This is page 2 of the article. To start at the beginning, click here.
1. Hickman Bridge Trail
Hickman Bridge is a stunning 133-foot natural bridge (arch) nestled in a beautiful canyon with stunning views of the Capitol Dome and various interesting rock formations on top of the canyon walls. The vista in front of you as you are hiking is unparalleled, and the Bridge at the end is massive.
What You Need to Know
This trail is 1.8 miles round trip and pets are not permitted.
Travel along the top of the slickrock for amazing views of the surrounding formations. When you get to the bridge, continue hiking the short loop that travels around it.
This trail gains about 400 feet of elevation, giving it a moderate rating. Most hikers will have no problem completing this trail!
Getting Here
From Torrey, travel east on Highway 24 for 11 miles, at which point you will see the Visitor Center. Stay on the highway, passing the turnoff to the Visitor Center. Shortly after passing the Visitor Center, you will see a small parking area for the Fruita Schoolhouse. Pass the turnouts for the Schoolhouse and the Petroglyph Panel. The Hickman Bridge Trailhead is the next turnout on the left.
2. Panorama Point
Admire the fantastic rock layers that make this park so unique! From up here, enjoy pleasant views of the park that stretch for miles and miles.
What You Need to Know
To get to Panorama Point, take the short, paved pathway that leaves from the parking area. When you get to the top, soak in the stunning views of the Waterpocket Fold!
Pets are not permitted on this trail.
Getting Here
From Torrey, take Highway 24 east for approximately 9 miles. Panorama Point is on the right side of the road, just past the Chimney Rock Trailhead.
3. Goosenecks Overlook
The Goosenecks is an area of Sulphur Creek that serpentines through the very gorge it has eroded over thousands of years. The creek is beautiful, the cliffs are intimidating, and the view is unmatched!
What You Need to Know
This viewpoint is right on the edge of the cliff, perched high above the narrow canyon below. Guardrails keep you safe, but the drop-off can be a little unnerving.
The trail to the Overlook is 0.2 miles round trip.
Getting Here
From Torrey, take Highway 24 east for 9 miles and turn right onto the Panorama Point/Goosenecks Overlook Road. Take a left at the Panorama Point parking area and travel on a dirt road for 1 mile. The parking area for the Goosenecks is at the end of this road, and the trail starts at the far end of the parking lot.
4. Sunset Point Trail
Gaze at the Waterpocket Fold, the unique upheaval of land that prompted the protection of Capitol Reef! The formations along this fold go for miles and miles (about 100 miles actually), and this viewpoint gives you the opportunity to appreciate the vastness of the park.
What You Need to Know
Although the Sunset Point Trail shares a parking lot with the Goosenecks Overlook, the two activities do not share the same trailhead. To access Sunset Point, take the marked trail from the left side of the parking area as you enter from the dirt road. Do not try to access Sunset Point from the Goosenecks Overlook Trail.
This trail has very little shade, and water is not available. It is 0.8 miles round trip, and pets are not permitted.
Getting Here
Follow the directions above for the Goosenecks Overlook to get to the parking area. The trail is well-marked and starts on the left side of the parking lot.
5. Historic Fruita
Explore this gorgeous area that was settled in the 1880s by the Mormon pioneers! A small schoolhouse, an old homestead, and thousands of fruit trees still stand here on the banks of the life-giving Fremont River.
What You Need to Know
Have fun learning about the settlers of this area and their way of life in this historic district of the park.
Peek into the old schoolhouse, devour a delicious piece of pie and the Gifford House, and stroll through the orchards that still produce fruit (if you time it right, you can take some home with you)!
Getting Here
From Torrey, travel 11 miles east on Highway 24. Turn right toward the Visitor Center and continue along that road for another mile to reach the Gifford House and Museum.
6. Drive a Backroad
In this park, paved roads can only get you so far! Consider driving a more primitive route to reach some of the best scenery in the area.
What You Need to Know
Several dirt roads travel through the less-visited areas of the park, including the Cathedral Valley District or the Waterpocket District. Both areas boast unparalleled views and indescribable beauty!
If you’re feeling adventurous, head off on one of these dirt road experiences. Choose your route carefully…often a 4×4 vehicle is required. Read more about the Loop-the-Fold Driving Route or the Cathedral Valley Driving Route, make your choice, and then be sure to stop at the Visitor Center for current conditions before you go.
If you want to rent a Jeep to explore the park, contact Capitol Reef Jeep Rentals. They are the only option in the area if you’re hoping to go out on your own, but we were pleased with the Jeep we rented from them!
Getting Here
Start at the Visitor Center to make sure conditions are favorable for your drive.
Click NEXT for stops 7 – 12 (including an arch you can stand on top of!)
I love your itineraries and articles. Thank you! I’m wondering if anyone can give me information about the parking lot at Hickman Bridge Trail. Is there possibly room for an RV towing a vehicle? We will be there in early April. Thanks!
There is an area of the parking lot for larger vehicles. Spots are limited, but they are available for that trailhead!
I didn’t see the Grand Wash hike listed. What are your thoughts on this trail versus the others you listed?
It’s nice! You’ll hike a portion of it if you hike to Cassidy Arch :)
Hey Ash,
Love everything about the Dirt In My Shoes website – so helpful! Planning on being in Capital Reef in June 2022 with my family (kids are 16 down to 10). We’re definitely planning on doing the Sulphur Creek hike, but if you had to pick one more between Cassidy Arch and Hickman Bridge what would you say???
Thanks,
Joe
I personally prefer Cassidy Arch because it’s so unique to be on top of the arch instead of underneath!
it is the best of the mighty five we visited this May. We loved every bit of it, we bought mugs and aprons to keep our memory. Capitol Reef we will come back for more!!!
That’s awesome! It’s my favorite Utah park as well!
I LOVE your itineraries! Thank you for the work you do! We are planning on going in August of this year, but I just learned I have to work very late on the day we were supposed to arrive. I’m wondering if there is a night hike you suggest. Is there anything you suggest to maximize our time and save our short trip? :)
Thanks Emily! I’d pick a hike that is well-defined…it’s easy to get lost in the dark while you’re hiking on slickrock. Something like Hickman Bridge would work well!
We just got back from Capitol Reef, had a great time. Stunning scenery. We were there for a day and a half. Cassidy Arch, Hickman Bridge, the Castle and Chimney Rock everything was great. We left there to go to Moab. Never realized we could have taken a side trip to the Temple’s sounds like a second trip is in order. Thanks for a wonderful article.
Of course! I’m glad you enjoyed Capitol Reef!
Hi,
What a great article! I am already looking forward to our trip next year. For the jeep rental, did you call in advance or did you just walk up and hired one the day you were planning to do the Cathedral Valley loop?
You’ll want to call in advance…they are a small operation and don’t have many jeeps to rent out!
Great article! I am excited to visit this summer! We will only have an afternoon and evening there unfortunately. . How much of your list do you think we could squeeze into that short amount of time? Which hikes would you prioritize if we only had time for 1 or 2 hikes? It all sounds wonderful! We will have our 3 kids with us–ages 13, 10, 10. Thanks!
You should be able to get to a couple of things, though that’s only enough time to scratch the surface. Hickman Bridge is a great hike. Kids also tend to love the secret hike. The Scenic Drive to Capitol Gorge is a must-do as well. Have a great time!
Best article I’ve read on this park. Great info!
Thanks Tim! I appreciate the feedback. Enjoy your trip!
Thank you! I always check out your page before we head to a new National Park. We will be here in a few weeks and your suggestions are greatly appreciated!
Thanks so much Angela…that means a lot! Have a fabulous time in the park!
Do you know if dogs are permitted on the secret hike? We are going this weekend and it just dawned on me that we do not have pet coverage. The hotel allows dogs but not sure if our 12-pounder is allowed on this trail. I will phone the visitor center as well.
They are not. You can read the park’s pet policy here: https://www.nps.gov/care/planyourvisit/pets.htm
Have a great trip!
This is my favorite article on Capitol Reef so far, and I have read many, so thank you!! We only have one day in Capitol Reef in Oct of this year. What should we prioritize? We will be there as early as 6:00 am and probably won’t leave until dark to catch the night sky before heading to Bryce Canyon. We plan on doing some heavy hiking this day!!! Thanks in advance!!
Hey Johnna,
I would work your way through as much of this list as you can! You’ll hit all the main points of interest and see some beautiful views…really get a taste of what Capitol Reef is all about. Then, when you come back, you can tackle some longer trails or backcountry roads!
Have a fabulous time,
Ash
Thank you for this list of things to do in a Capital Reef, it was very informative and helpful. We had a lot of younger kids with us and your list helped us determine which hikes we could go on with them!
Thank you for your feedback. I’m glad you had such a great time!
Is there a road through the park that we can see things from the car? My husband can’t hike.
The Scenic Drive near the campground is a good option for that. It’s not very long, but the scenery is beautiful!
Hi! Question on sulphur creek. If we start on the Visitor Center side of the trail… I know we would get to a waterfall in .7 miles. What is the mileage to the next 2 waterfalls (from this direction)? I will not have 2 cars so will probably to an out and back from the visitor center but trying to determine how far to go to see the best of the trail? Thoughts? Thank you!!
The best of the trail is between the 1st and 3rd waterfalls, so after you climb up the waterfall closest to the visitor center, you’ll be in a gorgeous area {be aware that climbing up that waterfall can be a challenge}. Between the 3 waterfalls is probably around 2.5 or 3 miles…that’s the section I’d do!
I really enjoy the way you talk about these places it is obvious that you enjoy what you do, a lot of other sites are to cut and dried like they are reading it out of a book. I’m very glad that there is someone out there like yourself that can give us a vision of what we can see thank you very much
Thank you! I really appreciate that!
Agree!
We had a conference in Park City to start out. We traveled down to Capitol Reef and essentially had two days there before flying out of Salt Lake. What an excursion it was, we saw 10 of your 12 things. What helped us was a narrarated 4 hour Jeep tour by a native named Aaron. We saw and learned so much. It was breathtaking; perhaps that is why we had to turn back in our independent late day climb to Hickman bridge. We did see the night sky and the Capitol Reef Resort has large fire pits near the Tee Pees. This is truly goods country! Worth more than two days that’s for sure!
I’m glad you had such a great time! This park is often overlooked, but there are so many amazing things to see and do — thanks for sharing your experience!
Went there with my daughter over spring break 2018. While everybody was mobbing Zion Natl Park, we had a great time at Capitol Reef with just a few people around. We took the 100-mile loop down the Waterpocket fold, up the Burr Trail Switchbacks, Grand Escalante, and back up through Boulder. We also hiked about 8 miles that day on a few different jaunts. Nothing planned, just stopped at any trailhead that looked interesting. Great place, we loved it. Night sky was great, it was clear with more stars than I’ve ever seen.
This June, I’m going to swing over to Great Basin National Park. I’ve never been there and stumbled on the park website by accident. You should check it out and do a blog post on that. It looks awesome! I want to check out the stars at 10,000 feet there.
Very cool! That’s an area of Utah I’d like to explore more fully for sure. There’s so much to do there!
Great Basin is amazing…the night sky…WOW. That’s another place I need to go back to. I’d love to hear about your favorites stops after you go!
Well, I have been there but we only did a few of these, now we will know for next time. Plus, I have to get in better shape to do some of these! I still enjoyed Capitol Reef though, so beautiful!
I’m glad you made it out to Capitol Reef….not many people do!
Great post, Ash! I loved visiting Capitol Reef. We just did a quick drive through and hiked to a good viewpoint for chimney rock, but I’m hoping to be back soon! I wish more people knew about this place. :)
Very cool! I actually haven’t done the Chimney Rock trail. I am conflicted…I want to tell people about Capitol Reef because I love it so much, but at the same time it is so nice to not have the crowds!