Two Days in Capitol Reef: Arches, Orchards & the Fold
One park, a 100-mile wrinkle in the earth, and almost no crowds.
Two days through Utah's most underrated national park: the Scenic Drive into Capitol Gorge, Grand Wash and Cassidy Arch, Hickman Bridge, the Fruita orchards, and pie at the Gifford House.
“I’ve requested to book a Chain Lakes Loop guide on ExplorOFF, and it was the best idea ever! I highly recommend going with their guided option since you get a real human connection on the trail and don’t have to worry about a thing. Yulia was great to talk to!”
10 stops on a real mapEvery stop pinned in order→Every stop is a real pin, in order.
Fruita, the Scenic Drive & the Waterpocket Fold · South-Central Utah
Every stop on this trip, in order, opens as one driving route in the Google Maps app. No copying addresses across one at a time.
5 of the stops on these 2 days.
Plan and book your 2 days in Capitol Reef, one step at a time
How 2 days in Capitol Reef split up
Capitol Reef National Park protects the Waterpocket Fold, a nearly 100-mile wrinkle in the earth where the land buckled and tilted into a long ridge of red cliffs, domes, and slot-like canyons. It is the least-visited of Utah's Mighty Five, which means you can hike the narrows and arches here with a fraction of the crowds you would fight at Zion or Arches.
Day 1: The Scenic Drive · Capitol Gorge, the Tanks & Grand Wash
5 stops · Day one
Day 2: Cassidy Arch, Hickman Bridge & the Fruita district
5 stops · Day two
The Scenic Drive · Capitol Gorge, the Tanks & Grand Wash
Start at the visitor center on Highway 24, pay the small Scenic Drive fee, and head south on the paved Scenic Drive (about 8 miles one way), which runs along the base of the towering red cliffs of the Waterpocket Fold. Near the end the pavement gives way to a graded dirt spur into Capitol Gorge, a deep, narrow canyon you can walk on a flat trail (about 2 miles round trip) past the Pioneer Register, where 19th-century travelers carved their names, and up a short side scramble to the Tanks, natural waterpockets in the slickrock.
Not the order you want? Drag a stop, or use the arrows beside it. Stops move between days too.
- Drive from
~3.5 hr · or ~5 hr from Las Vegas · DriveCapitol Reef sits in south-central Utah. Plan on roughly 3.5 hours from Salt Lake City (SLC) or about 5 hours from Las Vegas (LAS). The last stretch on Highway 24 is scenic but remote, so fuel up in Torrey and grab any supplies before you reach the park.
Capitol Reef Scenic Drive~8 mi paved · small fee · red cliffs · DrivePay the small Scenic Drive fee at the visitor center and head south on the paved Scenic Drive (about 8 miles one way), running along the base of the towering red cliffs of the Waterpocket Fold. Near the end the pavement gives way to graded dirt spurs into Capitol Gorge and Grand Wash.
Capitol Gorge & the Tanks~2 mi RT · flat · Pioneer Register · HikeFrom the end of the dirt spur, walk the flat Capitol Gorge trail (about 2 miles round trip) into a deep, narrow canyon. You pass the Pioneer Register, where 19th-century travelers carved their names, with a short side scramble up to the Tanks, natural waterpockets in the slickrock. It is a wash, so check the flood forecast first.
- Grand Wash
~4.5 mi RT · flat · narrow canyon · HikeOn the way back, turn up the Grand Wash spur and walk the wash itself (about 4.5 miles round trip, flat), where the canyon pinches down to a dramatic narrows between sheer walls. It is one of the easiest narrows hikes anywhere, but it is a wash, so check the flash-flood forecast and do not enter if storms are around.
Ken Lund from Reno, Ne / CC BY-SA 2.0Stay in TorreyGateway town · hotels, gas & food · lodgeBase in Torrey, just west of the park entrance on Highway 24, which has most of the area's hotels, restaurants, and gas and sits only a few minutes from Fruita. For the full experience you can instead camp at Fruita in the orchards if you can land a reservation through recreation.gov.
