We took this as a side trip and we really should have given this more time. If you are thinking of…read morecoming here, I recommend looking at all the activities offered to see how much is here to do so you won't feel as though you missed out on some of what makes this park FUN! As for us, we ran around the valley, played hide and seek, marveled at how these "goblins" were made and just had a great adventure with the time we had.

A triumph of both western topography and federalism. This is one of those awesome parks that would…read morein some ways be less special if it were "upgraded" to a national park. It's great the way it is. Just a few notes: -- the campsite is just amazing; you are nestled in among caves and washes, and your kids can merrily wander off "to the kids cave" or climb up onto a crest and watch the sunset or the rhythm of the campsite. They do have a shared bathroom with running water, which keeps the place just civilized enough for moderately experienced car campers. -- at the same time, this place is really remote. If you realize at campside that your propane stove doesn't work, you would have to drive an hour each way to Green River to get more. Instead, you will just have to figure out how to boil coffee and macaroni and cheese over a campfire. -- the stars. The city lights are far far far away, and the desert sky is clear, so you can see so so many stars. And if you sit and stare at them you see more. The only place I have ever seen so many stars in my life is standing on the side of the road outside Marfa, TX. -- two decades ago this was one of the first camping trips of my life, and it remains a special place in my heart.

I called on a Tuesday morning to book a tour. Gary answered the phone. He is not in the office but…read moreat the farm. He had no schedule but assured me that we could take a jeep tour on a Saturday. He could not confirm with Pat because they do not communicate. Told me to check in with her on Friday afternoon at the office in Torrey. We did but Pat was very negative - said he should not have told us to expect a tour. She said the website had not been updated. My question is - How are you supposed to book a tour? You can't book it online, phone calls go to Gary who can't book anything, Pat is out of the office on trail rides almost every day and has no phone. Also, she said that this would be their last year, so they are not too concerned about their reputation. I definitely would NOT recommend!

We scheduled the "jeep" tour. When we arrived at the appropriate time the tour guide was prepping…read morea van not a jeep. When I mentioned we schedule a jeep tour, he said well that's what we are taking. It was fine but not what i expected at all... don't let the name fool you. He was very knowledge about the area and we had a good time, I would rather of been in a jeep! - the van felt stuffy.

We had an absolutely amazing time on our Cathedral Valley tour today. Not only did we have perfect…read moreweather, we had a perfect guide in Tallon. Tallon is an excellent driver, on roads and most especially off road. In addition to taking us to breathtaking views(which we expected), we had the really interesting conversations, which was not really expected. Tallon shared his knowledge and love of Capitol Reef...from the views to the geology to the history. We've been on a number of tours across the States and we've been on ones we wushed we could end early...but not this one! We were in a comfortable enclosed jeep, had water and snacks, and a great guide. Thank you, Sleeping Rainbow!

We had a great Jeep tour with Sleeping Rainbow Adventures. It was easy to book and the person we…read morebooked with answered all my questions and was very friendly and helpful. The driver was very knowledgeable and told us all about the geology of the area and historical facts. She was also fun and funny. She stopped lots of places for us to take photos. I really appreciated having an experienced Jeep driver navigating the mountain switchbacks and knowing where to go. I would not have felt confident doing that drive on my own. I highly recommend them.

Such a dope vista point! The Goosenecks Overlook is located just a couple miles before you reach…read morethe Capitol Reef National Park Visitor's Center. Goosenecks Canyon is filled with limestone and sandstone dating back to over 270 million years old! You will have a clear view of the millions of years of erosion right from this viewpoint. The canyon is about 800 feet deep and Sulphur Creek runs along the bottom. It's almost like a mini Grand Canyon. In fact, some of the oldest rock layers of this canyon are the same rock layers that you'll find within the Grand Canyon (Kaibab Limestone). You'll have to drive a short distance up a rough and unpaved road to get here, but it's absolutely worth it for the views. From the parking lot, it's a short little hike up to the actual vista point. There's lot of room to roam around and explore the areas beyond the vista point. You'll be presented with stunning views with each and every turn. 360 degrees of pure bliss right before your eyes. If you're planning a trip to Capitol Reef National Park, this is an excellent place to stop on your way into and out of the park.

7-21-21 Gravel road to the right of panorama can very bumpy…read morebut our little Nissan made it when we drove slowly. Dead ends with a 600foot uphill/rock to beautiful views. Unfortunately this was our only stop in the park on our way to Salt Lake. Gorgeous views but no shade.

