I recently completed my visits to all five Utah National Parks. Although I concluded my quest at Canyonlands National Park, I truly savored my time at Capitol Reef and consider it one of the best among the bunch. One standout feature is the relative absence of the massive crowds that often swarm Zion, and the added bonus is that you can explore all corners of the park by car. My journey began as I headed south off Interstate 70, embarking on the scenic Route 24 that takes you right through the heart of the park. The drive itself was a pure delight, with a breathtaking sunrise, occasional misty rain, and even a dramatic display of "dry" lightning. Along the way, we encountered a serene herd of mule deer, completely unfazed by our presence. Once inside the park, I must admit that I was initially underwhelmed by the Visitor Center's size and the small parking lot, which at times felt gridlocked with buses and traffic. Some folks even resorted to parking along the shoulder further down the road. However, don't let this initial impression deter you, as this was the only crowd-related hiccup we encountered during our entire visit. Capitol Reef offers numerous spots to pull over and soak in the magnificent vistas. Our adventure led us down the captivating Capitol Reef Scenic Drive (7.9 miles one way), which was a real treat. We then continued on to navigate the gravelly Capitol Gorge Road, a roughly 2.3-mile stretch that proved to be one of the standout highlights of our visit. Despite its gravel surface, we tackled it in a rental car, and it appeared that most other vehicles we encountered were also sedans. It's a non-issue. After our exhilarating drive and a pass on the bustling Visitor Center once again, we ventured to the Fremont Petroglyphs and embarked on the trail leading to Hickman Bridge. Along the way, I was pleasantly surprised to stumble upon a couple of Bighorn Sheep sunning themselves on a rocky ledge. Both experiences are absolute musts. Capitol Reef might not be the closest or most conveniently located national park to visit, but it's unquestionably worth the effort. We absolutely adored our time there.

Had opportunities to spend few hours & explored the park before we checked into the hotel. It has spectacular rock formations and trails along canyons which are worth doing if you have the time. The park is very interesting - you can learn about the history attached to it. This includes ancient petroglyphs as well as the more recent associations with the Mormons. There is a historic district - Fruita which includes Gifford House - a house museum with exhibits of interest. They even sell fruits pies that are only on sale there. I recommend that you purchase as they are delicious. Overall we enjoyed our time at the park.

We arrived before noon on a Monday. We drove straight to the Gifford house for pie! We also were able to pick apples in some of the open orchards. There was parking right there and mule deer enjoying the apples too. We had fresh apples all week! We did three hikes in the park. Cohab canyon from the Gifford house area and up to the viewpoint. Drove down to Cassidy Arch late afternoon. Both trails busy but not overly crowded. Tuesday morning we took on the 9 mile Navajo Knobs. Once we got by the Hickman bridge intersection we saw few people. Very rewarding hike. Loved being surrounded by the rock formations at this park. The orchards and Gifford house were a bonus. Saw mule deer, lots of ground squirrels, gray squirrels and small lizards. Less crowded than the other Utah parks and just as beautiful with good hiking.

Did a few hikes here. The Rim Overlook hike was our favorite. We combined it with HIckman Bridge. The Chimney Rock trail was also nice, We didn't think the scenic highway was much. It's less crowded here than Arches or Canyonlands.

Came here on our mighty five tour for half a day. We did the petroglyph trail which was really neat and easy, the visitors center was insanely packed and small (seriously good luck finding parking) and then we went to the pie stand and pigged out which was EXCELLENT. If they have the mixed berry pie when you go, get it. They do have a card reader and you can get ice cream too! Then we did the scenic drive which was pretty, but just know once you hit a certain point the roads can get pretty rough so you might want to turn back. We also checked out a few more viewpoints and those also had pretty limited parking. Nice NPS, not my favorite of our trip but I’m glad I went!

Capitol Reef is the unsung hero of the "Big 5". It is a wonderful park that does not have all of the crowds found in the other parks in Utah. Easy to get into and out of. It has some great petroglyphs, and some really nice trails down some cool slot canyons. Don't forget your apple pie and pick some apples while you are at it. The drive into the canyon as you approach the entrance is a huge red diorama that will make you weak.

Spent three days exploring the park with my wife on our annual vacation. We enjoyed stargazing, hiking, scenic drives, and learning about the cultural significance of the park. The park was extremely diverse with respects to its geology and plant & animal life, all of which continues to amaze us as we explored. Regrettably there were no fruits in season when we visited, but we would love to return to stroll through Fruita's orchards and pick fresh fruit to enjoy. Three days was enough time to understand this park but not enough time to take advantage of all the excellent opportunities it has to offer. We would love to spend more time exploring the backroads, hiking, and canyoneering here, so a return trip is in order!

My wife and I took the scenic route from Grand Junction to Salt Lake City passing through Capitol Reef National Park. The views we stunning of the multi-colored rock layers. Over a dozen different rock layers are visible. We drove down the scenic drive enjoying the view. Unfortunately we were unable to hike on this trip, but just the drive was worth it. Next time we plan to spend a couple of days in the area to hike. This is such a stunning place to visit!

We saw a lot of beautiful scenery. We did the Cohab Canyon hike, and it was steep at times but very nice views. We stopped at Petroglyphs along the main road and it was worth the stop and time. It was an easy short walk with lots to see. We stopped at the Gifford House in Fruita to check out the pies and bought 1 Peach, 1 Cherry, and 1 Multi Berry (all very good!). Next we did a scenic 7 mile drive. We were unable to do the Hickman Bridge and Grand Wash hikes due to no available parking in the lot. During the busy time of year I can see parking would be a big issue. Overall, we loved our time at Capitol Reef!

One of the least known national parks, Capitol Reef is a gem with many beautiful hikes and stunning scenery. Pleasant to drive through but much more enjoyable to get out and hike. It's much easier to access and enjoy than Zion's National Park or Yellowstone, where long lines and long waits are common. At Capitol Reef, you can quickly go to a beautiful hiking spot like the Cassidy's Arch hike and be out exploring right away. We highly recommend Cassidy's Arch, but does involve some challenges navigating the stone markings to reach your destination. We had to ask people which way to go a time or two once we got to the top of the area near the arch. A hiking app might have been helpful, in retrospect.