Capitol Reef National Park in Utah seriously has some of the most scenic drives we’ve been to. The most popular scenic drive is literally called Scenic Drive. This scenic drive starts from the Visitor Center and winds through the heart of Capitol Reef National Park. Within 7.9 miles, you’ll get to see some of the park’s breathtaking scenery and impressive geology, in EVERY direction. This road also provides access to some popular trails, such as Cassidy Arch.
Since this drive is located inside the national park, there is an entrance fee. If you have the America the Beautiful Pass or an annual pass, you can use either of those instead. For more info, you can check out the park’s website.
The Scenic Drive road is paved the whole way, perfect for pretty much any vehicle. However, if you want to drive the two dirt spur roads, Grand Wash and Capitol Gorge, you might not want to take anything longer than 27 feet (8.2 meters) in length.
This Scenic Drive takes about 1.5 hrs to drive with some stops. However, if you’re planning to check out the hikes, you’ll definitely need a lot more time. When we were there, we drove through Scenic Drive, including the two dirt spur roads, then hiked both Cassidy Arch and Grand Wash trails, and barely had enough sunlight. Granted, we were there in February, when the days were much shorter.
The Capitol Reef Scenic starts from the Capitol Reef Visitor Center. From UT-24, turn onto Scenic Drive when you see the Visitor Center.
We recommend stopping at the Visitor Center before heading out. Here, you can check the current road conditions and also take a look at the informative displays. To learn more about the geology along the scenic drive, you can pick up a free brochure. If you have time, don’t forget to sit in on one of those ranger talks. It was very fascinating.
The Fruita Historic District is right next to the Visitor Center. Here, you’ll drive past the fruit orchards, first cultivated by pioneers in the late 1800s. During this time, the pioneers settled here and successfully grew fruits and other crops. Along the drive, you’ll pass by several historic buildings and relics. The park protects these buildings and relic remains. Some of these buildings are the blacksmith shop, the Gifford Homestead, and the Fruita Barn. The homestead is typical of rural Utah farmhouses in the early 1900s. It opens from 8 am – 5 pm from mid-March to October. If you visit when the homestead is open, you can see cultural demonstrations and purchase homemade baked goods and gifts.
There’s also a campground and a really nice picnic area here. The campground is a great spot to see deer. We saw a bunch of them the last time we were here.
After leaving the Fruita Historic District, keep your eyes on the left-hand side of the Capitol Gorge Scenic Drive. There are many interesting Moenkopi formations and colorful Chinle formations. These formations are especially “pop” in the soft morning light. If you have the geology brochure with you from the Visitor Center, you can learn about these formations. Most rock at Capitol Reef is sedimentary. They formed in layers from loose materials such as mud and sand. These layers record the landscapes and lifeforms of the early times of Earth.
Moenkopi Formation is a 225-million-year-old thin bed of reddish-brown shale. It was formed from the silt and clay that came to rest in a moist, tropical climate. The banded grayish-blue and red layers above the Moenkopi are the Chinle Formation, containing volcanic ash. It is a complex, 700ft thick formation rich in petrified wood.
The Grand Wash Road is about 1.3 miles each way. It is a dirt spur road on the left side of the Capitol Gorge Scenic Drive. At the start of Grand Wash Road, you’ll see the abandoned Oyler Uranium Mine. This mine opened in 1901 when uranium was used in medicines. After the mine, the dirt road winds through a narrow canyon into a stunning landscape, dramatically different from what we have seen so far. The Grand Wash is a narrow wash with towering walls. While it is very beautiful, it is also susceptible to flash floods. Please avoid driving through here if there’s a storm in the forecast.
Along the Grand Wash Road, there are a couple of fun stops. One of these stops is the Echo Cliff. It is a fun spot to hear your voice echo throughout the canyon. Another stop is the viewpoint for Cassidy Arch. This arch was named after Butch Cassidy, an outlaw who is thought to have hidden in Grand Wash from time to time.
