Directions: Highway 89 North 140 miles, East to Torrey, UT.
Distance from Kanab:
189 Miles (
Map )
Capitol Reef National Park contains 378 square miles of beautiful ridges, buttes, monoliths, and canyons. This area has a landscape like no other in the state—red rock formations, alpine forests, as well as lush green valleys—which makes it perfect for outdoor activities such as hiking, biking, hunting, or just a quiet picnic. About 75 miles of the 100-mile-long wrinkle in the earth’s crust known as the Waterpocket Fold is within the Park’s boundaries. Capitol Reef is the name of an especially rugged and spectacular part of the Waterpocket Fold near the Fremont River.
In August 1937, President Roosevelt set aside nearly 38,000 acres of the Capitol Reef area as a National Monument. In 1968, preservationists convinced President Johnson to set aside over 215,000 more acres for the Monument. With the vast enlargement of the area, along with the addition of diverse resources, a bill was passed in 1971 to make Capitol Reef National Monument a National Park.
From May to September, the park offers a variety of ranger-guided programs at no charge, including guided walks, talks, and evening programs at the campground amphitheater. The park and campgrounds are open year-round. The visitor center is open every day (except major holidays) from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. with extended hours during the summer.
Capitol Reef National Park, Torrey, UT 84775. Call (435)425-3791 for more information, or visit
www.nps.gov/care .
By Judah Evangelista - 11/13/08
Capitol Reef National Park Map
