The Castle, Capitol Reef National Park.

Capitol Reef National Park

Southwestern Utah


Termed 'the land of the sleeping rainbow' by Native Americans, this colorful desert landscape encompasses buttes and canyons replete with rock art, Mormon history and hiking trails. Though less famous than other Utah parks, it's well worth visiting.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Southwestern Utah attractions

2. Cassidy Arch

2.05 MILES

A 1.5-mile trails ascends 950ft to a spectacular red-rock arch.

3. Pioneer Register

3.04 MILES

Pioneers left carved names and dates on canyon walls while passing through Capitol Gorge.

4. Tanks

3.73 MILES

A series of natural pockets filled with water throughout most of the year.

5. Gifford Homestead

3.95 MILES

The Gifford Homestead is an old homestead museum where you can also buy ice cream, artisan breads and preserves made from the orchard fruit. Don't skip…

6. Fruita Rural Historic District

4 MILES

Fruita (froo-tuh) is a cool, green oasis, where shade-giving cottonwoods and fruit-bearing trees line the Fremont River's banks. The first Mormon…

7. Fremont Petroglyphs

4.06 MILES

Just east of the visitor center on Hwy 24, look for the parking lot for freely accessible petroglyphs; these are the rock-art carvings that convinced…

8. Ripple Rock Nature Center

4.17 MILES

Across the road from the blacksmith shop (just a shed with period equipment) in the Fruita Rural -Historic District is the Ripple Rock Nature Center, a…

  • placement: superzone
  • path: Destinations/POIs/superzone
  • possible size: [970, 250], [970, 90], [728, 90], [1, 1],
  • targeting:
    {
      "url": "usa/southwest/south-central-and-southwestern-utah/attractions/capitol-reef-national-park/a/poi-sig/1253948/362162",
      "destination": "Southwestern-Utah",
      "continent": "North-America",
      "country": "USA",
      "region": "Southwestern-Utah",
      "position": "superzone"
    }