Captivating Capitol Reef: Full-Day Audio Driving Private Tour

It’s a good idea to make sure you’ve got all the supplies you need for the tour before you leave town. Torrey has the last gas stations you’ll see until you reach Hanksville. There are also several picnic opportunities inside the park so now’s the time to stock up on food and water.

Chimney Rock is the first rock formation on the tour as well as the first hiking opportunity. Chimney Rock Loop Trail is a strenuous 3.6 mile hike that climbs 590 feet in elevation. But at the top, you’re rewarded with a stunning panoramic view from atop the Mummy Cliffs. There’s no need to wear yourself out right away, though. There will be plenty of hiking opportunities throughout the day. Consider coming back and doing this one later as the views get even better at sunset. 

If you don’t plan on doing any serious hiking today, don’t fret! There are several great viewpoints that don’t require miles of walking to enjoy. Panorama Point offers a great view just a few feet from your car.

The views just don’t stop coming! A short and easy 600-foot walk from your car will take you to Goosenecks Overlook with views over Sulphur Creek and beyond. Just try to imagine a time when the creek was at the same elevation as you before it eroded the rock and dug down some 600 feet to where it is today. Once you’ve soaked in that view, there’s a second vantage point just a little further away called Sunset Point. As the name might suggest, views here at sunset are simply incredible. 

You’ll pass two more named rock formations on the way to the Visitor Center. Feel free to stop in the turnouts near each for photos or drive directly to the Visitor Center. Here you can view the exhibits and watch a brief film about the park. Don’t miss this opportunity to speak with a park ranger. Ask about any ranger-led activities for the day like a geology lesson or night sky presentation. 

As you leave the Visitor Center, you’ll find yourself driving through the historic Fruita Orchards. Planted well over 100 years ago by Mormon settlers, the orchards are still producing fruit which you can pick and eat today! Please be sure to follow the orchard rules and regulations. An easy place to park to enjoy the orchards is the Ripple Rock Nature Center. If you have kids and you’re visiting during the summer, the Nature Center has programs and activities your children are sure to enjoy. 

The Gifford home offers exhibits detailing what life was like in historic Fruita. They also serve up some fresh pies, made from fruit harvested in the Fruita orchards. 

The Scenic Drive is a 7.9 mile road showcasing fantastic sights. There are also two unpaved spur roads that branch off into canyons. Don’t worry, normal passenger cars will do just fine—unless the park has closed the roads due to weather. Flash floods are a real danger. If you see storm clouds, think twice before entering any canyons. Be mindful of the speed limit and take your time on these roads. Entry to the Scenic Drive costs $20 per car. 

The spur roads at Capitol Reef offer the chance to see some spectacular geology by car and on foot. Grand Wash spur road ends at the trailhead for Grand Wash trail and Cassidy Arch trail. Grand Wash is an easy hike over flat ground that passes through narrow canyon walls. Cassidy Arch is a strenuous hike that rises over 400 feet up to the top of Cassidy Arch, named for Butch Cassidy himself. A turnout along the road also offers a view of Cassidy Arch. There are additional stops at abandoned uranium mines and Echo Cliff where, you guessed it, you can hear your echo!  

The Scenic Drive ends at the entrance to Capitol Gorge. This is a much longer and winding spur road than Grand Wash. Once again there will be hiking opportunities at the end and I highly recommend you take Capitol Gorge trail, at least a little ways in. A 5-10 minute walk will take you to ancient petroglyphs left by the Fremont culture who lived in the area hundreds of years ago. Another 10-15 minutes further and you can see the Pioneer Register where pioneers and settlers carved their names into the rocks. From there you can continue to The Tanks - large divots in the sandstone that collect water and create micro-ecosystems. You can also hike to a viewpoint of Golden Throne, an impressive mountain peak just north of the gorge. 

A visit to Fruita isn’t complete without a stop at the Fruita schoolhouse. Peak inside while looking back in time to when a 12 year old girl was the first and only school teacher in the village!

Right down the road from the schoolhouse are more petroglyphs. These are in much better shape than the ones in Capitol Gorge. Walk the two short wooden walkways to see the images etched into stone. You can see human figures, animals, and geometric patterns. What kinds of animals can you make out?

These stops are really piling up on top of each other, aren’t they? Pull into a small parking lot here for views of Capitol Dome, where half of the name Capitol Reef comes from. The other half, the “reef,”comes from the raised portion of the waterpocket fold which reminded early pioneers of impassable reefs in the ocean. From this parking lot you can also take several hikes, including Rim Overlook, Navajo Knobs, and Hickman Bridge which gives you views of two more natural arches. 

The Behunin cabin is a small sandstone structure that once housed a family of 15. Most of the children had to sleep outside - the girls in the wagon and the boys in a sandstone alcove behind the cabin. Talk about roughing it!

From atop a hill near some primitive camping sites, this is a terrific view of the Waterpocket Fold from the east. From here, you can really see the steep angle at which the land rose. At times, the rock layers are nearly 45 degrees to the horizon. This is a must-see view as we head east and leave the Waterpocket Fold behind. 

This is an optional stop but recommended if you have time. There isn’t all that much left to see on the way to Hanksville but we’ve got plenty of fascinating stories to share if you’re interested. The town of Notom, now not much more than a ghost town, used to be a thriving community much like Fruita. Here you can visit a rather curious and unique historical marker as well as the grave of yet another of the Behunin children. 

If you didn’t have a picnic lunch at the park, you might be pretty hungry by this point! If you started your tour at 8:00 am and you’re here on the right day, consider stopping for a bite to eat at Mesa Farm Market. It’s local and organic!

Factory Butte stands solitary and beautiful. Don’t miss this awesome viewpoint! If you’re feeling adventurous and you’re driving an appropriate vehicle, consider driving a little further north for Moonscape Overlook. But, a word of warning: plan ahead if leaving the recommended route as many of the roads in the area, even inside the park, require high clearance 4-wheel-drive vehicles. 

Many prospectors staked claims for gold, silver, copper, and more in this area. Few were as ambitious as Ewin T. Wolverton who built his mill in 1921. The Wolverton Mill, located just a half-mile of route 24, is unique in the area both for its design and its multifunction as a lumber mill and gold ore processor.