Lincoln, Macie, Hudson at Capital Reef Vistor Center

A Week in Utah's Hidden Gem

After wrapping up our time at Canyonlands National Park, we headed west and made our way to one of Utah's most underrated destinations—Capitol Reef National Park. While it may not get the same attention as a bigger national park, we quickly discovered that Capitol Reef has plenty to offer, especially for families looking for a slower pace and room to explore. We easily completed this park in two days.

We ended up spending a full week in the area and split our stay between two different campgrounds. Both were excellent in their own way and gave us a chance to experience different sides of the Torrey and Capitol Reef area.

Capitol Reef RV & Glamping Resort

Our first stop was Capitol Reef RV & Glamping Resort, and for anyone looking for full hookups and modern amenities, this place is hard to beat.

The campground is family-owned and has a much smaller, more personal feel than many of the larger RV parks we've stayed at. Everything felt clean, well-maintained, and thoughtfully designed. The landscaping, buildings, and common areas all had a charming, welcoming feel that made it easy to settle in.

One of the biggest highlights was the bathhouse. After weeks of campground showers, these were some of the nicest we've seen on the trip. The tile work was beautiful, the showers were spotless, and it honestly felt more like a boutique hotel than an RV park.

The campground also offered laundry facilities, which is always a welcome sight for a family of five living on the road. While Jessie spent a few days working, the rest of us enjoyed the playground, explored the property, and took advantage of one of the campground's most popular features—the ice cream shop located right inside the main building.

The kids absolutely loved being able to walk over to the park and play in the hammocks, and it quickly became part of their daily routine.

If you're looking for full hookups, reliable amenities, and a comfortable place to recharge while exploring Capitol Reef, this campground delivers tremendous value for the money.

Sunglow Campground

On Wednesday morning we packed up and moved to Sunglow Campground, just outside of Torrey.

While Capitol Reef RV & Glamping was perfect for convenience and amenities, Sunglow quickly became the kids' favorite stop of the week.

The campground sits beneath towering red rock cliffs and feels much more connected to the surrounding landscape. Everywhere you look there are incredible rock formations, dramatic canyon walls, and opportunities for kids to climb, explore, and create adventures of their own.

One of the best features of the campground is the creek that runs nearby. The kids spent hours wandering along the water, throwing rocks, looking for wildlife, and simply enjoying the freedom that comes with being outdoors all day.

As parents, we loved being able to relax while the kids entertained themselves in a natural playground that seemed designed specifically for adventure.

The combination of red rock scenery, easy access to town, and endless opportunities for exploration made Sunglow one of our favorite family campgrounds of the trip so far.

One of my favorite parts of this campground, was the evening strolls with Jessie. The sun glowing on the mountains, the quiet evenings, and animal sightings.

An Afternoon at Meeks Lake

After getting settled into Sunglow Campground, we decided to spend Wednesday afternoon doing one of our favorite family activities—fishing.

A short drive into the mountains outside Torrey led us to Meeks Lake, a small high-elevation lake tucked away in the Fishlake National Forest.

The drive itself is part of the experience. As you climb away from the desert landscape surrounding Capitol Reef, the scenery gradually changes to cool mountain forests, open meadows, and beautiful views across the surrounding peaks.

Meeks Lake is a peaceful little mountain lake that offers a completely different feel from the red rock country below. It's the kind of place where you can slow down, cast a line, and enjoy a quiet afternoon with family.

The lake is known for trout fishing, including rainbow trout, and it's a great option for families because there are plenty of accessible spots along the shoreline. The kids enjoyed exploring the banks between casts, searching for frogs, skipping rocks, and seeing who could make the longest cast.

Not every fishing trip is about catching the biggest fish. Sometimes it's simply about spending time together in a beautiful place, and Meeks Lake delivered exactly that.

As the sun started to drop behind the mountains, we packed up our gear and headed back toward camp. It was one of those simple afternoons that will probably end up being one of our favorite memories from our week around Capitol Reef—a reminder that some of the best moments on this journey happen far from the crowds and often in places we never planned to find.

Thursday: Exploring Capitol Reef National Park

After a busy day of fishing and settling into Sunglow Campground, we decided to take things a little slower on Thursday morning. We slept in, enjoyed a relaxed breakfast, and then headed into Capitol Reef National Park for a full day of exploring.