Cassidy Arch, Hickman Bridge & the Fruita district
Start early with the day's big hike. From the Grand Wash trailhead, climb the steep Cassidy Arch trail (about 3.4 miles round trip), which switchbacks up the canyon wall to a viewpoint where you stand level with, and can walk out on top of, a large arch named for the outlaw Butch Cassidy, who is said to have hidden out in these canyons. If you want more, the Cohab Canyon trail (about 3.4 miles) climbs from Fruita to hidden side canyons and overlooks above the campground.
Not the order you want? Drag a stop, or use the arrows beside it. Stops move between days too.
- Cassidy Arch
~3.4 mi RT · steep · stand atop the arch · HikeStart early with the day's big hike. From the Grand Wash trailhead, the Cassidy Arch trail (about 3.4 miles round trip) switchbacks steeply up the canyon wall to a viewpoint where you stand level with, and can walk out on top of, a large arch named for the outlaw Butch Cassidy. Carry water and watch your footing on the slickrock.
- Hickman Bridge
~1.8 mi RT · easy-moderate · 133-ft bridge · HikeDrive a few minutes east on Highway 24 to the Hickman Bridge trail (about 1.8 miles round trip), an easy-to-moderate climb to a huge 133-foot natural bridge you can walk right under. It is one of the most rewarding short hikes in the park and a Capitol Reef classic.
Hwy 24 petroglyph panelsBoardwalk · Fremont rock art · ViewpointStop at the Highway 24 petroglyph boardwalk to see panels of Fremont-culture rock art pecked high on the cliff face. It is a quick, flat boardwalk stroll between the bigger hikes and a window into the people who lived in the Fold long before the pioneers.
- Fruita orchards & Gifford House
Pioneer orchards · pie & cinnamon rolls · ViewpointWrap up in the Fruita historic district, a green Mormon pioneer settlement beneath the red cliffs. Tour the orchards and pick cherries, apricots, peaches, or apples when they are in season, then buy a slice of pie and a cinnamon roll at the historic Gifford House before it sells out for the day.
Ken Lund from Reno, Ne / CC BY-SA 2.0Sunset Point & Goosenecks OverlookTwo short walks · big canyon views · ViewpointFinish with two short walks off Highway 24: Goosenecks Overlook, looking down on the tight bends of Sulphur Creek far below, and Sunset Point, a quick stroll to a wide view of the Waterpocket Fold glowing at golden hour. Both are easy and well worth the few extra minutes.
Book the 1 night
Beds near the trailheads are the one thing on this trip that genuinely runs out. Everything else can be decided later.
Tell us your dates and we will do the calling. We check every booking site, put your points and card perks against the cash price, and email you this plan back with the best room we can find for each night. Nothing is charged and you decide at the end.
Request to bookWhat to pack for Capitol Reef
Built from this route, not a generic list. Every line says why it is here.
On every day of this trip
On your feet
Because you are sleeping indoors
For the driving days
Specific to Capitol Reef
What we actually learned in the Fold.
Most of the park is free
Capitol Reef does not charge a standard entrance fee. The one paid section is the Scenic Drive, about $20 per vehicle for 7 days, and that is covered by the annual America the Beautiful pass. Everything along Highway 24, including Hickman Bridge and the Fruita orchards, is free.
Always check the flash-flood forecast
Many of the best hikes here run through washes and narrows: Grand Wash, Capitol Gorge, and the Cathedral Valley drainages. Flash floods can fill a wash with no rain falling where you stand. Check the forecast at the visitor center and never enter a narrows when storms are anywhere in the area.
Hike early in the heat
Summer days get hot in this exposed red-rock country, and there is little shade on Cassidy Arch or the slickrock routes. Start hikes at first light, carry at least a liter of water per person per hour of hiking, and save the afternoon for the orchards and shaded overlooks.
Fruita Campground books up fast
The Fruita Campground sits right in the historic orchards and is the only developed campground in the park. It is reservation-based through recreation.gov for spring and fall and fills quickly. If it is full, base in Torrey just west of the park.
