drive, you’ll pass through some of the most incredible parts of Capitol Reef National Park, including viewpoints like Panorama Point and Goosenecks Overlook. I love to take photographs, so I stopped at every chance I could. 

The scenic byway is the best way to get the coolest views of Waterpocket Fold, a geological anomaly featuring a nearly 100-mile-long warp in the Earth’s crust. It’s a unique landscape of cliffs, canyons, and domes.

You definitely want to stop at Panorama Point, Goosenecks Overlook, and the Fruita area. 

Petroglyph Panels Trail

The Petroglyph Pullout Trail is easily accessible “trail”, more like a pullout alongside the base of sheer rock cliffs to carvings left by the Fremont people over a thousand years ago.

• Trail Length: 0.3 miles out and back
• Difficulty: Easy

An outdoor gallery showcases petroglyphs portraying bighorn sheep, human figures, and different abstract designs. It’s pretty crazy to stand where the Fremont people once stood, leaving behind these mysterious symbols whose meanings are lost to time.

This trail won’t take up much of your day, making it the perfect activity to squeeze in between hikes and the Fruita District.

Afternoon: Fruita Historic District

Along the scenic drive, stop at the Fruita area after checking out the petroglyphs. This area known for its orchards, and if you’re here during late summer or fall, you may even be sneak-pick some fresh fruit or just go for a pie (below). 

Pie at Gifford Homestead 

This is the perfect place for a break, as right in the Fruita District, you’ll find the Gifford Homestead. This historic farmhouse became a charming little shop and bakery known for delicious homemade pies from its beautiful orchard scenery. It also doubles as a visitor center.

Fyi, if you’re looking for a lunch spot, don’t expect much. They’re menu really just features homemade pies supplied by the fruit trees and served with ice cream.

Nearby, you’ll find a schoolhouse and a blacksmith shop. Because I am a history geek, I spent a lot of time here. 

Fun fact: The orchards surrounding Gifford Homestead were planted by early Mormon settlers.

Capitol Reef Visitor Center

Like typical National Park Visitor Centers (which I love!) Capitol Reef’s center has informative displays about the park’s geological formations, cultural history, and diverse plants and animals. 

The Visitor Center displays info on the geology of the Waterpocket Fold, the impact of erosion on the landscape, and the region’s culture. 

Hike to Sunset Point

• Trail Length: 1.5 miles round trip
• Difficulty: Moderate
• Location: Main road in the Fruita area

Catch a beautiful sunset from Sunset Point! From the parking lot, a short hike will take you to Sunset Point, where you can witness stunning views of the Fruita area and the Waterpocket Fold as the sun sets below the horizon. The trail is moderate in difficulty but has great photo ops and is a peaceful end to your day at Capitol Reef National Park.

Evening: Panorama Point Stargazing

One of my very favorite things to do while traveling to the desert southwest is stargaze. With light pollution everywhere, it’s hard to experience the constellations. However, Panorama Point has minimal light pollution, and the clear desert skies above this elevated vantage point offer unforgettable viewing. 

Where to Stay

The nearest town to Capitol Reef National Park is Torrey, Utah. Just at the gateway to the park, Torrey is a cute small town surrounded by red rock landscapes. In the winter, many accomadation prices don’t vary that much, but come late spring, the prices start to swing up.

Pro Tip: Fill your gas tank in Torrey before heading out for the day. It is literally dozens of miles between gas stations, and running out of fuel can result in a desperate situation. Unfortunately, I know this from experience. Thank goodness a very kind Utah Camper Angels at a rest stop generously donated some from their gas cans.

Best Hotels near Capitol Reef National Park

Hotel Name	Benefits
Luxury: Cougar Ridge	– A ranch with animals in the countryside – Amazing homemade breakfast – The pool area includes several saunas, a jacuzzi, a BBQ grill, and a fire pit area
Mid-Range: Capitol Reef Resort	– Closest property to the park – Incredible views of the mountains – Southwestern theme with an outdoor pool
Budget: Red Sands Hotel	– Spacious and quiet – Restaurant onsite with firepit outside – Heated indoor pool

Campgrounds in Capitol Reef

Camping under the stars can be a really fun way to experience any national park, and Capitol Reef camping is exceptional.

Fruita Campground: This popular spot in the Fruita Historic District has 71 developed campsites complete with picnic tables, fire rings, restrooms, and water. Reservations are recommended during peak season.

Cathedral Valley Campground: This is a free, first-come, first-served primitive camping site in the northern part of the park. What it lacks in amenities, it makes up for in solitude and night skies.

Cedar Mesa Campground: This is another free, first-come, first-serve option at a higher elevation. Like Cathedral Valley, it’s all about primitive camping.

