The Perfect One Day in Capitol Reef with Kids
Capitol Reef is one of the lesser-visited national parks in Utah. So I’ll admit, I wasn’t sure if even spending one day in Capitol Reef with kids in tow was going to be worth it. Since we were driving from one park to another anyway, I decided we’d go ahead and stay a night to visit. Might as well!
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We were surprised that we actually loved our short trip to Capitol Reef, and it was perfect for the kids to visit as well.
From getting right inside an arch to eating delicious handmade pie, this was a great national park for the kids to enjoy. And it was so easy to navigate around and find fun stops.
So here I give you the perfect one day in Capitol Reef with kids guide so you can easily plan your own trip. Enjoy that pie, enjoy the views, and enjoy all the things you can do in Capitol Reef for one day. The hikes here are easy, short, or both, but still come with fun and great features.
Table of Contents
One Day in Capitol Reef with Kids
1. Hike to Hickman Bridge
This is a popular hike at Capitol Reef, so if you’re visiting in the summer, make sure to get there early (or later in the day) not only to claim a parking spot, but to not be hiking in terrible heat. This is why I’ve put this hike first in the day.
Hickman Bridge is a really cool arch up at the top of this hike. Not only can you admire it, but you can actually walk right through it!
The trail makes a loop at the very top, you just may have to improvise a little as the trail is hard to follow. You don’t get lost, you just can’t really see a trail as you cross under the arch.
The hike itself is moderate. It’s just under 2 miles roundtrip, but it does ascend for most of the first mile up a total of 416 feet.
Once at the top, there’s plenty of space for the crowds to hang out and enjoy.
2. Take the Scenic Drive
Give the kids a little break from hiking with this scenic drive. To find it, turn onto the road with the visitor center and you’ll be on your way. This is a designated road meant for a scenic drive that takes you through Fruita’s historic area and past beautiful formations and scenery.
The drive is around 8 miles one-way, and you’ll have to turn at the end and drive back.
There are a few stops along the way worth your time, so you’ll want to allow about 1.5 hours to adequately complete this drive.
3. Eat a Pie in Fruita
Along the scenic drive, just about a mile or so from the visitor center, is the Gifford House. In this same area is plenty of green space, picnic tables, and most importantly, a little shop that sells homemade goods.
The pie here is famous…and delicious. Go inside and take a look at the flavors in the case. The pie is about the size of your hand, making it a great treat you can eat right then at the tables outside.
Fun Fact: The Gifford Museum and Store opens each season on Pi Day (March 14th).
4. Lunch Break
This is a great time to take a lunch break as well. While the little shop doesn’t sell lunch items, you can pack a lunch into the park with you and enjoy it at one of the tables or grassy areas here.
5. Check out the Petroglyphs
This is a very easy thing to do in Capitol Reef with kids as you’ll get both pictures and a short, easy walk to discover them.
The petroglyphs can be found right along the main road in the park. There is a small parking area that may fill during peak times, but the turnaround is pretty quick for cars to come and go since the walk is so short.
Once you’ve parked, head up to the little walkways that lead you along the red rock walls. Be on the lookout for pictures left behind by the Fremont Culture.
We were able to find pictures of animals and one of families that had been pecked into the wall.
6. Cohab Canyon Hike
Cohab Canyon is one of the great family hikes in Capitol Reef. It may seem hard to stay on the trail in areas of slick rock, but it all leads to the same place. (Notice the rocks do try to curve you onto the left side where you can follow a dry bed ahead below).
To finish out the day (and now that the kids have rested a bit from this morning’s hike), head back to the same parking area as you did for Hickman Bridge. Once in the lot, you can cross the road and walk a little farther down the road toward the back of the park. You’ll come to a trail sign for Cohab Canyon.
This hike goes up for a bit, then starts to come back down as you begin hiking through a wide, sandy-floored canyon.
The cool thing about this hike isn’t just the scenic stroll and slickrock you’ll go over, but that there are little narrow canyons that you can go into.
They aren’t long (maybe 30 yards at best) before you have to turn around and come back, but they are fun for the whole family and provide great shade on a hot, sunny day.
The trail will take you all the way to another parking lot on another side of the park, so feel free to turn around whenever you’re ready and head back.
The trail in total is 1.7 miles one way (parking lot to other parking lot). So again, just do what you want and turn around.
7. Wade in the Fremont River
Taking on Capitol Reef with kids is fun, but at this point they may need a more “fun” break. This is the perfect time to cool down a little by the river.
When you come back to the car from Cohab Canyon, you’ll notice that the Fremont River runs right by the parking lot. Take the few steps down to the shoreline and let the kids feel the cool water.
Of course, use caution, especially after any recent rainfall, and be near the kids at all times.
My kids love doing anything that involves water, so this is a little win for the kids to do something more their level at the park.
Tip: We often carry a Turkish towel in our day pack. This is a nice and light towel that doesn’t weigh much, and dries quickly. We carry it because of impromptu moments like these.
8. End at Goosenecks Overlook
As you drive out of the park to the western side, you’ll come to a road that leads you to Panorama and Sunset Point. Turn here, but I’m actually having you go past these popular points and on to Goosenecks.
