Visitor Services

Travel northeast from Bryce Canyon on scenic Route 12 past Escalante and Boulder. Turning east on Route 24 will bring you to Capitol Reef and nearly 250,000 square miles of towering cliffs and eroded landscape.

Park Fees: Entrance to Capitol Reef is $5 per car or family on bikes, $2 per individual bicyclist or pedestrian (good for seven days). Fees are subject to change.

Visitor Center: The visitor center offers exhibits, an orientation slide program and other information. Books, maps, postcards and videotapes are also available. It is located at the junction of Route 24 and the Scenic Drive, and is open daily from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. with extended summer hours. The visitor center is open daily except Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's Day and several other federal holidays.

The Gifford Farmhouse, part of a historic Mormon homestead, has interpretive exhibits and a gift shop. Open mid-March to mid-October.

Camping: Please see pages 55—56. 

Gasoline: There are no gas stations in the park, but there are services in Torrey, 10 miles west of the visitor center, and in Hanksville, 37 miles east of the visitor center.

Groceries: There are no food services in the park. Food and fuel can be found in the communities to the east and west of Capitol Reef. A list of services is available at the visitor center or the Wayne County Travel Council at (435) 425-3365 or (800) 858-7951, or the Garfield County Travel Council at (435) 676-8239 or (800) 444-6689 or visit online at www.capitolreef.travel. 

Guided and Self-Guiding Tours: Park rangers offer programs from May through September. Schedules are posted at the campground and at the visitor center.

There are several self-guiding walking and driving tours through Capitol Reef that include stops at the historic Fruita Schoolhouse and Gifford Farmhouse. Open during the summer, the

Gifford House is part museum and part country store with an interesting variety of pioneer handicrafts available for sale. Some snack foods are also available.

A paved road takes you on the 20-mile round-trip Scenic Drive. Along the drive, you will see views of the massive cliffs of Capitol Reef. Two dirt roads off the Scenic Drive, generally accessible by passenger vehicles, continue into Grand Wash and Capitol Gorge, places along the reef where water has cut completely through the towering walls of stone. Several walks begin from the Grand Wash and Capitol Gorge spur roads. Please see also "Activities" on pages 55—56 for more information.

Hiking: Please see page 56.

Lodging: There are no accommodations in the park. For a complete list of services in the area, check at the visitor center, or contact the Wayne County Travel Council at (800) 858-7951 or visit www.capitolreef.travel.

Medical Emergencies: Emergency first aid is available from park rangers or at the visitor center. A medical clinic is located in Bicknell, which is 19 miles west of the park. The nearest hospital is in Richfield, 75 miles from the park. 

Post Office: A post office is located in Torrey, 10 miles west of the visitor center. Postage stamps and a mail drop are available at the visitor center.

Special Services -: The visitor center, rest rooms, one site in the main campground, the picnic area and the petroglyph panel are all wheelchair-accessible.

Weather Information: Capitol Reef National Park is a high desert region and, like the rest of southern Utah, is prone to temperature extremes. June through August are the hottest months. Midday temperatures can reach close to 100°F (38°C), but mornings and evenings are usually very pleasant. Thunderstorms can bring flash floods usually from July through September.

Spring and fall are mild, with warm days and cool nights. Winter days are cold, and at night, temperatures often drop below freezing. Snowfall is usually light. The average annual rainfall is less than seven inches and humidity is low. 

Park Address: For more information, contact Capitol Reef National Park, HCR 70, Box 15, Torrey, UT 84775; (435) 425-3791 or visit online at www.nps.gov/care.