Have a Blast with These Things to Do in Capitol Reef National Park with Kids

With summer vacation in full swing, I wanted to go on a little road trip with my kiddos, and Capitol Reef National Park seemed like the perfect destination for a road trip. It’s far enough away from Zion that we decided to spend a few days there to enjoy all the fun things to do in Capitol Reef.

Capitol Reef National Park is known for the Waterpocket Fold, a 100-mile long “geologic wrinkle on earth.” Even among all the amazing places in southern Utah, this is a unique landscape that is very cool to visit, and you’ll find lots more to explore in Capitol Reef, too.

Capitol Reef with Kids Itinerary

I highly recommend Capitol Reef National Park for a little family getaway. It offers a great mix of outdoor adventure in a cool landscape and time to chill and eat some tasty food.

This post goes through the  itinerary for our 3-day trip featuring all sorts of fun things to do in Capitol Reef, including a great water hike, gorgeous sunsets, and the best burgers in the world!

ITINERARY OVERVIEW

DAY ONE

🔸Morning: Drive to Capitol Reef & Check into Skyview Hotel

🔸Early Afternoon: Get a Taste of Capitol Reef National Park

🔸Walk along Sulphur Creek and play in the park just down from Ripple Rock Nature Center.

🔸Late Afternoon: See the Sights Along Utah State Route 24

🔸Check out the historic Fruita Schoolhouse which was built in the 1890s

🔸Walk the beautiful wooden boardwalk and see a great assortment of Fremont Culture petroglyphs

🔸Dinner: Auténtico Street Tacos & Color Ridge Farm & Creamery

🔸Evening: Savor Sunset & S’mores at the Hotel

DAY TWO

🔸Breakfast: The Wild Rabbit Cafe

🔸Morning: Sulphur Creek Canyon Hike. 6 miles one way from the trailhead down to the visitor center

🔸Lunch: Capitol Burger Food Truck. I can’t even stress enough how amazing these burgers are

🔸Afternoon: Chill at the Hotel

🔸Dinner: Tacos & Ice Cream

🔸Evening: Goosenecks Overlook & Panorama Point for Sunset. 

DAY THREE

🔸Morning: Hickman Bridge Hike - 2 miles round trip

🔸Lunch: Pie at the Gifford Homestead

🔸Hike Sulpher Creek from the visitor center if you haven't already done the longer version

How to Get From Zion National Park to Capitol Reef National Park

It’s about a 3.5 hour drive to Capitol Reef from Zion National Park. Starting from Springdale, you can either take I-15 north then get on US-89 north or just head up US-89 the whole way. Eventually, you’ll branch off onto UT-62 for a bit to connect to UT-24 east, which will take you to the entrance of Capitol Reef.

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Capitol Reef is about 2 hours northeast of Bryce Canyon National Park, so you could add on a nice little road trip to Bryce as well.

Where to Stay: Skyview Hotel

We stayed at Skyview Hotel in the town of Torrey, just outside of Capitol Reef, and we loved the cool vibes here. Skyview features “design inspired by the destination,” and you can see that in the artwork in the rooms as well as the incredible views of the surrounding landscape, especially from the rooftop terrace.

We stayed in a fantastic modern room, but they also have luxurious glamping domes for a unique experience.

***The View from our room

It was also a super convenient spot to stay since Skyview is close to town and places to eat, and it’s just a quick 15 minute drive to get to Capitol Reef and quite a few other hikes nearby.

Things to Do in Capitol Reef: Day 1

We spent the first day of our road trip getting the lay of the land and a taste of all the things to do in Capitol Reef.

Morning: Drive to Capitol Reef & Check into Skyview Hotel

We hit the road and made our way toward Capitol Reef. When we checked in at the Skyview Hotel, they had a couple of nice water bottles for us to use on our hikes and a basket of snacks set out + drinks in the fridge  for us, and my kiddos just loved that.

Early Afternoon: Get a Taste of Capitol Reef National Park

After we got settled, we headed to Capitol Reef to check it out. If you don’t have time for a long hike, you can explore the visitor center and play in the park just down from Ripple Rock Nature Center. 

