Hipfig Travel Channel offers DIY travel video guides for more than 25 cities in
Asia, US, and Canada. If you like this video then subscribe, give us a thumbs up
or a comment. Welcome to this capital reef national park travelguide episode
of hipfig's beautiful America series. The hipfig beautiful America series is for
people interested in national parks and the amazing natural wonders in North
America. Capitol Reef National Park is one of the big five national parks in
the state of Utah and is known for its unique waterfold formations. Did you know
that this National Park got its first name capital from the white dome
formations on the line of the cliffs which look similar to the American
State Capitol building? Well now you know! In this Capitol Reef National Park
travelguide we'll show and provide information on entrances into the
Capitol Reef National Park, Capitol Reef visitor center, scenic drive, major
attractions, and Capitol Reef in the fruita historic district and much more to
help you plan your trip. The Capitol Reef National Park is located along Utah 24
Highway near the town of Torrey, Utah. You can get to Capitol Reef from Salt Lake
City International Airport which will take you about four hours or more
depending on your route, stops, and traffic; or from Moab or other national
parks in the area like Bryce Canyon. Please use your GPS from your location
we recommend downloading a map of the area as cell service is spotty in many
areas on the way. We drove from the small town of Torrey, Utah which is about 10
minute drive to capitol reef national park. We took Utah 24 Highway and headed
east to the Capitol Reef visitor center. This small town is the closest town
before Capitol Reef National Park if you're coming from the West. This is a
good place if you're looking for a motel, restaurant, or gas station
The center of this town is tree-lined with a church and old historic schoolhouse. You can
also find a gift shop, grocery store, and Information Center for various tourist
activities in the town of Torrey. Along Utah 24 you'll see signs clearly
marked for Capitol Reef. Once you get to the Capitol Reef Park sign at the
entrance there is a pullout for you to take pictures. For your information there
is no national park entrance booth or gate in this Capitol Reef area. Continue
on Utah Highway 24 once you enter into the National Park. The Capitol Reef
Visitor Center will be another six miles. Capitol Reef National Park and
campgrounds are open all year round and there is no fee to enter this part of
the Capitol Reef National Park. There are four districts in Capitol Reef National
Park Cathedral, historic, scenic, and the waterpocket. Each district of Capitol
Reef offers different places to view and enjoy. On the way to the Capitol Reef Visitor
Visitor center. We stopped by chiminey rocky trail. Along this trail you will see
panoramic views of the waterpocket fold cliffs and it's good for sunset. This is
considered a strenuous trail since its 3.6 miles with a 590 foot change in
elevation. There are porta-potties here located by
the trailhead parking lot. Further down the road on Utah Highway 24 we stopped
at panorama point, goosenecks, and sunset points. Panorama point is easily
accessible from the parking lot and is generally level .1 mile back
trail that offers scenic views and boasts the best quality air in the park
As we continued our drive on Utah Highway 24 to the visitor center we
drove past the Navajo Knobs and the Castle. The Capitol Reef Visitor Center
is located in the fruita historic district along Highway 24 where it
intersects with scenic drive road. We parked at the Visitor Center parking lot
and used the facilities. The Visitor Center is open daily except for some
major holidays from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. with extended hours spring through fall
Stopping by the visitor center is a good idea. You can find about the conditions
of hiking trails and roads, ranger-led programs, schedules and pay for the
national park fee for scenic drive. Please note that you need to pay the
national park fee only if you plan to drive, walk, or bike in Capitol Reef
National Parks scenic drive which is past the fruta campground
Passes are valid for seven days. The fee is $10 per person walking or bicycling
in with no car, , $20 per car with all its occupants and $15 per motorcycle
including all the riders. Please pay at the Capitol Reef Visitor Center. If you
have the America beautiful annual pass, senior pass, access pass, military annual
pass, Capitol Reef annual pass, or the fourth grade pass access into the
Capitol Reef and other federal fee areas are included, Before leaving the Visitor
Center make sure to pick up a free copy of the Capitol Reef map. There are
bathroom facilities, and a bookstore we can purchase water sunscreen and hats as
well as books, maps, and gift items. We showed our interagency national park
pass and got a receipt from the Ranger and made a way to the scenic drive. We
drove behind the Visitor Center past the orchards, campgrounds, and Gifford house
the fruita area in this Capitol Reef National Park is the most accessible
district because most roads are paved and many of the popular attractions are
near this area. In this area you'll find the fruit a historic district where a
small band of settlers in the late 1800s settled and began its
thriving orchards. You can still pick your own fruit like apricots in season
and pay by the pound. Nestled near the orchards are the campgrounds an
amphitheater. If you drive past this area you'll see the Gifford House store and
museum and ripple Rock Nature Center. Past this area is the scenic drive which
offers trails of all lengths and difficulty and scenic vistas of the
waterfolds. Please pay your $20 national park fee at the Visitor Center before
driving into this area as mentioned before in this travel guide video. The
Capitol Reef scenic drive is 20 miles roundtrip
there is only one Road in and out and this is it. IOnce you pass the gate into
the scenic drive area after the fruta area the first thing you'll notice are
the moenkopi formations. This 950 feet thick formation was made and formed 225
million years ago from layered sedimentary mud and sand creating thin
beds of reddish shale. The gray and burgundy layers above the formation
contain volcanic ash and the chinle formation is filled with petrified wood
which ascends to the base of a sheer cliff wall.
You'll also notice the tilting of the rock layers or folds this is caused by
the push by the crustal pressure from a fault buried deep beneath the
sedimentary rock layers of the Colorado Plateau causing the layers to fold or
bend into a one-sided slope called a monocline. The hundred-mile monocline is
called the waterpocket fold. The waterpocket fold has many small potholes
tanks or pockets that hold rainwater and snowmelt. We continue driving on scenic
drive we passed grande wash road where you can drive on a dirt road to see Cassidy
arch. Warning! Avoid canyons and washes when rain is in the forecast due to the
possibility of flash floods. You can hike up the trail to Cassidy arch on the
canyons north wall. Here's a bit of trivia, this arch was named for the
notorious Butch Cassidy who supposedly hid out here. You can also see the gated
entrance holes near the mouth of the ground wash at the base of a layer of
yellowish grey rock. These mark the abandoned older uranium mines opened in
1901. If you plan to hike any of the marked trails please make sure to
bring plenty of water. Enjoy the ride, drive slowly, and give the
right away especially to larger vehicles. We continued to the end of the road past
old wagon trail, the golden throne, and the Capital Gorge. This scenic drive will
take at least two or more hours depending on your interest and hiking
Once we completed our visit to this area we made our way back towards the visitor
center to Utah 24 and continued east
you will see a sign for the petroglyphs on Utah Highway 24 a few minutes after
the Visitor Center. The petroglyph panels which are cultural library of the
Hisatsinom or fremont culture created the petroglyphs along the
mountains from around 300 to 1300 CE The petroglyphs describe daily life and
culture of the Fremont people. There is a parking lot with many trees which sway
in the warm breeze. It's actually a really lovely spot. There are two
different deck paths for you to walk on to see the various petroglyphs. Once we
finished our time, we continued to drive down the road on Utah 24 to Hickman
Bridge trailhead which is another famous trail in Capitol Reef National Park. This
is a very popular trail so if you plan to park here please come early. The
Hickman bridge trail goes along Fremont River above the Hickman Natural Bridge
about a thousand feet above the fruita area and then connects to the rim
overlook and Navajo knobs. This trail is well maintained but it can get very
crowded. There is a porta potty/honey bucket near the parking lot if you need
to use the restroom. Once we completed our hike, we continued on Utah 24 and
found a lovely spot by the Fremont River to have a picnic. Along the drive on Utah
24 you will see interesting rock formations with holes like what you see
on a sea reef. That's how the second part of Capitol reefs name comes from. The erosion caused by
water, ice, and wind are the authors of this awe inspiring canvas. Further down
Utah 24 towards the east exit/ entrance you'll also see the Capitol dome. You
will need at least one full day for your visit here depending on your interest, If
you plan on back country hiking please check with the Rangers
at the visitors center. Capitol Reef National Park is an oasis in the desert
and should not be missedd. It has it's very own charm offering different
topographical structures and human history. Happy Travels
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