Off-Season Road Trip: Capitol Reef National Park

Today’s destination is Capitol Reef National Park to explore the colorful rock formations, as well as the historic sites and orchards established by Mormon pioneers. The best place to start your visit is the town of Fruita, Utah, at the visitor center where you can watch the introductory film, talk to a ranger about activities, and purchase cool national park items.

During the off-season, auto touring and hiking are the most common activities in the park. Once the peak season begins (March – October), the park service offers ranger-led programs, many of which are located at the Gifford Homestead, Blacksmith Shop, Ripple Rock Nature Center, and the surrounding orchards.

The natural beauty of the park is on display while driving the 8-mile scenic road towards Capitol Gorge. The paved road dead ends at this point, unless you have a high-clearance four-wheel-drive vehicle that allows you to continue the journey to the gorge and further south on the unmaintained roads.

The sights are truly breathtaking, as you look upward towards the colorful canyon walls that often surround you on multiple sides. We highly recommend incorporating a few hikes into your visit to get a better look at Chimney Rock (Chimney Rock Loop Trail) and Hickman Bridge (Hickman Bridge Trail). The Petroglyph Panel is also worth a stop— have your binoculars handy for a closer look at this impressive relic of the Fremont culture.

The one spot we didn’t get to visit is one of the reasons why the national park was created, the Waterpocket Fold. The geological wonder stretches 100 miles through the park but can only be explored with an off-road vehicle and more time than we had available on this trip. We look forward to returning in the near future to discover the hidden places that are located in the far northern and southern sections of the park.

Travel Tip: Torrey, Utah, is the gateway to Capitol Reef, located just outside the western entrance of the park. The town offers a range of budget-friendly hotels, camping facilities, and restaurants. We highly recommend having breakfast or lunch at the Wild Rabbit Café.

Pros:

• The park was very quiet, including the visitor center, trails, and overlooks
• The temperatures were perfect for hiking, with no snow or ice on the ground

Cons:

• The historic sites in Fruita weren’t open, the programming runs from March to October
• Some of the hotels and restaurants in Torrey close for the months of January and February