Our first stop was the Visitor Center. Before heading out on the trails, we watched the park movie, picked up souvenirs, and grabbed Junior Ranger books for the kids. The film did a great job explaining what makes Capitol Reef such a unique national park.

Unlike many parks that are known for a single feature, Capitol Reef is centered around a massive geologic formation called the Waterpocket Fold. This wrinkle in the Earth's crust stretches for nearly 100 miles and was created millions of years ago when tectonic forces caused one side of the landscape to rise higher than the other. The result is a dramatic shift in the rock layers that creates cliffs, domes, canyons, and colorful rock formations unlike anywhere else in Utah. Seriously though…check it out! It’s pretty incredible!

Learning about the park's geology helped us appreciate everything we would see throughout the day.

Hickman Bridge

Our first hike of the day was Hickman Bridge, one of the most popular hikes in Capitol Reef National Park.

The trail is relatively short but packs a lot of scenery into a small distance, making it perfect for families. The path gradually climbs through colorful sandstone formations and offers incredible views almost immediately.

The highlight, of course, is Hickman Bridge itself. The massive natural bridge spans nearly 125 feet and stands high above the canyon floor. Standing underneath it really gives you an appreciation for the power of erosion and the forces that shaped the landscape over thousands of years.

The kids loved scrambling around the rocks, exploring beneath the bridge, and looking for interesting shapes in the surrounding cliffs. It was one of those hikes that felt just challenging enough to be fun without being overwhelming for the kids. Hudson seems to just take off and love the challenge of any hike. Macie and Lincoln are troopers and have hung in there. This hike was perfect for them.

Fruita District

After finishing the Hickman Bridge hike, we continued deeper into the historic Fruita District.

The Orchards

One of the things that makes Capitol Reef so unique is the collection of historic fruit orchards scattered throughout Fruita. Early Mormon settlers established these orchards in the late 1800s, taking advantage of the fertile soil and reliable water from the Fremont River.

Today, the National Park Service continues to maintain many of these orchards, preserving an important piece of the area's history. Depending on the season, visitors can even harvest fruit from designated orchards.

Walking through rows of fruit trees surrounded by towering red cliffs feels almost surreal. It's a beautiful contrast between the lush green orchards and the rugged desert landscape that surrounds them.

The Fruita Schoolhouse

We also stopped at the historic Fruita Schoolhouse.

This small one-room school served the children of the Fruita community for decades and offers a glimpse into what life was like for families living in this remote part of Utah. Standing inside the schoolhouse, it's easy to imagine students gathering each day while surrounded by some of the most incredible scenery in the country.

The schoolhouse and orchards together tell the story of the people who called Fruita home long before Capitol Reef became a national park.

Gifford Homestead

By lunchtime, we were ready for a break and made our way to the Gifford Homestead area.

The Gifford Homestead is one of the most popular stops in the park and preserves another piece of Fruita's pioneer history. The historic home now serves as a small store featuring locally made crafts, gifts, jams, and baked goods.

We found a shady spot nearby and enjoyed a picnic lunch before wandering through the surrounding orchards.

One of the highlights was snacking on fruit that had fallen from the trees. The apricots were absolutely incredible. They seemed to be dropping every few seconds, and we couldn't walk more than a few feet without spotting another perfectly ripe piece of fruit on the ground.

Then came what may have been the biggest highlight of the day: the pie.

We purchased a peach pie from the homestead, and it was every bit as good as people say. MiMaw sent us a video a few weeks back and since seeing the video I couldn’t wait to have the family try it! Warm, flaky, and packed with flavor, it quickly became a favorite for everyone in the family. The kids immediately started asking if we could come back for more before they even finished the pie.

After lunch, we spent some time browsing the homestead store. It was full of charming handmade items, unique gifts, and all sorts of things that made it difficult to leave empty-handed.

Between the pie, the fruit, and the historic setting, the Gifford Homestead ended up being one of our favorite stops in Capitol Reef.

Sulphur Creek Waterfall Trail: The Great Fail

Our final adventure of the day was supposed to be Sulphur Creek Waterfall Trail.

Everything we had read described a fun family-friendly hike leading to a small waterfall roughly a mile from the trailhead. It sounded like the perfect way to wrap up the day.