This is a national park located in Utah about 2.5 hours drive from Moab. Stop in their Visitor…read moreCenter so you can get a trail map. They also have guides on hand that will help you plan your adventure and answer any questions. We chose to hike Hickman Bridge and Colab Canyon Trails. We also drove out to see Bentonite Hills. The trails were moderately difficult and we enjoyed the challenge. We had a capable vehicle so we were able to make the treck to Bentonite Hills. Capitol Reef Park is somewhat overshadowed by the big ones so be sure not to miss it!

Truly a hidden gem with mountains of stunning colors - ribbons of orange, white, grey running…read moreacross and sculpted by wind and water over millions of years. We went end of April and it was not too crowded. We started with Hickman's Bridge trail at 8:30 am after a short stop at the Visitor Center. We stayed at Capitol Reef Resort which gave us a nice handout summarizing the trails as well. For Hickman's Bridge, the small parking lot had a bathroom. It is rated as an easy-moderate trail. The trail was about 250-300 feet up switchbacks and stairs then an easier area before lots of rock scrambling to see the stone arch. Hiking poles were helpful navigating the ascent/descent and rocks until I went on all four's for some areas of tilted, uneven rocks. We almost missed seeing the bridge; we were so intent on trying to find footholds on the rocks and climbing. I think the left side of the loop would have been easier. Even though it is only 0.9 miles with a 400 elevation gain, it took us 1.5 hours round trip at my stopping to breath and carefully climbing/descending the rocks. Capitol Gorge Trail (2.3 miles, 80 ft elevation change) was more my speed being mostly flat and walking on small stones (hiking boots were helpful) through a canyon. (If it is going to rain; beware of flash flooding). The highlight was seeing faint petroglyphs and Mormon pilgrim signatures (from the 1800's) on parts of the rock walls. If you don't like climbing up rocks, I would say skip the optional hike up the mountain to see the water "tanks" or areas in the stone where the water collects. I saw some on the HIckman Trail and never finished that part since my thighs were getting too tired. My husband had difficulty finding the actual trail among the rocks and had to backtrack. The next day, my husband left at 6:45 am to do Navaho Knobs so he could be back by 11 am (we got a late checkout). Driving around the park, you can see the beauty without effort and the number of stunning rock formations and colors was truly something to behold.

This is one of those hiking trails that sorta becomes what you make of it. Want an easy little…read morestroll along the river? Go for it. This trail leaves directly from the campground and heads downriver along the Fremont, wandering past the orchards, the group campground, and eventually enters a small canyon with walls. If you've got little ones, you could easily stop here and it will have been a nice, flat stroll. But waiting for you downstream, and atop those walls, is a nice panoramic view of the Fremont River valley, orchards, and main hub of Capitol Reef National Park. Once you reach the narrowed canyon walls, you start an ascent that rises above the river and gives you some great looks at the downstream vista. You can stop at the first overlook and no one would judge you for it, and you'll get great views. But press on to the full mile and after departing that overlook, you'll again rise on a less rocky trail before summiting out on a point that overlooks the campground valley in one direction, and the canyons in all others. From there, you go back out a mile on the same trail you came in on, and you're back at camp. The park lists this one as "moderate" in its scale of difficulty. That feels like a bit much until you do that climb to the overlook. But it does wind around some rugged rocks and you will pant a bit, so take that seriously, especially if it's warm out. There's no cover once you pass the riparian corridor and head into the rocks, so it will be hot. Sunblock and water are highly recommended. It's not the most written-about or awe-inspiring hike in the park, but it will probably take you less than an hour (and that includes the time you will walk from your campsite) so if you've got the time, grab a camera and go for a little hike along the river.

Found at the end of the Scenic Drive, Capitol Gorge begins with a dirt road that weaves through the…read morebeautiful rocks and mountains of Capitol Reef. While the scenic drive in and of itself was wonderful, this dirt road to the Capitol Gorge trailheads had that beat. We drove this in a compact car without any issue, just make sure to take it slow as there are some tight, blind turns on this two-way road. If it's busy, parking can be a bit difficult at the end of the road to hike the trails. We came to hike to The Tanks, and the trail to the beginning of the The Tanks portion is super easy. You'll get to see some petroglyphs as well as the Pioneer Register - which is a cool section of rocks with signatures dating back 100+ years. There's plenty of shade in this area as you're walking between two mountain walls, and it can get pretty windy. I'd recommend bringing a jacket for this area if you're going on cooler days. The actual The Tanks hike we had planned to do was super disappointing. This 0.2 miles add-on is probably considered a moderate hike. While it had nice views, there was nothing special about the views, and you would be better off spending your time at another one of the better hikes in Capitol Reef. The other part of the Capitol Gorge Trail I previously discussed is worth it, just not the additional hike to The Tanks.

