Learn more about the natural and cultural resources of Capitol Reef. Meet at the visitor center.
 
Ranger program schedules are also posted on bulletin boards at the visitor center and campground.
Program topics may change. Programs may be cancelled due to weather or staffing issues. Check at visitor center for updated daily program offerings.

Ranger's Choice Talk

Join us for Capitol Reef's annual astronomy festival--Heritage Starfest celebrates the amazing night skies of Capitol Reef and surrounding Wayne County. 
Friday, September 11: All events will take place in Capitol Reef National Park. 
Saturday, September 12:  Events will be held in the town of Torrey, Utah: Torrey Town Park and at the Entrada Institute. 
The webpage will be updated when more information becomes available:  <a href="https://www.nps.gov/care/planyourvisit/heritage-starfest.htm">https://www.nps.gov/care/planyourvisit/heritage-starfest.htm</a>

Heritage Starfest 2026

Reef Ride Bike Days 2026: 
Save the Dates and celebrate National Public Lands Day on two Saturdays in September 2026. Come enjoy the recently repaved Scenic Drive on a bicycle or on foot. From sunrise to 2:00 pm the Scenic Drive will be closed to vehicles for this special event, allowing folks a chance to explore at a slower pace. 
The Scenic Drive is a 7.9-mile (12.7 km) paved road that offers breathtaking views of the park's unique geological formations. The bikes-only portion will begin after the campground and provide access to Grand Wash, Capitol Gorge, and Pleasant Creek. Some bicyclists may also choose to ride the dirt roads into Grand Wash and Capitol Gorge, although these may not be suitable for road bikes.
**Be sure to read the Safety Tips on the event website (below). Elevation ranges from approximately 5,400 feet (1,646 m) to 5,977 feet (1,822 m) above sea level. Parking for vehicles is available throughout Fruita. The Picnic Area and Jorgenson pasture parking areas are south of the visitor center and are great places to unload bikes and start your ride.

Reef Ride Bike Days 2026

Arts and Culture

Cultural Demonstrations

Astronomy

Stargazing

Biking

Road Biking

Camping

Backcountry Camping

Car or Front Country Camping

Horse Camping (see also Horse/Stock Use)

Group Camping

RV Camping

Canyoneering

Climbing

Rock Climbing

Fishing

Food

Picnicking

Guided Tours

Self-Guided Tours - Walking

Self-Guided Tours - Auto

Hands-On

Citizen Science

Arts and Crafts

Volunteer Vacation

Hiking

Backcountry Hiking

Front-Country Hiking

Off-Trail Permitted Hiking

Horse Trekking

Horse Camping (see also camping)

Horseback Riding

Living History

First Person Interpretation

Junior Ranger Program

Wildlife Watching

Birdwatching

Park Film

Museum Exhibits

Shopping

Bookstore and Park Store

Gift Shop and Souvenirs

Archeology

Ruins

Arts

Painting

Photography

Colonization and Settlement

Commerce

Trade

Explorers and Expeditions

Farming and Agriculture

Ranches

Industry

Mining

Military

Native American Heritage

Religion and Spirituality

Churches

Schools and Education

Science, Technology and Innovation

Social Movements

Voting Rights and Suffrage

Transportation

Roads, Routes and Highways

Westward Expansion

Homesteading

Women's History

Ancient Seas

Animals

Birds

Cats (wild)

Fish

Canyons and Canyonlands

Climate Change

Dunes

Foothills, Plains and Valleys

Plateaus and Mesas

Forests and Woodlands

Coniferous Forests

Deciduous Forests

Fossils and Paleontology

Dinosaur

Petrified Wood

Geology

Mineral Deposits

Glaciers

Grasslands

Night Sky

River and Riparian

Rock Landscapes and Features

Arches

Scenic Views

Thickets and Shrublands

Trails

Unique Species

Rare

Endangered

Volcanoes

Waterfalls

Located in south-central Utah in the heart of red rock country, Capitol Reef National Park is a hidden treasure filled with cliffs, canyons, domes, and bridges in the Waterpocket Fold, a geologic monocline (a wrinkle on the earth) extending almost 100 miles.

Entrance - Private Vehicle

Valid for 7 days. Admits up to 2 private, non-commercial motorcycles with up to 4 total passengers.

Entrance - Motorcycle

Admits one individual with no car. Typically used for bicyclists and pedestrians.

Entrance - Per Person

Commercial Road-Based Tours are required to obtain a Commercial Use Authorization before visiting Capitol Reef.

When visiting the park, the tour must then pay the separate entrance fee at the visitor center (or through pay.gov).

Tours with vehicle capacity of 15 or less should apply for a CUA in the "Guided Interpretive Tours" category. Tours of this size fall under the Guided Activities entry fee structure.

Commercial Entrance - Per Person

Commercial Road-Based Tours are required to obtain a Commercial Use Authorization before visiting Capitol Reef National Park.

When visiting the park, the tour must then pay the separate entrance fee at the visitor center (or through pay.gov).

Vehicle capacity of 16 seats or greater: $100.00 entrance fee

Commercial Entrance - Mini-bus

Commercial Entrance - Motor Coach

Guided Activities include all types of guided services, such as bike and motorcycle tours, hiking guides, photography classes, hiking shuttles, and road-based commercial tours with vehicles <16 capacity.

Guided activity groups are charged the per person fee of $10.00 per client, excluding the trip leader or guide. If a client has an America the Beautiful Resident pass (annual, senior, access, etc.) it covers 4 people in the group. (Non-resident annual passes cover only the pass owner.)

Admits one private, non-commercial vehicle or motorcycle and all its occupants or riders.

Annual Entrance - Park

Wingate Sandstone cliffs behind historic barn and farmhouse

Gifford House and Pendleton Barn

A hiker stands beside Hickman Bridge, a natural sandstone bridge

Hickman Bridge

Exposed layers of rock in the Waterpocket fold

Strike Valley

Cliffs known as "The Castle" tower above the Capitol Reef Visitor Center

Capitol Reef Visitor Center with "The Castle"

Fruit tree with peaches in front of red sandstone cliffs

Capitol Reef Peach Orchard

Capitol Reef

Capitol Reef is a 24 hour park, open all day, every day. The visitor center is open daily, except for some major holidays. Visitor center hours vary, call 435-425-3791 and follow the prompts for current visitor center information.