Why? Well, those spots are awesome and if you have extra time, go ahead and make the stop. But if you are there on a weekend or summer day, you’ll notice these spots are incredibly crowded.
Go just a short ways beyond, down a dirt road, and you’ll come to the Goosenecks parking area where most people have neglected to go.
This is an easy hike up to the top of some red rock areas. It’s SHORT, though. You’re not climbing to the top of a mountain or anything, just the top of this viewpoint.
And it’s so worth it!
That’s the end of the 1 day itinerary in Capitol Reef for families. You should have time to run out and grab dinner, and return for the bonus below if you’d like.
Bonus: Sunset
If you have leisurely enjoyed your one day in Capitol Reef, then you may find yourself in the park as it gets close to sunset. This is a great time to end up at Goosenecks, Panorama Point, or (obviously) Sunset Point.
Watching the sun hit the red rock really gives it a different glow. And if you hang out longer, you may be visiting on a day when they have their night sky program. But even if there’s no official program, the night sky in Capitol Reef is still amazing to see.
What to Know about Capitol Reef
It’s not huge
Capitol Reef measures about 370 square miles, roughly 1/10 of the size of Yellowstone. Don’t let that deter you, though. The views, formations, colors, river, and overall feel of the park was way cooler than I imagined. Like I said at the beginning, I almost crossed Capitol Reef off our list of stops since it’s “just a small park.”
Capitol Reef has a really unique beauty to it. I really recommend doing at least one of the recommended hikes above to get a real appreciation for the park.
There are two great things about the park being so small:
- Many people skip it, making it one of the less crowded parks for you to visit
- It’s easy to see Capitol Reef in one day, even with kids!
There are closures
Unfortunately, most of the scenic road was closed for construction when we visited. It was such a bummer, but luckily we had other things in the park we wanted to see.
Make sure to check ahead (or just be understanding when you get there) when things are closed. It means they are trying to keep the park maintained to make your next visit better!
Have Your Park Pass Ready
You can access Capitol Reef with your America the Beautiful (interagency) pass, a 4th grade Every Kid Outdoors pass, or a standard park pass you buy on site at the visitor center. Coming past visitor center hours? Many pull overs and parking areas had QR codes to scan and purchase your pass.
Please be honest when you visit. It may be tempting to just visit without a pass, but the affordable price our National Parks charge are to help take care of them!
Is Capitol Reef Good for Kids?
Yes! Capitol Reef is a great park to take kids. My kids loved it.
They loved being able to eat homemade pie in the middle of a national park.
They loved being able to feel the cool waters of the river after getting toasty on a hike.
They loved playing a real life seek-n-find on the walls of petroglyphs.
They loved being able to go right up into the archway.
They loved going into the little slot canyons of Cohab Canyon Trail.
As small as Capitol Reef may be compared to other parks, it’s almost like the relatively kid-sized park was made just for families.
Bring a lot of Water
Just as you should bring water anywhere you go and on any hike, Capitol Reef gets hot.
When we visited Canyonlands, I assumed it would be miserably hot since Moab was miserably hot. But you actually drive up in altitude a ways to get there, so the park was much cooler than in-town.
That’s not the case with Capitol Reef. You’ll stay about the same elevation as you were back in town (in Torrey, for us). So if it’s hot at your hotel, it’ll be hot in the park.
Stay hydrated to keep yourselves healthy, and keep extra water in the car to refill your bottles between activities.
The visitor center also has a fill station in case you run out. Seasonal refills can also be found at the Gifford House, Fruita Campground, and Doc Inglesby Picnic area.
Where to Stay in Capitol Reef
We drove over from Bryce Canyon along the scenic Highway 12, and this resort was located right amongst more scenery!
Capitol Reef does not have any lodging inside the park. They do have a few campgrounds you can look into.
The closest, most convenient place to stay when visiting Capitol Reef is in the town of Torrey.
We stayed at the Capitol Reef Resort, which was pretty awesome. In fact, we wished we had another day on the schedule just to hang out at the resort!
The resort has a lot of great highlights and amenities like:
- Scenic pool and hot tub (seasonal)
- Teepee options
- Covered Wagon options
- Cabins or Lodge Rooms
- A fire pit lit each night, S’mores kits available ($)
- Souvenir Shop
- Fitness Room
- Just a few minutes drive from Capitol Reef National Park
I truly recommend this place. Check-in was friendly, went over all the amenities, and noted that they are a 24/7 desk, meaning at any time of day or night you can get assistance. It really had a resort feel to it, not a chain hotel feel.
But it wasn’t crazy expensive like many places that have resort feels.
How to Spend One Day in Capitol Reef with Kids
This park offers so much in such a small(er) space! Spending one day in Capitol Reef with kids is a great way to use a day for national park time. This park offers family-friendly hikes, sights, and stops. Plus, who doesn’t love homemade pie?
These kid-friendly hikes in Capitol Reef are perfect for keeping things short and easy and throwing in a scenic drive is a great way to let the kids rest while still exploring the park.
Use this 1 day itinerary for Capitol Reef when you’re planning your getaway to southern Utah for the perfect day with the family. I was pleasantly surprised by what this park offered, so don’t skip it!
