On average, it is going to take you around 3 hours to drive to Capitol Reef National Park. This is coming from any of the other national parks in the area as well as any of the larger cities.
Capitol Reef National Park is a hidden gem located in Southern Utah. Many people are familiar with other famous parks in the area such as Zion and Arches National Park but Capitol Reef is largely undiscovered to many travellers.
How far Is Capitol Reef National Park From Other National Parks?
Capitol Reef National Park is right in the middle of a collection of some of the most famous national parks in the country. Many visitors take a road trip to visit many of the national parks in the area as they are all within only a few hours of each other.
Arches National Park
Distance: 141 Miles
Time: 2hrs 19mins
Arches National Park is located just outside of Moab Utah. It is famous for its many arches and in particular Delicate Arch which can be seen on Utah state license plates.
Arches is full of incredible hikes and poised for adventure. ATV and offroading is a lifestyle in these parts and you will have ample opportunity to explore these red rocks like no other place in the world.
Moab is the epicentre for adventure at Arches and Canyonlands National Park which are located within a few minutes of each other (just opposite sides of the road). Tours, vehicle hire and prepacked lunches are ready to go as soon as you are.
How to Drive to Arches National Park
Zion National Park
Distance: 192 Miles
Time: 3 hrs 41 mins
Zion is my favourite national park. I can not wait to be back there. Some of the most famous hikes include The Narrows and Angels Landing. These are bucket list hikes.
Zion is a family park. There is an adventure waiting for families of every size and every age. Rock climbing with kids in Zion is a must. You can read more about where you rock climb with kids here. There is also canyoneering, horseback riding, river tubing and so much more. You can easily spend a full week in this park and never be bored.
Bryce Canyon National Park
Distance: 119 Miles
Time: 2 hr 20 mins
Bryce Canyon is home to the largest collection of hoodoos in the world. These peculiar rock formations can reach as tall as 10 stories high. They look like giant skyscrapers growing out of the earth.
If you are going to travel between Capitol Reef and Bryce Canyon take the more scenic route via UT-12 or the scenic byway. It is a little longer by 20 mins but the scenery is to die for. It is totally worth the time. In actual fact it’s only an extra 4 miles.
Canyonlands National Park
Distance: 156 Miles
Time: 2 hrs 36 mins
Canyonlands National Park is located a few miles from Arches National Park. It is like Arches’ little sister. I loved that it was far less crowded and we got to enjoy a lot of the park with almost no crowds. That also might have been because we arrived late in the day.
It is still one of the most memorable places I have ever visited. There are a lot of short trails that make it easy for families with little legs to worry about. The hike to Mesa Arch was incredibly rewarding for only a short 15-minute walk. I was terrified my children we going to fall of the side of the cliff though!
If you are visiting either Arches or Canyonlands Moab is going to be your centre point if you aren’t staying in the park. It is a well-appointed little town with amazing food (still dreaming of the pasta I had) and all the necessities you will need while in the area.
Grand Canyon
Distance: 364 Miles
Time: 6 hr 52 mins
Grand Canyon is the only park in this group that is outside of Utah. It is located in the northern part of Arizona. However, with that said visitors often make a big loop with all or some of these parks. They do form somewhat of a big loop.
On our trip, we drove from Arches to Grand Canyon making a one night stop in Page Arizona to visit the famous Horseshoe bend. I can not recommend that place enough. It was absolutely brilliant. I think that would be a great halfway point to stop between parks either coming from Arches or from Capitol Reef.
Closest City To Capitol Reef National Park
Salt Lake City is the closest major city to Capitol Reef National Park. It is a 3hr 30min drive south of Salt Lake. You can find a large international airport here. Grand Junction is also another larger town with a good-sized regional airport 3 hours east of Capitol Reef.
Generally, if you are wanting to buy groceries, the closest store to Capitol Reef is located in Loa. It is a 30 min drive from the park and you will be able to find all the necessities at a well-stocked grocer called Royal’s Market. You will also be able to purchase hunting and fishing licenses along with supplies.
The little town of Loa will be a great one-stop destination for anything you need or have forgotten on your trip to Capitol Reef.
If you are wanting a bigger and more expansive selection you are going to need to drive a fairway. The closest Walmart is located in Price UT 2hr 30min north of Capitol Reef National Park.
What is Capitol Reef National Park Known For?
Capitol Reef National Park is known for the Waterpocket Fold. The Waterpocket Fold is an interesting geological feature that appears as a wrinkle in the earth’s crust. Sometimes called a monocline, it appears as if the earth is taking steps. The Waterpocket Fold at Capitol Reef is 100miles long.
Capitol Reef National Park is also known for its stunning night skies. In 2015 the park was dedicated as an International Dark Sky Park. It is becoming rare to be in a true night sky that is unpolluted by other light sources. The beauty of Capitol Reef is that you can experience complete darkness, only lit by the stars and moon.
The designation of the title of International Dark Sky Park signifies that it has some of the highest quality night skies in the world. The park has continued its efforts to raise awareness of light pollution and to maintain its position as a destination for visitors to experience the rare beauty of a true night sky.
What Can You Do At Captiol Reef National Park?
Obviously stargazing is one of the best activities in the park, however, there are numerous recreational activities to participate in at Capitol Reef. Stunning hiking trails that take you through towering canyons and over the famous red rock. There are hiking trails for everyone.
Kids will love Capitol Reef. They can become a Junior Ranger and explore the numerous hiking trails. The nature centre is well equipped for curious little minds.
Activities include:
- Attend a Nature Talk or Junior Geologist program (see schedule at visitor center or campground)
- Play pioneer games
- Pretend to milk a cow
- Make cornmeal on a prehistoric grinding stone
- Identify fossils and rock layers
- Play with animal puppets
- Make art
Over the summer months, kids have the unique opportunity to take part in the Junior Geologist program. Here they can really delve deeper into the geology of the park and come out with a greater appreciation for the area.
Canyoneering, rock climbing are both well-loved past times in Capitol Reef. However, if you want to do these activities make sure you have the right permit.
The beautiful orchards in the park are somewhat unique. Planted by Latter Day Saint pioneers in the 1800s-1960s these trees continue to bring joy to visitors today. The staff work hard to maintain the orchards and visitors are allowed to pick the fruit at certain times of the year. Just keep an eye out for the “U-Pick” signs.
How Long to Spend at Capitol Reef National Park
On average you will want to spend three days at Capitol Reef National Park to get the full experience. You can however see a lot of the sites in the park and do many of the hikes if you just have a day or two to spare.
One of the benefits of Capitol Reef is that is largely “undiscovered”, meaning the crowds are a lot smaller compared to some of the more famous parks in the area. I had falsely assumed that because it had “reef” in the name it must be by the water somewhere…not in the middle of the desert! This is frustrating as on our last visit to the area we totally missed out on visiting.
You can spend 30 mins just driving through the park if you are super short on time. I think this would be my plan if we were just driving past on our way between Arches and Zion for example and couldn’t spare a full day or more. At the very least you could say you saw it and tick the box.
If you stop off on your drive through the park you could stop at a few of the attractions and make a good half-day of it. A full day would include taking the gorgeous scenic drive and doing several of the hikes.
Those who choose to stay longer will be able to fully embrace the offroad experience down in Cathedral Valley. There are so many different places to discover at Capitol Reef that there is no way that you could experience it all in one go.
I find that it is best to just pick 2-3 parts or a park that you want to really experience and just focus on that. Otherwise, you just find yourself rushing from one thing to the next without fully appreciating where you are.