The trail follows Sulphur Creek through a canyon and is known for its waterfalls, pools, and opportunities to splash through the water during certain times of the year.

Unfortunately, things did not go exactly as planned.

After hiking roughly a mile, we had yet to see any water. No creek. No waterfall. Nothing that even remotely resembled what we expected.

At that point, Jessie and I decided we had seen enough and to turn around before anyone got too tired or too grumpy. We called it a day and started heading back toward the parking area.

The kids, however, still managed to find a silver lining. Along the way we discovered pieces of clay that looked remarkably similar to pottery. The kids thought it was the coolest thing ever and spent the rest of the hike examining their discoveries.

Later that evening, we learned two very important things.

First, we had actually been looking at the correct trail information.

Second, someone—without naming names (JESSIE)—had started us from the wrong location——-wrong trailhead!

Had we continued following our route, we would have walked nearly five miles before ever reaching the area where the waterfall was supposed to be.

To make matters even better, we also discovered that due to the ongoing drought conditions, there wasn't much of a waterfall to see anyway.

Suddenly our decision to turn around seemed incredibly wise.

While the day didn't end with the waterfall adventure we expected, it still gave us one of the funniest stories from our week in Capitol Reef. Looking back, the mistaken trailhead, missing waterfall, and unexpected clay discovery made for a memorable ending to an otherwise fantastic day in the park.

Friday: One More Day in Capitol Reef

Junior Ranger Graduation Day

Friday morning started with a mission. Before doing anything else, we headed straight to the Capitol Reef Visitor Center so the kids could turn in the Junior Ranger books they had worked so hard to complete the night before.

One of our favorite traditions at National Parks has become the Junior Ranger program. The books encourage the kids to slow down, pay attention to what they're seeing, and learn more about the places we're visiting. Thursday evening consisted of coloring, answering questions, and completing activities, they were excited to have their work reviewed by a ranger.

Each of them proudly received their Capitol Reef Junior Ranger badge, which immediately became one of their favorite souvenirs from the park. Watching the kids take ownership of their learning and excitement for these places has been one of the most rewarding parts of our trip.

Capitol Reef Scenic Drive

With our Junior Rangers officially sworn in, we headed out to explore the Capitol Reef Scenic Drive.

This paved road winds through the heart of the Waterpocket Fold and provides some of the best views in the entire park. The drive allows visitors to experience many of Capitol Reef's most impressive landscapes without needing to complete long hikes.

As we traveled deeper into the park, towering sandstone cliffs surrounded us on both sides. Massive rock formations displayed layers of red, orange, white, and tan rock that told the story of the geologic history.

One of the most impressive aspects of the drive is seeing the dramatic folds and tilts in the rock layers. Unlike many parks where mountains rise sharply from the landscape, Capitol Reef's beauty comes from the way the earth itself appears to have been bent and folded. Everywhere we looked, the landscape seemed twisted, tilted, and sculpted into unique formations. Seriously google it…. it’s impressive, and no picture I could take can really do a justice.

The scenic drive also provides access to several side roads and viewpoints that showcase narrow canyons, towering cliffs, and colorful rock domes. Every turn seemed to reveal a completely different view, making it difficult to stop taking pictures.

By the end of the drive, we had gained an even greater appreciation for just how unique Capitol Reef really is.

Capitol Gorge and the Pioneer Register

After finishing the scenic drive, we headed over to Capitol Gorge Trail.

This ended up being one of the most enjoyable family hikes we completed in the park.

The trail follows the floor of a narrow canyon with towering rock walls rising hundreds of feet overhead. The kids loved every minute of it. Walking between the massive canyon walls felt like stepping into another world. The farther we walked, the more the walls seemed to close in around us.

The highlight of the hike was reaching the Pioneer Register.

Before roads existed through the area, travelers used Capitol Gorge as a transportation route through the Waterpocket Fold. As they passed through, many pioneers carved their names and dates into the canyon walls.

Capital Gorge and Pioneer Register-If you zoom in you can see all the names of people.

Today, visitors can still see signatures dating back to the late 1800s and early 1900s preserved on the rock face. It was fascinating to stand there with the kids and point out names that had been written more than a century ago.

The kids thought it was incredibly cool to see actual names and dates left behind by people who traveled through the canyon long before any of us were born. It became one of those moments where history suddenly felt real.