It's a lovely spot to walk along Sulphur Creek here, and I adored the big Cottonwood trees and grass field in this pretty park. This is such a great spot for a picnic if you grab lunch to go from one of the local restaurants.

Late Afternoon: See the Sights Along Utah State Route 24

See more of the things to do in Capitol Reef with a drive along the scenic Utah State Route 24 through the park. Along the way, you can check out the historic Fruita Schoolhouse which was built in the 1890s. We picked a few apricots at the orchards next to the school…they were just barely ripe enough but it was fun that we could try the fruit.

We then continued up the road a mile to walk the beautiful wooden boardwalk and see a great assortment of Fremont Culture petroglyphs. It’s just a short walk, so it’s perfect for kiddos of all ages.

Dinner: Auténtico Street Tacos & Color Ridge Farm & Creamery

By then we were hungry, so we headed back to Torrey to try out Auténtico Street Tacos. The tacos were a perfect quick and easy dinner, and they were priced pretty well to feed the whole family. Plus, the taco truck was right next to the ice cream place, so of course we had to get a scoop at Color Ridge Farm & Creamery for dessert.

Evening: Savor Sunset & S’mores at the Hotel

We closed out our day by heading up to the rooftop terrace at Skyview, which is an amazing place to watch the sunset with a great big fire pit for roasting s’mores. The front desk even provides guests with a s’mores kit!

Things to Do in Capitol Reef: Day 2

On our second day in Capitol Reef, we were feeling rested and ready to take on the biggest hike of our trip.

Breakfast: The Wild Rabbit Cafe

First, we stopped by The Wild Rabbit Cafe to fuel up with breakfast (and a little caffeine). We really enjoyed the coffee, pastries, and breakfast burritos, and they also serve some tasty-looking sandwiches for lunch.

But be aware that the cafe doesn’t open until 8am, so if you are in need of a latte earlier than that, you are out of luck. (At least Skyview does provide a coffee maker in the room to tide you over.)

Morning: Sulphur Creek Canyon Hike

Finally, it was time to really explore the cool landscape of Capitol Reef. The Sulphur Creek Canyon hike has been on my bucket list for awhile, since I just love water hikes in the summer so much! This hike should be high on your list of things to do in Capitol Reef, too.

The Sulphur Creek Canyon hike is 6 miles one way from the trailhead down to the visitor center. If you are with a group, then you can park one car at the trailhead and one car at the visitor center to shuttle, but I hitched a ride from the visitor center back to my car.. Walking the 6 miles from the back from the visitor center to the trailhead would  be pretty brutal.

***We all wore Teva's for the hike and they worked great

We  hit the trail at 10am and finished our hike at 1pm, which was fine for us, but in the dead of summer, I would recommend starting a little earlier than we did to beat the heat. The trail is dry and hot for the first mile before you hit Sulphur Creek. From there, it gets a lot better, as you follow the stream all the way through the canyon with stunning rock cliffs all around you.

You’ll pass three waterfalls along the way, and some scrambling and climbing down the rocks is required. The scrambles were a little tricky in a few spots, but definitely doable for us, and I think they would be doable for most hikers if you just take your time.

Although hearing that this hike was 6 miles made my kids nervous because they don’t love hiking, they actually ended up loving this hike so much! Once we got to the water, they were in heaven and had so much fun. (Just be sure to bring plenty of water and snacks for the kiddos and yourself.)

Note: The canyon is prone to dangerous flash floods, so DO NOT do this hike if there is rain in the forecast.

Lunch: Capitol Burger Food Truck

We definitely worked up an appetite on our big hike, and the Capitol Burger food truck seriously hit the spot for lunch. I can’t even stress enough how amazing these burgers are. My kids all said they were the best burgers they have ever had!

Note: Capitol Burger is closed on Monday & Tuesday. Check the Capitol Burger Facebook page for their updated hours & location each day.

Afternoon: Chill at the Hotel

After our 6 mile hike and big lunch, we definitely needed some down time at the hotel to just relax for a while. Luckily, Skyview has plenty of great spots to chill, both in the room and on the property.

Dinner: More Tacos & Ice Cream

When we were ready for dinner, we went back to Auténtico Street Tacos and topped off the meal with ice cream once again. It’s hard to resist when it’s right there!