Cathedral Valley is a 4x4-only loop
The remote Cathedral Valley loop is one of the most dramatic drives in Utah, but it is an advanced backcountry route that needs a high-clearance 4x4 and crosses the Fremont River at a ford. Conditions change with weather. Only attempt it well-prepared, and check road status with a ranger first.
Base in Torrey or camp at Fruita
Torrey, just west of the park entrance on Highway 24, has most of the area's hotels, restaurants, and gas. It makes an easy base a few minutes from Fruita. For the full experience, camp at Fruita in the orchards if you can land a site.
Do not overload day one
It runs about 3.5 hours from Salt Lake City to Capitol Reef, and stacking both Capitol Gorge and Grand Wash on top of that drive makes for a very long, tiring first day. If you arrive late, walk one wash that afternoon and save the other for the next morning, or trim Capitol Gorge to the Pioneer Register and skip the scramble up to the Tanks. An early start, or a first night in Torrey on arrival, takes the pressure off.
Time the Gifford House pie
The pies and cinnamon rolls are baked in small batches and often sell out by midday. On your second morning, buy one when the doors open, around 8 AM, and stash it in a cooler in the car. Then enjoy it after Cassidy Arch instead of counting on anything being left in the afternoon.
Everything you'll actually want to know.
Capitol Reef itinerary: the questions people ask most.
Two days is a great fit for a Capitol Reef itinerary. That gives you one day for the Scenic Drive with Capitol Gorge, the Tanks, and Grand Wash, and a second day for Cassidy Arch, Hickman Bridge, and the Fruita historic district with its orchards and petroglyphs. If you want to add the remote Cathedral Valley loop, budget a third full day and a high-clearance 4x4.
We'll find the cheapest way to do this trip.
Tell us your dates and we price the plan you just built: every booking site, the hotels direct, and your own points and card perks against the cash price. You get it back by email with a link for each night and what it saved you.
- It is free. The hotel pays us, not you. You pay their normal price.
- Nothing is charged and nothing is held. You decide at the end, or you walk away.
- Beds near trailheads are the part that runs out. Everything else can wait.
The figures below are estimates from local nightly rates, so you know the ballpark before you ask. The real number comes back once we have checked what is free.
- 1 night, a campsite near Torrey
1 × $22$22
- 1 night, a room in Torrey
from $112 a nightfrom $112
Yulia, ExplorOFF founder★★★★★5.0 from 20+ guided tripsGoogleAirbnbFrom$1,4202 people, 1 night- Everything in Glamped, plus a local guide
- Airport pickup, every drive, all the gear
- Weather turns, they rewrite the day
Written and walked by Yulia Vasilyeva · Co-founder · Lead planner and guide
Three years leading guided hikes in the Pacific Northwest, rated 5.0 by 20+ verified guests, and she builds every custom itinerary herself. Based in Seattle.
Booking Capitol Reef
Everything below is booked with the operators direct. We earn a commission on some of them, which is what keeps the itineraries free to read.
You might also love these
More itineraries and hiking guides across the parks.
Bryce Canyon Itinerary
The hoodoo amphitheater, the Navajo Loop and Queens Garden, and the best rim and sunrise viewpoints.
Canyonlands Needles Backpacking
Spires, slickrock, and the best backcountry loops through the Needles district of Canyonlands.
Grand Canyon South Rim
The classic South Rim viewpoints, the Bright Angel and South Kaibab trails, and how to plan your days.
What adventurers say about us.
All reviews are from verified guests. ★★★★★ 5.0 average from 20+ bookings.
"Felt like going out with a really knowledgeable friend who just happens to know everything about the area. No awkward tour-guide energy, just a magnificent day."
"Yulia is an incredible guide. She knew every trail, every viewpoint, and exactly how to pace the day for our group. The photos she took of us were stunning. 100% booking again."
"I was visiting Seattle solo and this was the best decision I made on the trip. Yulia picked me up, had snacks, and took us to a trail I never would have found on my own. Absolute must-do."
"We did this as a couple's trip and it was perfect. Yulia adapted everything to us, our pace, our interests, our photo obsession. The mountain views were unreal."
