Capitol Reef National Park
Torrey, UT
A 100-mile wrinkle in the earth with pioneer orchards in the middle. In season you can pick fruit, and the Gifford House sells pie.
At the heart of the park is the Waterpocket Fold, a monocline nearly 160 km (100 miles) long: during the Laramide orogeny the earth's crust buckled here, leaving the east side lower than the west. As early as 600 to 1300 AD, people of the Fremont culture lived in the Fremont River valley and left petroglyphs behind. Settlers founded Fruita in 1880 and planted orchards that today hold some 2,700 fruit and nut trees. At harvest time you can pick your own and pay a small fee for what you take away.
The 1908 Gifford Homestead sells fruit pies and ice cream from Easter through October. Nearby stands a one-room schoolhouse from 1896. Highway 24 crosses the park, and the paved 13 km (8 mile) Scenic Drive is fine for ordinary cars. A popular trail leads to Hickman Bridge. Spring and fall are the most pleasant seasons, at about 21 to 27 °C (70 to 80 °F); at night the International Dark Sky Park shows off a clear, starry sky.
- Nearest town
- Torrey, UT
- Category
- Nature & parks
- GPS
- 38.2870, -111.2470
Hours, fees and access change. Confirm with the operator or park before you go.
Good to know
Best time to go
The most pleasant months are usually May and October. Still fine, with some compromises, in April, June and September. Hot in July–August. Cold, short days in January–February. (Estimate from long-term temperature averages, terrain and pass seasons)
Sources
Featured in these trip guides
© Jamie Hagan dearjamie · CC0Utah's five national parks, in one loop from Las Vegas
Photo by Oleg Chursin on UnsplashUtah Scenic Byway 12
© BLMUtah · Public domainSan Rafael Swell and Goblin Valley to Capitol Reef
© Daniel Olah danesduet10 · CC0Red walls, starry skies – the great canyon tour through the Southwest
Nearby
Campsites nearby
- Fruita CampgroundMotorhome stopover0 mi from Capitol Reef National Park · 71 pitchesTentsCaravansMotorhomesDrinking waterWaste disposal
- Wonderland RV ParkMotorhome stopover9 mi from Capitol Reef National ParkTentsCaravansMotorhomesElectricityDrinking waterShowersToiletsWaste disposalDogs allowedWi-Fi
- Singletree CampgroundCampsite10 mi from Capitol Reef National Park · 31 pitchesTentsCaravansToiletsWaste disposal
- Thousand Lakes RV ParkMotorhome stopover11 mi from Capitol Reef National ParkTentsCaravansMotorhomesElectricityDrinking waterShowersToiletsWaste disposalWi-Fi
- Oak Creek CampgroundCampsite15 mi from Capitol Reef National Park · 9 pitchesTentsCaravansDrinking waterToilets
- Sunglow CampgroundCampsite15 mi from Capitol Reef National Park · 7 pitchesTentsCaravansDrinking waterToilets
All campsites in Utah · Campsite data: © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL 1.0 · Updated October 3, 2026
FAQs
Where is Capitol Reef National Park?
Capitol Reef National Park is in Torrey, UT, at GPS 38.2870, -111.2470. It is about 28 mi from Boulder.
Can you camp near Capitol Reef National Park?
Yes. The nearest campsite listed in OpenStreetMap is Fruita Campground, about 0 mi away; within 25 mi there are 16 campsites and motorhome stopovers.
Which road trips pass Capitol Reef National Park?
Capitol Reef National Park is a stop on these CampingSpirit trip guides: Utah's five national parks, in one loop from Las Vegas, Utah Scenic Byway 12, San Rafael Swell and Goblin Valley to Capitol Reef and Red walls, starry skies – the great canyon tour through the Southwest.
What is there to see near Capitol Reef National Park?
Places worth a stop nearby: Fruita Campground (0 mi), Hickman Bridge Trail (1 mi), Little Wild Horse Canyon (32 mi) and Lower Calf Creek Falls (33 mi).
When is the best time to visit Capitol Reef National Park?
The most pleasant months are usually May and October. Still fine, with some compromises, in April, June and September. (Estimate from long-term temperature averages, terrain and pass seasons)