Cassidy Arch and Grand Wash are two popular trails in Capitol Reef National Park. You can access these trails through the main trailhead at the end of Grand Wash Road via Capitol Gorge Scenic Drive. We highly recommend budgeting extra time to hike these trails, especially the Cassidy Arch. Cassidy Arch trail is so beautiful, from start to finish! Totally worth it!
Back on the Capitol Gorge Scenic Drive, we continued on our way. The Scenic Drive road will get more beautiful the further you drive. One of the scenic spots along this road is the Slickrock Divide. Slickrock Divide separates two large drainages. This area looks like a big cake with multiple layers. There’s a pull-out on the side of the road. Don’t forget to look backward on the road. The view is also stunning.
Near the end of the paved Capitol Gorge Scenic Drive, you’ll reach a fork. Going right will lead you toward Pleasant Creek, a 4×4 route. If you continue straight (left), you’ll get to a really scenic spur road, the Capitol Gorge Road. This is the official end of the Scenic Drive; however, most people will continue on Capitol Gorge Road for a more complete experience.
Capitol Gorge Road is longer and more twisty than Grand Wash Road. It is about 2 miles, unpaved. Capitol Gorge used to be a through-road from 1884 to 1962. Now, you can only drive the first few miles before having to hike the rest of the way. The drive itself is quite stunning. It winds through narrow corridors, imposing walls, and interesting formations. There are a few hikes you can do here, such as the Golden Throne and Capitol Gorge/Pioneer Registry trail.
Capitol Gorge Trail is about 5 miles round trip. However, most people only hike about 1 mile to a “register” rock where pioneers carved their names. There is also a panel of petroglyphs, created by the ancient Fremont people nearby. If you’re lucky, you can see the desert Bighorn sheep here.
If you’re up for a more strenuous trail, you can hike the Golden Throne. Golden Throne is a towering rock formation. From the parking lot, the trail twists its way to the top of the cliffs and ends at an opening where you can get a sweeping view of the area and, of course, the Golden Throne. The trail is about 4 miles round trip and considered difficult. Don’t forget to save some daylight for the drive back. The view on the way back is as breathtaking, if not more, than the way there.
If you’re looking for more things to do in the area, check out Hickman Bridge. Don’t forget the Goblin Valley State Park. It is about a 1-hour drive from Capitol Reef, but worth it! If you’re driving from St. George, check out the Red Reef trail.
Happy Adventuring. Don’t forget to check out the related posts below for more inspiration on your upcoming adventures. While at it, follow us on Instagram and subscribe to our YouTube channel! We’ll love you forever!
These are the gear that we personally use and find helpful for this particular adventure. Don’t forget to check out our Recommended Gear section as well.
Our favorite biodegradable, eco-friendly, reef-safe sunscreen!
This is Vy's favorite hiking bag! It has tons of room for snacks and water!
It's always good to bring a GPS tracker with you. We use the Garmin inReach.
This jacket is packable into a super small and light little ball. Perfect for when you just need a little…
This jacket is packable into a super small and light little ball. Perfect for when you just need a little…
Our favorite hiking/travel jacket. It's warm and packable, perfect to bring on a hike or a road trip.
Our favorite hiking/travel jacket. It's warm and packable, perfect to bring on a hike or a road trip.
If you tend to have foot blisters on hikes, get this! We use this all the time.
These hiking poles are sturdy, and great to help keep your balance on short or longer hikes
Compact GoPro pole that extends to 25", perfect to bring on your adventure.
This is our go-to camera for all of our adventures. It comes with us everywhere!
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Hi! We are Dustin & Vy, the proud creators of Live That Adventure. We created this website because we wanted to inspire others to live their lives to the fullest. On here, you’ll find everything from hiking, canyoneering, kayaking, and snorkeling to adventure and travel tips, gear reviews, and bucket list items such as bungee jumping or wing walking. We’ll show you the ropes so you can do them too!
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