National park

Capitol Reef National Park

Capitol Reef in Utah is built around the Waterpocket Fold. The Fruita Campground is booked in advance all year, and generators are restricted to one loop.

State: Utah
Established: 1971
Best season: Spring, fall
Length: Waterpocket Fold, nearly 100 mi (160 km)
Nearest town: Torrey

Before you go

All 65 sites at Fruita Campground must be reserved in advance through Recreation.gov. There are no first-come, first-served sites.
Fruita has no individual water or sewer hookups. A dump station and a water fill station are near the entrance to Loops A and B.
From March 1 through Thanksgiving weekend, generators are allowed only in Loop C and only in set time windows.

Camping

Fruita Campground has 65 reservable sites and is booked through Recreation.gov all year. Loops A and B are open year-round, while Loop C is open from March 1 to the end of November. There are no individual water or sewer hookups. Three accessible sites have electricity for required medical devices only. The stay limit is 14 days from March 1 to November 30 and 30 days in winter.

Getting around

Highway 24 is paved and crosses the park from east to west. The Scenic Drive is a paved route of about 7.9 miles (about 12.7 km) through the park's center. Cathedral Valley, in the north, is reached by unpaved road. Torrey, the nearest town, is about 11 miles (about 18 km) west of the visitor center. Check road conditions with the park before you leave paved roads.

FAQs

Can I arrive without a reservation and find a site?

Not at Fruita Campground. All sites are reservable in advance through Recreation.gov all year, and there are no first-come, first-served sites. Look for alternatives outside the park if it is full.

Can I run a generator at Fruita?

From March 1 through Thanksgiving weekend, generators are permitted only in Loop C, during short morning and evening windows. Check the posted hours with the park.

How long is the Scenic Drive?

The paved Scenic Drive is about 7.9 miles (about 12.7 km) long and runs from the visitor center area toward Capitol Gorge. Two unpaved spur roads, Grand Wash and Capitol Gorge, branch off; check their condition with the park first.

Places to see

Nature

Hickman Bridge Trail

A 3 km return trail in Capitol Reef climbs to a 40 m natural bridge above the Fremont River. The trailhead…

Torrey, UT

Nature