Capitol Reef National Park Best Hikes

Outdoors here s our list of the park s seven best trails.

Capitol reef national park best hikes.

Capitol reef national park is our favorite national park in utah. One of our favorite things to do here is to go out hiking. You will pay this at a self pay station just past the fruita. Called wayne wonderland in the 1920s by local boosters ephraim p.

The hardest part of the trail is at the beginning but the kids shouldn t have any trouble after the first 1 4 mile. 1 of 8 view caption. One of the best things to do in the park is to drive the capitol reef scenic drive. 7 best hikes in capitol reef national park.

Stopping to smell the flowers or in this case stopping to pick some fruit. In the fruita area there are fifteen day hiking trails with trailheads located along utah highway 24 and the scenic drive. Jason bergreen tribune file photo a hiker winds down the frying pan trail toward cohab canyon in capitol reef. Family friendly trail and one of the best hikes in capitol reef national park.

Capitol reef national park offers exceptional hiking trails through a wide variety of terrain. Capitol reef national park is located in south central utah. The strenuous golden throne trail offers views of impressive rock formations and capitol gorge. After you ve had a hike or two to start your day stop by fruita to roam the u pick orchards or grab a baked pie from the gifford homestead.

This paved road is 7 9 miles long one way and takes you past some of the most stunning scenery in the park. The trail gradually gains elevation to a loop at the top of the cliff that will get you to hickman natural bridge. The park established in 1971 preserves 378 mi 979 km and is open all year although may through september are the most popular months. It is less busy than the rest of them and has more of an overall wow factor than the other parks in utah.

Slot canyons here rival the famous canyon hikes in zion national park only you ll see far fewer people here. Capitol reef national park has a natural sense of slowing down. To drive the scenic drive you will have to pay a 20 fee. Alas despite wishful thinking your average visitor to capitol reef is not likely to research dozens of hikes before arriving.

Below we share the best hikes in capitol reef national park and a few other things to do while you visit. The canyon followed the meander bends of the powerful rivers that had carved the canyon and the left side of the gorge was in blessed shade while the right side was bathed in warm sunlight if you are heading to capitol reef national park this is one hiking trail that is well worth all your efforts to get out of your car and hike over. Capitol reef scenic drive. It is 100 miles 160 km long but fairly narrow.

These trails offer the hiker a wide variety of options from easy strolls over level ground to strenuous hikes involving steep climbs over. Hickman capitol reef national park protects colorful.