This is the wondrous Capitol Gorge area of Capitol Reef National Park at the end of the paved road…read moreportion of the Scenic Drive. This Capitol Gorge is fantastic for grasping the true essence of what makes Capitol Reef NP so special. The red rocks and canyon cliffs are simply stunning! I was visiting here in late July 2021 and unfortunately the overcast skies did darken the scenic setting somewhat, but I was still able to capture some beautiful examples of vintage Utah scenery. I'd put the Scenic Drive to arrive at this Capitol Gorge along with hiking Chimney Rock Trail as 2 of the best activities I did while exploring the park. The Scenic Drive starts right beside the Visitor Center and runs for 10 miles each way into the heart of the Capitol Reef landscape. Along the drive there'll be plenty of opportunities to pull your car off to the side, get out and snap amazing picture moments including standing at Capitol Gorge. Also of note...the Scenic Drive runs on paved road for about the first 7 - 8 miles and the last 2 - 3 miles are set on dirt/gravel road. Unfortunately, I had a compact car with me and didn't want to chance driving on the rough road in this remote part of the country. So...after stopping here at Capitol Gorge, I turned around and headed back the 7 - 8 miles towards the Visitor Center. It is a $20 fee to drive the Scenic Road, otherwise to enter and do anything within Capitol Reef it's absolutely free! You pay an attendant during normal business hours that they're open but when the Visitor Center closes, they use the "honor system" and ask you to drop the $20 into a box as proof of payment. Btw, the Visitor Center is great for buying souvenirs and picking up a park pamphlet and map of all the trails. I highly recommend stopping at the VC for any questions you may have and general advice about exploring around. Lastly, while in this Capitol Gorge area...I'd suggest hiking the Grand Wash Trail as well as the Rim Overlook Trail for 2 different, yet unique perspectives for appreciating Capitol Reef from high above and also down below in between the rugged canyon walls. Alright well, this is the Capitol Gorge section of Capitol Reef National Park!

This is a mostly easy trail with some incline at the start. The path is clearly marked. Shade is…read moreminimal, so make sure you bring enough water and have sun protection. I always bring extra water bottles in addition to my hydration pack, and ended up giving two away to hikers who thought that because the trail was short, they'd only need one small bottle a person. Please do not underestimate Mother Nature. Even stopping for pictures and to cool down under the shade of the arch, the full loop took us about 90 minutes. But could be completed in under an hour if you're staying on the move. You're rewarded with a stunning natural arch for your efforts. The loop trail wraps behind the arch and there are plenty of pathways to climb about and explore. There are restrooms in the parking lot and you can wade in the river water to cool down pre or post hike.

What an awesome hike . Worth the hike to find this hidden treasure in Capitol Reef Park. Beautiful…read morenatural arch bridge. Quite big too. We highly recommend it.

Came here with some family members to go Tubing. Pretty laid back company that was ran by younger…read morekids. They do a pretty good job with taking care of customers. They supply life jackets and a ride up river for $18 a head. Once in the river you float about an hour & half back to their base. This time of year the river is basically a shallow canal. They call it the Lazy River Float and that's what you get. Fun for younger members and relaxing for the rest. We had a good time and we had about 25 others that seemed to echo our experience too. Tubes & Life Jackets were in good condition. They have a raft trip that goes also. Zip line & endurance course too. You can rent UTV's too.

We were at Big Rock Candy Mountain staying at Caboose Village and booked a Lazy River Float Trip…read more Myself my wife and our grandson were on the trip. Our guide Jordyn was the best. She was good to give us directions and she she even inflated a tube by mouth so my wife could have the tube she wanted. The trip was fun and it was very reasonable price. Next time we may do the whitewater rafting. If you are in central Utah and need an activity look up Big Rock Adventures. 10 out of 10 recommend

Seriously one of my favorite place on earth. Beautiful red rock canyons and solitude. The…read morehighlight for me is the "reef". A sandstone feature that shoots up out of the earth. You drive right through it on I-70. There're are endless camping spots. From the established spots like Goblin Valley and The San Rafael River. But the true gems are the little spots that you will find down a bumpy dirt road. Grab a map or check Google earth. There's tons of area to explore. Summers can be brutally hot, so I recommend the spring and fall. Also come prepared. Unless you are near 70 there's not much for cell service. Enjoy your public lands!

Fantastic rest stop with beautiful views of the San Rafael Swell right off the 70…read more Ample parking for cars and even saw a couple semi trucks resting. Interesting informational pieces explaining the area. Great place to stretch your legs and get some sun on this long stretch of highway.