Lunch at the Gifford Homestead

By the time we finished Capitol Gorge, everyone was ready for lunch.

Fortunately, we knew exactly where we wanted to go.

We headed back to the Gifford Homestead area and found another shady spot to enjoy lunch beneath the fruit trees.

By this point in our visit, the orchards had become one of our favorite parts of Capitol Reef National Park. There was something special about sitting beneath trees that had been producing fruit for generations while surrounded by towering red cliffs.

After we ate lunch, we wandered through the orchard collecting fresh fruit that had fallen from the trees. The fruit was sweet, fresh, and absolutely delicious.

Then we noticed we weren't the only ones enjoying the orchard.

A deer was laying comfortably beneath one of the trees, enjoying the shade and snacking on fallen fruit just like we were.

What surprised us most was how relaxed he was. He barely seemed to notice we were there. While we sat eating lunch and watching him, he calmly continued enjoying his afternoon under the trees.

It felt like we were sharing the orchard together.

The fruit orchards ended up becoming one of the most memorable parts of Capitol Reef for our family. Long after we've forgotten specific trail names or viewpoints, we'll probably remember standing beneath those trees, eating fresh fruit, and sharing lunch with a deer.

Behunin Cabin

After lunch, we continued exploring the southern portion of the park and made our way to the Behunin Cabin.

The small log cabin was built by Elijah Behunin, one of the early settlers who attempted to make a life in the area during the late 1800s. Standing in front of the cabin gives you a real appreciation for how difficult life must have been for the families who settled here.

The cabin itself is incredibly small by today's standards. As we looked inside, we talked with the kids about how many people once lived within those tiny walls. I believe about 13 people lived in the tiny cabin.

It was hard for them to imagine an entire family sharing such a small space, especially compared to the RV we currently call home. Yet families lived, worked, cooked, slept, and raised children there while carving out a life in one of the most remote parts of Utah.

The cabin serves as a powerful reminder of the determination and resilience of the people who settled the Fruita area.

A Final Drive Through Capitol Reef

As the afternoon continued, we spent some time driving through additional areas of the park before eventually calling it a day.

By then, we felt like we had truly experienced what makes Capitol Reef special.

The colors throughout the park were unlike anything we had seen before. Every cliff, canyon, and rock formation seemed to display a different combination of reds, oranges, yellows, and whites. The shifting layers of rock created patterns and textures that constantly changed depending on the angle of the sun.

More than anything, we found ourselves fascinated by the Waterpocket Fold itself. The way the mountains and rock layers seemed to bend, twist, and rise from the landscape gave Capitol Reef a character completely different from the other Utah parks we had visited.

Capitol Reef may not receive the same attention as some of Utah's more famous parks, but it left a lasting impression on our family. Between the orchards, pie, canyons, history, scenic drives, and incredible geology, it offered a little bit of everything.

By the time we returned to camp that evening, we knew Capitol Reef would be one of those places we'd remember long after the details of the trip began to fade.

While our days were filled with hiking, scenic drives, and exploring Capitol Reef National Park, more memories were made from back at Sunglow Campground.

Each evening, the kids would head straight for the creek that runs through the campground. What started as simple creek play quickly turned into hours of imagination and creativity.

Using the red clay and rocks they found along the creek, they began building their own pottery-inspired creations. Before long, there were bowls, containers, sculptures, and even a few snowmen carefully constructed from the red rocks and clay. Every day seemed to bring a new project and a new idea.

The campground itself became a giant playground. The kids spent countless hours climbing around the red rock formations, exploring the nearby hillsides, and creating adventures of their own. The towering canyon walls and beautiful scenery provided the perfect backdrop for endless imagination.

One of the things we loved most about Sunglow was how it encouraged the kids to simply be kids. There were no schedules, screens, or distractions—just nature, creativity, and plenty of room to explore.

By the end of the week, the creek, the red rocks, and the clay had become just as memorable as the hikes and attractions inside the national park.

Torrey and the surrounding Capitol Reef area offered the perfect combination of adventure and relaxation. Between the incredible scenery, welcoming community, mountain fishing, fruit orchards, and endless opportunities for exploration, it quickly became one of our favorite stops of the trip so far.

-Kayla

Capitol Reef National Park: