KID RATINGS

Fun: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (out of 5)
Difficulty: Very Easy    Easy    Moderate    Hard    Very Hard
(Activities range from very easy to hard depending on what you are doing)

KEY FEATURES

Terrain: Dirt, sand, streams, rivers, rock, exposed trails, shaded trails
Time Needed: A few hours to a few days
When to Go: Spring, Summer, Fall

Hiking Distance: 1.5 miles to 6 miles, depending on the trail

COST

$20 per vehicle for a 7 day pass

Free if you have a 4th grader with Every Kid Outdoors program

AMENITIES

• Bathrooms at Visitors Center and Fruita Campground

• Camping and water available at Fruita Campground within Capitol Reef National Park

• Lodging in Torrey, Utah about 10 minutes from park entrance

THINGS TO BRING

• Food for camping or snacks for day use

• Water

• Sunscreen

• Camping gear if camping

• Good hiking shoes

• Weather appropriate outdoor attire

• Water shoes/sandals if planning on playing/hiking in streams

DETAILS

Capitol Reef is a lesser known National Park within Utah, but don’t let that detour you from visiting with your kids. This park is an absolute gem and I often refer people here instead of the busier parks in Utah.

Capitol Reef National Park with Kids is a great park choice because of the variety of activities. See below for ideas for Things to Do during your visit. 

We spent a weekend at Capitol Reef National Park with kids and then ended up going back the next weekend to get a hike in we didn’t have time for the week before. We stayed at the Fruita Campground and loved being close to the main hikes, junior ranger programs, orchards and Gifford house. Capitol Reef also hosts my favorite all time family hike – Sulphur Creek.

Fruita is the main hub of Capital Reef National Park. The area was habited by Fremont Native Americans between 300 and 1300 BC. Latter Day Saint Settlers moved to the area in the late 1800s and started a small farming community that became self sufficient. The orchards, land and historic buildings are now all part of the National Park program and is enjoyed by people visiting from all over the world.

We spent our time in the Fruita area but there are two other more remote areas of the park: the Waterpocket District in the southern areas of the park and Cathedral Valley in the north. We hope to explore these areas of the park soon.

THINGS TO DO WITH KIDS 

Fruit Picking

My kids loved picking fruit from the Fruita Orchards! There are over 2,000 fruit trees including apples, cherries, peaches, pears apricots that are available for public picking. Call (435) 425-3791 to find out if there is fruit ripe when you are visiting or check the Park’s Facebook page.

Baked Goods at The Gifford House

The Gifford house was originally built in 1908 and housed a few different farming families before it become unoccupied. It now serves as a historical building, gift shop and a great place to purchase fresh baked goods like pies and cinnamon roles. Get there early in the day. They often run out of pie by the end of the day.

Wade in Sulphur Creek or Fremont River

Need to cool off after hiking in Capitol Reef National Park? Jump in one of the rivers of streams in the park. We had so much fun wading and swimming here. It was a great way to spend an afternoon after a morning hike.

A great wading location is in Sulphur creek between the Ripple Rock Nature Center and the Gifford House. Access Sulphur Creek through the large grassy area with picnic tables. You can also hike/wade Sulphur Creek from the back side of visitors center.

Camping

Fruita Campground is the only developed campground within the park and has 71 sites that include tent, RV and trailer spots. It truly is an oasis in the desert with green grass and large mature trees providing great shade in the summer.

The campground is also surrounded by tall red rock and fruit orchards. It has flush toilets and well kept facilities. The campground is also near the visitors center, Gifford House, hiking opportunities, river access, ranger programs and more. I definitely recommend Fruita Campground to anyone visiting Capitol Reef.

Fruita Campground is open to reservations at www.recreation.gov on a 6 month rolling basis from March to October and is first come first in the winter months. Book early if you want to snag a spot at this beautiful campground.

Primitive camping is also available at the Cathedral Valley Campground and Cedar Mesa Campground. Pit toilets are available but there is no water. 4×4 vehicle required. These are good places to camp if you are exploring the more remote areas of the park.

Petroglyph Viewing

Right off of Utah State Route 24 there are large walls of Petroglyphs. These wall drawings were created by the Fremont Native Americans who lived in the area from 300 to 1300 BC. There are permanent binoculars for viewing or bring your own. Make sure to check out both boardwalks! 

Wild-life Viewing

Keep your eyes peeled for deer, lizards, yellow bellied marmots, bats the rare big horn sheep and more. While staying at the Fruita Campground we saw deer every evening.

Ranger Programs

There are three daily Ranger Programs May to October. If you stay at Fruita Campground in the summer there are daily Ranger Programs located at the campground amphitheater.

We attended an evening program about bighorn sheep and fell in love with them — We bought a stuffed animal bighorn which we affectionally call Ramy. Ramy comes with us on our road trip adventures now. The kids were determined to see a real-life bighorn sheep at Capitol Reef. Our seven year old was adamant she saw one traversing a hill — I think she actually did. She was our best animal spotter in Yellowstone.

Junior Ranger Program

We love getting Junior Ranger books from National Park visitor centers. The Junior Ranger program keeps the kids busy while we drive and helps them learn about each park and how to preserve it. At Capitol Reef there is a Junior Ranger Geology Badge class at the Ripple Rock Nature Center. We enjoyed learning about the geology of Capitol Reef and the kids got a cool badge at the end.

Hiking

Capitol Reef is home to many amazing hikes! All the hikes we did were in the Fruita area. We hope to go back soon and check out the more remote areas of the park. The hikes we did are listed below. Follow this link for other hiking options in the park.

Sulphur Creek: 1.5 miles – 6 miles (you choose), out and back or one way

One of my top 3 favorite hikes we have done as a family (and we have done a lot of hiking). I have an entire blog post and youtube video dedicated to this incredible hike. The full 6 miles requires a little preparation so make sure to check out my Sulphur Creek blog post if interested. This hike follows Sulphur Creek and has a few water falls and pool areas. SO MUCH FUN!

Capitol Gorge: 2 miles, 80 feet elevation gain, out-and-back trail.

This hike takes your through a red rock canyon and then up to “the tanks.” These pockets in the red rock hold water and wildlife at times throughout the year. The tanks were dry when we were there in August, but it was still a fun hike. The canyon walls keep you shaded most of the way and there are fun areas in the red rock the explore.

Hickman Bridge: 1.8 miles, 400 feet elevation gain, out-and-back with a loop at the arch.

Great hike to a large arch. Jump in the river at the end to cool off.

Cassidy Arch: 3.4 miles, 700 ft elvation gain, out-and-back hike.

Hike to one of the few arches you can actually walk on! Incredible! This hike has some steep drop-offs so might not be good for kids who wander. 

Star Gazing

Capitol Reef is a designated International Night Sky Park. This means on a clear, moonless night your kids may see more stars than they ever have before. Our friends brought a telescope and we were able to see some stars and planets up close. You might be able to catch a ranger led Star Talk program at the Gifford House. Check the visitors center for details.

Historical Buildings

Visit the Fruita Schoolhouse, Gifford Barn or Gifford house. We enjoyed peering in the one-room Fruita Schoolhouse and imagining what school was like in the early 1900s. The school is set up like it would have been 100 years ago.

Scenic Drive

Take 8 mile Scenic Dr. from Fruita to see some of the geologic wonders of Capitol Reef National Park. This road is paved and RVs and trailers welcome. The two dirt roads, Grand Wash and Capitol Gorge are worth the detour on the way. These areas have picturesque high red rock. RVs and trailers may not be able to make it on these two dirt roads.

PROS & CONS

PROS

• Not as busy as other Utah National Parks

• Variety of activities available (fruit picking, ranger programs, historical buildings, water hikes, wading etc)

• Easy to hard hiking options

• Wildlife viewing

• Water available to play in

CONS

• Hot in the summer (hike early/late – include a water hike or wading in the afternoon)

DIRECTIONS

Captiol Reef National Park is located in south central Utah off of Utah State Route 24. It is about 15 minutes east of the town Torrey.

MAPS

MORE INFO

National Park Service

OTHER NEARBY ADVENTURES

Fish Lake National Forest (1 hour)

Goblin Valley State Park (1 hour 15 min)

Lower Calf Creek Falls (1 hour 15 min)

Escalante Petrified Forest State Park (1 hour 45 min)

Arches National Park (2 hours 15 min)

Bryce Canyon National Park (2 hours 15 min)

Canyonlands National Park (2 hours 30 min)

Peek-a-boo & Spooky Slot Canyons (2 hour 30 min)

KID RATINGS

Fun: ⭐⭐⭐ (out of 5)
Difficulty:     Very Easy    Easy    Moderate    HARD    Very Hard

KEY FEATURES

Distance: 3.1 miles round trip
Elevation Stats: Trailhead: around 4000 ft above sea level, Elevation gain: 680 ft
Terrain: Sand and slickrock, steep areas, some drop-offs, exposed trail
Time Needed: 1.5 to 3 hours
When to Go: Spring, Fall, Winter (weather permitting). Before 9 am or after 3pm during peak season (spring and fall) and on weekends. Park closes entrance when it reaches capacity. Check if park is at capacity before you go on the Arches National Park page. 

COST

$30 for seven day Arches National Park Pass. Check current entrance prices on Arches National Park page. 

Free if you have a 4th grader: Get your Every Kid Outdoors Pass. 

AMENITIES

• Vault bathrooms at trail head, but NO water
• Water and restrooms available at park entrance visitors center
• Restaurants located in Moab, just 5 miles south of the park entrance
• Campgrounds in Arches National Park or in the Moab area. 
• Hotels in Moab, UT

Note on Hotels and Campgrounds: Moab campgrounds and hotels fill quickly, especially in spring and fall. I recommend booking your stay 6 months in advance.

THINGS TO BRING

• Sunscreen
• Water (1 to 2L per person)
• Snacks
• Hiking shoes

DETAILS

This world-famous, majestic sandstone arch is 46 feet high, 32 feet wide and is the largest free standing arch within Arches National Park. It is worth the three mile hike with kids to see. Delicate Arch was on my 4th-grade daughter’s bucket list. She learned about it in school and begged to visit since.

We visited Arches National Park over Memorial Day weekend. This is a very busy weekend, but we were still glad we went. Be prepared for crowds and a 30 to 60 minute wait to get into the Park if going on a holiday or peak season weekend in spring or fall. Arches will turn away people if it reaches capacity.  If you are visiting during these times, I recommend entering Arches by 9am or after 3pm so you are not turned away and minimize the wait time to enter. 

Trailhead

Grab a map at the entrance to the park or follow my map in the MAPS section to get to the trailhead. The trailhead is located at the Wolf Ranch Parking lot which is 13 miles from the park entrance.  Finding a parking spot can be difficult if visiting at a peak time. Try to hike in the morning, later afternoon or evening. The trailhead is located on the east side of the parking lot near the bathrooms.

The Delicate Arch hike begins with a flat sandy path that then leads to an upward climb on hardened sandstone slickrock. Before the slickrock begins there is a historical cabin and petroglyphs. After walking 0.2 miles from the trailhead you will see signs for the Petroglyph Interpretive Trail. Follow this trail for petroglyph viewing. It will loop around and hook back into the main Delicate Arch Trail. 

The Hike

There are usually a large amount of people hiking Delicate Arch so don’t worry about getting lost. Just follow the masses up the slickrock. The slickrock area contains most of your elevation gain. We hiked with our kids and cousins with ages ranging from 1 to 10. Kids 3 and under were in hiking carriers. The one 4 year old did really well over all and just needed a piggy back ride for about a half mile on the slick rock. Make sure to take snack and water breaks with your kids.

The trail is completely exposed and many people who hike this aren’t use to the high elevation and elevation gain. Delicate arch sits around 4600 feet above sea level. 

Delicate Arch

Once you come to the Delicate Arch you can view the Arch from a distance or get up close by walking along the top of the “bowl” formation. There is quite a bit of wind at the top as you can tell from some of the pictures with all our hair in our faces.

The “bowl” is a large, circular drop directly in front of the Arch. This is something you don’t want to fall into so keep your kids near the top. You can stand under the arch if you want however, there is usually a line of people trying to take a picture underneath.

After you are finished at the arch, you simply turn around and re-trace your steps back to the trailhead. The way back is easy because you are going down the same 600 foot elevation change that you just climbed up.

Hiking Delicate Arch at Night

My husband and I actually left the kids with grandma that same night and snuck away to see the arch again with no moon and a sky full of bright stars. We were able to sit directly under the arch for as long as we wanted without having to quickly move for someone else to get a picture. One of the most surreal hikes I have been on. The pictures below don’t do this experience any justice.

If you would like to Hike Delicate Arch at night, I recommend hiking it earlier in the day so you get a feel for where you are going. I was glad we did the hike just a few hours before so that we knew where to go in the dark. My husband and I hiked solo without kids. If you choose to bring your kids to Delicate Arch at night, I would probably only bring older kids and teens. 

PROS & CONS

PROS

• World famous arch 
• Close to countless other amazing hikes, scenery and outdoor adventures
• Difficult, but not too difficult of a hike for kids 
• Petroglyph viewing near trailhead

CONS

• Can become crowded at the top of the hike around Delicate Arch
• Hot in summer (100 degree weather) and there isn’t any shade
• Some steep drop offs around near and around Delicate Arch
• Park reaches capacity frequently and you may need to come back at a later time to enter Arches National Park

DIRECTIONS

Delicate Arch hike is located 13 miles inside Arches National Park. The entrance to Arches National Park is located just 5 miles north of Moab, UT on Highway 191. Once in the park, follow the main road to the second fork, turn right at this turn. There is plenty of signage on the road to direct you to the Delicate Arch hike. The trailhead is located on the east side of the Wolfe Ranch/Delicate Arch parking lot. You can also follow my map below.

MAPS

MORE INFO

Arches National Park Official Page

OTHER NEARBY ADVENTURES

Arches National Park Hikes
Canyonlands National Park (30 minutes from park entrance, 1 hour from trailhead)
Dead Horse Point State Park (35 minutes from park entrance, 1 hour from trailhead)