Capitol Reef National Park Tours and Tickets

Since Capitol Reef National Park is relatively compact, you can explore some key highlights in just one day—or even less. One day is enough to take in its 7.9-mile (12.7-kilometer) Scenic Drive, visit the Gifford Homestead built by early Mormon settlers, take a hike, and see ancient petroglyphs.

You can explore the Scenic Drive through Canyonlands National Park in about two hours. The 7.9-mile (12.7-kilometer) paved route leads south from Fruita past sedimentary rock formations, escarpment views, and Wingate Sandstone. Its spur roads into Grand Wash and Capitol Gorge are unpaved but suitable for most cars.

Spring and fall are the best times to visit Capitol Reef National Park. The seasons' mild, relatively stable weather is comfortable for hiking, camping, and cycling. After a busy period from March through June, the park stays relatively quiet through summer's heat, and then bustles again starting in early September.

Capitol Reef is a place to experience Utah’s red-rock canyons, soaring cliffs, and world-class hiking without the crowds that fill the state’s more famous national parks. It’s also home to fascinating history, from ancient Fremont Culture petroglyphs to the 1908 Gifford Homestead that offers a glimpse of early Mormon settlements.

Yes, there are black bears in Capitol Reef National Park, but encounters with bears are rare. Visitors are more likely to spot the park’s diverse bird species, desert lizards, or desert bighorn sheep. The curly horned native sheep are now common in the area, after being reintroduced in the 1990s.