Places to Visit with More Time

Other Things to Do in Capitol Reef

• Capitol Gorge Trail: Hike through a narrow canyon where ancient petroglyphs and the Pioneer Register carved by early settlers can be found.
• Sulphur Creek Waterfall: Follow the Sulphur Creek route to discover hidden waterfalls and a natural water slide for an off-the-beaten-path adventure.
• Cathedral Valley: A thrilling 4X4 trip to this secluded part of Capitol Reef will give you a view of towering sandstone cathedrals and unique geological formations. 
• Grand Wash: A longer canyon hike with rock walls.
• Chimney Rock Trail: A 3-mile round trip hike, taking you to the iconic Chimney Rock formation that can be seen from Panorama Point.
• Cohab Canyon: A longer hike at around 4 miles round trip, but offers stunning views of the park and its unique geology.

Day Trips Near Capitol Reef

If you’re in Capitol Reef, let’s be honestly, you’re probably already on your way somewhere else. Extend your exploration, and check out these other destinations.

• Goblin Valley State Park (1 hour 45 minutes): Home to thousands of hoodoos—pillars of rock shaped by erosion—creating a surreal and playful landscape often compared to Mars.
• Bryce Canyon National Park (2 hours 30 minutes): Famous for its unique geology, consisting of a series of horseshoe-shaped amphitheaters carved from the eastern edge of the Paunsaugunt Plateau.
• Escalante Petrified Forest State Park (1 hour 30 minutes): Showcasing a large collection of petrified wood and fossilized dinosaurs, plants, and trees from the late Jurassic period.
• Fishlake National Forest (1 hour 15 minutes): Offering beautiful mountain scenery, a large freshwater lake perfect for fishing, and ATV trails.
• Zion National Park (approximately 3 hours): With its red cliffs, forest trails, and the renowned Angel’s Landing hike, Zion is an excellent day trip option.
• Great Basin National Park (roughly 3 hours): Great Basin is home to ancient bristlecone pines, Lehman Caves, and a spectacular night sky view.
• Arches National Park (4 hours): A park with over 2,000 natural sandstone arches.
• Canyonlands National Park (3 hours): This massive, multiple-district park features vast canyons, buttes, and mesas, as well as numerous hiking and off-roading opportunities.

Is 1 Day Enough for Capitol Reef National Park

100% you can do Capitol Reef in one day. It’s not a big park, and really just to drive through, I would say even a half-day is enough. Of course, with more time, you can do the harder-to-reach hike and or spend time observing the playful trail chipmunks and such, but for a quick visit, you can see quite a bit in one day.

Best Time To Visit

The best time to go to Capitol Reef National Park is during the shoulder seasons of March to May and September to October. Spring brings mild temperatures, blooming wildflowers, and sprouting leaves in Fruita orchards, while autumn brings colorful foliage. Summer can be hot with more crowds, and winter brings cold temperatures and limited services in the park.

How to Get There

Capitol Reef is a bit in the middle of nowhere, so the closest major airport is Salt Lake City, approximately a 4-hour drive away. You can rent a car and make the scenic drive from there. Another option is to fly to Las Vegas and make the approximately 5-hour drive, or fly to Denver and make the roughly 6-hour drive.

By Public Transport: No direct public bus service to the national park exists. You may painfully slowly be able to reach nearby towns like Torrey or Hanksville by bus. From there, you’ll still need a car.

Group Tours: Some tour companies offer guided tours to Capitol Reef from nearby cities.

Final Thoughts: Day Trip to Capitol Reef

Capitol Reef is definitely one of those more underrated parks, and being a bit out of the way, it’s probably the most forgotten about one. But especially if you’re aiming to do Utah’s mighty five, or even if you aren’t, the beauty of Capitol Reef and the petroglyphs are worth the visit.

If this itinerary helped your adventure, continue your journey with our other travel articles in Utah state and beyond.

Before you Close That Tab…Where to Next in Utah?

Utah may very well be one of the most underrated, beautiful places in the world. I’ve traveled all through this great state, snowboarding down some of the best resorts and hiking through godly monoliths. If you’re heading elsewhere in Utah, check out these posts.

• One Day in Zion National Park Itinerary for Adventurers
• One Day in Arches National Park Itinerary for First-Timers
• Perfect One Day in Canyonlands Itinerary for First-Timers
• Perfect One Day In Salt Lake City Itinerary For First Timers 
• Perfect One Day In Bryce Canyon Itinerary For First-Timers

MY FAVORITE TRAVEL RESOURCES

✈️ Find amazing guided tours and experiences with Viator to maximize your time! 🏘️ Plan ahead and secure your accommodation with Booking.com in advance. 🧾 Rent a car with Discovercars in advance and get the best prices for your day trip adventures.