Evening: Goosenecks Overlook & Panorama Point for Sunset

I wanted to find a stunning spot to watch the sunset, but after our day full of hiking, my kids were definitely not interested in any more hiking, so Goosenecks Overlook and Panorama Point was perfect. Panorama Point is right off the road, and Goosenecks Overlook is just 0.1 mile down the trail.

If you’re not as tired as my kids were, you can hike a little farther (just 0.3 miles one way) to Sunset Point, which features a spectacular view of the Waterpocket Fold and more of the landscape. The whole area here is full of lots of exploring and climbing for the kids along with absolutely beautiful views.

Things to Do in Capitol Reef: Day 3

We had just one more day to explore all the things to do in Capitol Reef, so we started with another hearty breakfast at The Wild Rabbit Cafe to get going.

Morning: Hickman Bridge Hike

Then we headed to Capitol Reef to do the Hickman Bridge hike. This hike is only 2 miles round trip, so it’s pretty doable with kids (even tired ones like mine), although it does have some elevation gain. It’s a beautiful hike to the Hickman Bridge natural arch, and you’ll pass a miniature arch along the way.

Be sure to bring your sun protection (sunscreen, sunglasses, and a hat) because there is little to no shade on this trail. It gets really hot, so make sure you have plenty of water with you, too.

Local tip: This is a popular hike and the parking area is small, so try to get to the trailhead before 8:30 am. We got there at 9am and barely got a parking spot.

Lunch: Pie at the Gifford Homestead

You can’t visit Capitol Reef without getting pie at Gifford Homestead! This historic old home is located in the Fruita valley just a mile down the road from the Capitol Reef visitor center. We snagged some of the coveted pie and ice cream and went over to the park to eat it al fresco.

Note: The Gifford Homestead is open daily to sell the famous pie and other goods from March 14 (Pi Day) to late November.

Afternoon: Sulphur Creek Waterfall from the Visitor Center

After the pie break, my kiddos still had a little energy, so I talked them into hiking from the visitor center along Sulphur Creek to the first waterfall. It’s only about a mile and a half round trip to the first waterfall from the visitor center, so this is a really great water hike if you don’t want to do the full 6 mile hike all the way down the canyon.

Dinner: Capitol Burger…Again!

On our way out of town, we just had to stop and get another burger at Capitol Burger…I am not exaggerating when I say these burgers are SO FREAKIN YUMMY!!!!

More Things to Do in Capitol Reef National Park

This was a wonderful three day itinerary for me and my kiddos, but there are many more amazing things to do in Capitol Reef. Here are a couple awesome hikes that I’ve done on previous visits to Capitol Reef:

Cassidy Arch

While the Cassidy Arch Trail is fairly strenuous thanks to the 1000 feet of elevation gain over a 1-mile span, it’s totally worth it for the incredible views, colorful rock formations, and the amazing arch at the end.

The whole trail is 3.5 miles round trip, and once you get through the super steep section, you will have amazing views the entire rest of the way as you head toward the arch. (Fun fact: The arch is actually named after Butch Cassidy, the famous Wild West outlaw who was from Utah.)

Check out my blog post here for more details about hiking Cassidy Arch!

Capitol Gorge

The Capitol Gorge Trail is a great moderate hike through the Waterpocket Fold along an old wagon path that was the main route through the area until the US-24 Scenic Drive was built. The distance of the hike just depends on how far you want to go, but most people will do somewhere between 2-4 miles round trip.

One of the highlights of this hike is the Pioneer Register, a rock wall featuring the carved names and dates of visitors and settlers to the area in the 1800s and early 1900s. You’ll also encounter many natural potholes and water tanks in the rocks, and if you hike far enough, you’ll get a really nice view of the Golden Throne formation.

Note: The Capitol Reef Scenic Drive Rehabilitation Project has completely closed access (vehicle and pedestrian) to Capitol Gorge from spring of 2024 until the project is completed, which is expected to be in fall of 2024.

I highly recommend this unique park for a fun and fulfilling family trip that you’ll cherish forever. Our 3-day itinerary is packed with exciting activities, from invigorating water hikes and breathtaking sunsets to indulging in the world's best burgers. Capitol Reef has something for everyone.

Happy Adventuring,

Arika

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