I was really excited for this day of travel because Capitol Reef National Park is another park that I didn’t have a lot of time to explore during my last visit. We certainly made the most of our time this trip and I was able to see and photograph the things that I wanted to within the park.

Not only was I able to grab some additional photographs of the stunning Gifford barn (see above) in Fruita, but I was also able to take the wash road to visit Cathedral Valley and hike to see the Hickman Natural Bridge. Capitol Reef is such an underrated national park and I am so happy that I got to explore it again.
The Day’s Itinerary
If you are interested in seeing a detailed itinerary for my travel day and how my travel plans changed, I have included a link to my itinerary for you to review below.
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2020 National Parks Trip – Day 7 Itinerary |
Capitol Reef National Park

Capitol Reef is one of those national parks where you have to work to fully explore. The park isn’t completely visible by paved road with pullouts. No park is 100% visible by paved road, but Capitol Reef is a park where this is especially true. You have to plan ahead to be able to navigate the wash roads and hike to see some of the park’s least accessible areas.
That is why I am so happy that I had more time on this trip to do some more in-depth exploration of this beautiful park. I got to see the Temple of the Sun and Temple of the Moon in Cathedral Valley and the wonderful Hickman Natural Bridge, which I was thrilled to see.
Photo Highlights
If you are interested in seeing some additional photographs from my visit to Capitol Reef, I have included a number of photographs that I grabbed with my phone. I will be posting images taken with my camera when I post my Capitol Reef visitor guide in the coming months.
Wash Road to Cathedral Valley










We just drove through to get to Torrey and then on to Escalante. Still a beautiful drive, though, even if you don’t officially enter the park.
Absolutely!! Some stunning areas just off the highway to enjoy!