Behunin Cabin

• Imagine homesteading this area with your family. Would more children make it easier? Elijah Cutler Behunin, his wife Tabitha Jane, and their 13 children lived in this cabin and the alcove above for just one year.

Bentonite Hills

• The Bentonite Hills are softly rounded, large hills of various shades of gray, red, maroon, brown, and green. High clearance 4-wheel drive is usually necessary to access them, and sometimes the road is impassable.

Capitol Dome

• Capitol Dome is part of why Capitol Reef has its name. The rounded dome resembled various capitol buildings, including the one in Washington D.C. It is easy to view from the Hickman Bridge Trailhead.

Capitol Reef East Entrance Wayside

Capitol Reef National Park's Scenic Drive

• The nearly 8 mile winding Scenic Drive is a great way to see and experience Capitol Reef National Park.

Capitol Reef Orchards

• The orchards that lie within a mile or two of the visitor center are evident remains of the pioneer community of Fruita, settled in 1880. Many varieties of heirloom fruit are available for harvest by visitors in season.

Capitol Reef West Entrance Pulloff

Cathedral Valley

• The Cathedral District of Capitol Reef is remote and rugged. A high clearance vehicle is required and occasionally 4 wheel drive as well. Check at the visitor center, or call 435-425-3791 for road conditions.

Fluted Wall Viewpoint

Fruita Schoolhouse

• Visit the Fruita Schoolhouse, and imagine what life was like for a pioneer child in this rural corner of Utah.

Gifford House

• The Gifford House lies in the heart of the Fruita valley and depicts the typical spartan nature of rural Utah farm homes of the early 1900s. Today, the home is open seasonally, as a small sales outlet.

Gypsum Sinkhole

• The Gypsum Sinkhole is about 200 feet deep and was formed by water dissolving the gypsum, leaving a large cavity. The rock is very soft, stay back from the edge.

Jackson Orchard

Lesley Morrell Line Cabin

• The Lesley Morrell Line Cabin provides a glimpse into the ranching past of Capitol Reef National Park. Access requires a high clearance vehicle. Check road conditions and weather before attempting.

Lower Spring Canyon Trailhead

Max Krueger Orchard

Merin Smith Implement Shed

• Fruita resident Merin Smith built this shed in 1925 as a workshop, blacksmith shop, and garage. The objects in the shed illustrate what life would have been like in Fruita during that time period.

Mormon Pioneer National Heritage Area

• The Mormon Pioneer National Heritage Area preserves the natural, historical, and cultural heritage legacies and contributions of Mormon settlement in the West. The heritage area accomplishes this through community-led efforts to connect with the past by telling the Mormon pioneer story.

Navajo Dome Viewpoint

Oxbow Waterfall

Panorama Point

• Visit Panorama Point to see sweeping vistas of red rock cliffs.

Petroglyph Panel

• View ancient rock markings carved by the Fremont Culture people who inhabited this area from 300-1300 Common Era (CE).

Pioneer Register

• Take a short hike in Capitol Gorge to see the historic Pioneer Register where early explorers and pioneers carved their names into the cliff wall. It is illegal to deface, vandalize, or add your own name to the Register.

Scenic Drive Stop 1

• Capitol Reef’s sedimentary rock layers tell us stories from Earth’s ancient past.

Scenic Drive Stop 10

• Why is it called “Capitol Reef?”

Scenic Drive Stop 11

• The Capitol Gorge trail features natural pools of water and markings from early pioneers and travelers.

Scenic Drive Stop 2

• What is the Waterpocket Fold? The tilted cliffs along the Scenic Drive are part of this massive wrinkle in the Earth’s crust.

Scenic Drive Stop 3

• Ancient environments determine today’s rock types and colors.

Scenic Drive Stop 4

• Erosion changes the landscape, from small holes in the cliff, to huge natural arches.

Scenic Drive Stop 5

• What are those long black streaks striping the cliff walls?

Scenic Drive Stop 6

• Juniper trees showcase dark, twisting bark and light blue berries.

Scenic Drive Stop 7

• Summer monsoon season brings heavy rain and flash flooding to Capitol Reef. The torrents of water can be spectacularly beautiful, but also deadly.

Scenic Drive Stop 8

• The incredible, edible pinyon pine helps many species survive in a harsh desert environment.

Scenic Drive Stop 9

• Desert bighorn sheep are often spotted in Capitol Gorge along narrow cliff ledges.

Sulphur Creek Trailhead

Temple of the Sun and Temple of the Moon

• The Temples of the Sun and Moon in Cathedral Valley are large monoliths of Entrada Sandstone. High clearance 4-wheel drive is usually necessary to access them, and sometimes the roads in Cathedral Valley are impassable.

The Castle Viewpoint

Twin Rocks Viewpoint

Waterpocket District

• The Waterpocket District of Capitol Reef is rugged and remote. Road conditions vary, a high clearance vehicle is usually needed. Check at the visitor center, or call 435-425-3791 for road conditions.

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