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Discovering Capitol Reef: 5 Stunning Vistas to Explore
On a recent road trip to Escalante in southern Utah, we decided to finally take Utah’s scenic byway 12 home. If you haven’t had the chance, I highly suggest hwy 12. It has amazing views and a lot of great places to stop and take in the scenery.
Scenic byway 12 leads right to Capitol Reef. We have always wanted to visit this National Park, but only had a couple hours to explore this time. While we need to go back and spend a day or two, we found the 5 best ways to experience Capitol Reef if you are short on time. These include Goosenecks Overlook, Panorama Point, Sunset Point, Chimney Rock and the Petroglyph panels. The best thing is most of these are fairly close to each other.
Chimney Rock
Your first stop, if coming from Torrey, will be Chimney Rock. This can either be a quick stop or if you have the time, you can do the 3.3 mile loop trail. There is a little pull off with some parking and a small bathroom. This is a good place to just see amazing scenery not far from your car. You will get some amazing high up views from the cliffs if you decide to do the hike and a close up of the rightly named “chimney rock”.
Panorama Point
About a mile down the road you will run into a pull off towards Panorama Point. This is another great place with plenty of parking to either get out and snap some photos right outside your vehicle or take a short walk to some amazing view points. This a low effort, high return investment. Great for when you are short on time or traveling with small kids. Just be mindful of the cliff edges.
When you are finished with Panorama Point and want to explore more of Capitol Reef. You will want to checkout Sunset Point and Goosenecks Overlook. When leaving the parking from Panorama, instead of turning left and heading back to SR-24 make a right hand turn towards the dirt path.
This is Goosenecks Rd and it will lead you to the next 2 stops. The road has typical washboards and the occasional hole, but it is fairly smooth and any vehicle should make it. It is a .8 mile journey from Panorama Point to the Sunset and Goosenecks trail heads. This is a dirt road, so if there is rain or inclement weather, make sure to use your own discretion.
Sunset Point
Great! You made it through and got your vehicle all dusty or muddy! Don’t worry it is worth it. Now prepare to see some truly stunning views. Sunset Point trail is 1/3 of a mile and was fairly easy. This was a beautiful hike that we took our 2 year old on and are very glad we did. The view into the canyon below was well worth the short hike. Just be very careful at the end of the trail and stay away from the cliffs edge it can be very disorienting!
Goosenecks Overlook
Across the parking lot from Sunset point trailhead is Goosenecks Overlook. This has a short but steep 600ft walk to an overlook. You will have an amazing view of red cliffs and the river down below. The trail can be a little hard to follow at times, but should be fairly easy to find the right path to the railing with the overlook.
Petroglyph Panels
The petroglyphs are another interesting stop that can be found along Utah State Route 24, they can be explored via two wooden boardwalks. Depending on the time of day and the specific panel you’re viewing, some petroglyphs may be more challenging to spot. Make sure to bring along a pair of binoculars to help you see the petroglyphs a bit better!
The petroglyphs in Capitol Reef are a great way look into the minds of the ancient Fremont culture! This was fun to discuss what the stories behind the carvings could mean. Especially for our little guy.
The shorter boardwalk offers views of large human-like figures, bighorn sheep, and other animals, as well as geometric patterns. Meanwhile, the longer boardwalk runs parallel to the cliffs, offering a closer view of the petroglyphs, albeit with some difficulty due to a patina that has developed over time.
Hickman Natural Bridge
If you have a little more time in Capitol Reef and don’t mind a hike, then I highly recommend doing the popular Hickman Natural Bridge trail. This is a moderately challenging, 1.7 mile out and back trail. This scenic trek will provide some stunning views of a small and large arch! The pictures speak for themselves.
From this parking lot you can also access the Rim overlook trail and across the street the Cohab Canyon trail. Parking can be hard to find if it is busy as this is a main attraction. There is a bathroom near the trail head.
Capitol Reef National Park Visitors Center
If you are looking for a souvenirs, snacks, bathroom break or just an escape from the weather you should stop by the visitors center. There are also some cool displays inside to learn more about the park!
So there you have it! Capitol Reef is a truly stunning national park and there is a lot to do, but these were some of our favorite with the limited time that we had!
Do you plan on going to Capitol Reef soon? Are you going to visit Goosenecks overlook? Let me know in the comments below!
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