"Phenomenal experience. Yulia has deep local knowledge and a real passion for the outdoors. She went out of her way to show us the hidden gems tourists never see. Will remember this forever."
"I've done a few guided hikes and this was by far the best. Yulia is warm, funny, and genuinely expert. The trail she chose had the most insane wildflower bloom, we got so lucky."
Fees, reservation windows, shuttle dates and trail closures are planning estimates. Confirm hours, road status and any reservations with the land manager before you go.
What other travelers are saying
Be the first to leave a tip or question for the next traveler.
Was this helpful?
One tap. It goes straight to Yulia and Margarita.
You can't hike it if you can't get the permit.
The best hikes in America run on lotteries that open once a year and sell out in minutes. Every trail runs on its own calendar. Pick the ones you want and we do the watching.
Denali Road LotteryDenali NP · AKActivityReservationfair odds
El Tovar HotelGrand Canyon South Rim · ArizonaLodgeReservationbrutal odds
Grand Canyon BackcountryGrand Canyon NP · ArizonaBackcountryReservationfair odds
Grand Canyon raftingColorado River · ArizonaActivityLotterybrutal odds
Havasu FallsHavasu Canyon · ArizonaLodgeReservationbrutal odds
Phantom RanchGrand Canyon NP · ArizonaLodgeLotterybrutal odds
The WaveCoyote Buttes North · Arizona / UtahPermitLotterybrutal odds
Half Dome CablesYosemite NP · CaliforniaPermitOpens Mar 1fair odds
Lost Coast TrailKing Range NCA · CaliforniaBackcountryReservationtough odds
Mt. WhitneyInyo NF · CaliforniaPermitOpens Feb 1tough odds- The Ahwahnee, YosemiteYosemite NP · CaliforniaLodgeReservationbrutal odds
Conundrum Hot SpringsMaroon Bells-Snowmass · ColoradoBackcountryOpens Feb 15brutal odds
Kalalau TrailNa Pali Coast SWP · HIBackcountryReservationbrutal odds
Glacier NP BackcountryGlacier NP · MontanaBackcountryLotterytough odds
Lake McDonald LodgeGlacier NP · MontanaLodgeReservationbrutal odds
Many Glacier HotelGlacier NP · MontanaLodgeReservationbrutal odds
Sperry & Granite Park ChaletsGlacier NP · MontanaLodgeReservationbrutal odds
Crater Lake LodgeCrater Lake NP · ORLodgeReservationbrutal odds
LeConte LodgeGreat Smoky Mountains NP · TNLodgeOpens Oct 1brutal odds
Angels LandingZion NP · UtahPermitLotterytough odds
The Narrows Through-HikeZion NP · UtahBackcountryReservationtough odds
The SubwayZion NP · UtahPermitLotterytough odds- Zion LodgeZion Canyon · UtahLodgeReservationbrutal odds
Mount St. Helens Summit ClimbGifford Pinchot NF · WashingtonPermitReservationtough odds
Paradise InnMount Rainier NP · WashingtonLodgeReservationbrutal odds
The EnchantmentsAlpine Lakes Wilderness · WashingtonBackcountryOpens Feb 15brutal odds- Wonderland TrailMount Rainier NP · WashingtonBackcountryLotterybrutal odds
- Cougar Rock CampgroundWashington · WashingtonBackcountryOpens Jan 15tough odds
Old Faithful InnYellowstone NP · WYLodgeReservationbrutal odds
How it works
- An email the morning each window opens, never the day after.
- A 14-day heads-up so you can line up your group and dates.
- Win odds and a ranked backup plan for every trail you pick.
Didn't win? We keep watching. We check recreation.gov every day for The Enchantments, Half Dome and Angels Landing, and email you the moment a sold-out date frees up. Cancellations are the second chance most people never hear about.
“I’ve requested to book a Chain Lakes Loop guide on ExplorOFF, and it was the best idea ever! I highly recommend going with their guided option since you get a real human connection on the trail and don’t have to worry about a thing. Yulia was great to talk to!”