11 Best Sights in Capitol Reef National Park, Utah

Starting at the Pioneer Register, about a ½ mile from the Capitol Gorge parking lot, this ½-mile trail continues to a short uphill climb to the Tanks—holes in the sandstone, formed by erosion, that fill with rainwater and snowmelt. After a scramble up about ¼ mile of steep trail with cliff drop-offs, you can look down into the Tanks and see a natural bridge below the lower tank. Including the walk to the Pioneer Register, allow an hour to 90 minutes for this interesting hike, one of the park's most popular. Easy.

You're almost sure to see ravens drifting on thermal winds around the deep-red Mummy Cliff that rings the base of this loop trail that begins with a steep climb to a rim above dramatic Chimney Rock—from here you're treated to impressive vistas of the western ridge of the Waterpocket Fold. This 3.6-mile loop has a 590-foot elevation change and can be a bit strenuous in hot weather, as there's no shade. Allow three to four hours. Moderate–Difficult.

You can access this 3.4-mile round-trip hike from near the campground in Fruita or from the Hickman Bridge parking lot on Highway 24; the Fruita approach is the more dramatic. From the campground, it's a steep climb to the mouth of the canyon and then a level hike through a wash with amazing color and texture. You'll find miniature arches, skinny side canyons, and honeycombed patterns on canyon walls where wrens make nests. When you get to Frying Pan, continue a little longer to where you can see Highway 24. Here you can hear the river and easily turn around, maybe taking the short (though steep) side treks to the South (0.6 miles round-trip) and North (0.2 miles round-trip) Fruita Overlooks on your way back. Allow two hours, including the side trails to the overlooks. Moderate.

The trail starts from the same parking lot as the Goosenecks Trail, on your way into the park about 3 miles west of the visitor center. Benches along this easy, 0.8-mile round-trip invite you to sit and meditate surrounded by the vast, colorful canyons and soaring mesas and mountain peaks. At the trail's end, you'll be rewarded with incredible vistas into the park. As the name suggests, it's a wonderful spot to watch the sunset. Easy.

The entire Muley Twist canyon runs about 12 miles north to south, crossing Burr Trail Road. It was used as a pass by pioneers traveling by wagon through the Waterpocket Fold and got its name because it was so narrow that it could "twist a mule." The Upper section has the most impressive scenery. There are two ways to tackle this trek. If using a high-clearance vehicle, you can drive 3.2 miles from Burr Trail along a rough but pretty road to the Strike Valley Overlook parking lot. If you're using a passenger vehicle, you'll need to park at the Upper Muley Twist Canyon trailhead, which is just 0.3 miles off Burr Trail, and then hike the remaining 2.9 miles to the Strike Valley Overlook parking lot. Just remember, the latter approach adds an extra (although very flat) 5.8 miles round-trip of hiking to this 10.3-mile trail, so plan accordingly. From the Strike Valley Overlook lot, it's a pretty easy and level 3.4-mile round-trip hike to Saddle Arch, a dramatic sandstone formation. But for the most magical scenery, from here you'll want to continue on the 5.6-mile Rim Route loop, following it counterclockwise as it passes over slickrock (you'll need to scramble up steep ridges in places) and through juniper and pinyon forests, providing dazzling views of fantastic rock formations, the Waterpocket Fold, and the Strike Valley down below. The trails in this part of the park aren't maintained (rock cairns and occasional signs mark the way), so bring a map, along with plenty of water—it can get very hot here in summer. Difficult.

What starts as a quiet little stroll beside the river turns into an adventure. The first 0.3 miles of the trail wanders past orchards next to the Fremont River. After you pass through a narrow gate, the trail changes personality and you're in for a steep climb on an exposed ledge with drop-offs. The views at the top of the 480-foot ascent are worth it. It's 2.1 miles round-trip; allow 90 minutes. Moderate.

This quick little stroll provides a great introduction to Capitol Reef and the surrounding landscape. You'll enjoy the dizzying views from the overlook. It's only 0.2 miles round-trip to the overlook. Easy.

At the end of unpaved Grand Wash Road you can continue on foot through Bear Canyon all the way to Highway 24; if you'd rather avoid paying the $20 fee for Scenic Drive, you can also park at the Grand Wash Trailhead on Highway 24 and hike in from there. This mostly level hike takes you through a wide wash between canyon walls and is an excellent place to study the geology up close. Its round-trip hike is 4.4 miles; allow two to three hours. Check the weather conditions before you start, as this wash is prone to flooding after thunderstorms. Another (more strenuous) hiking option from the same starting point is the rugged 3.4-mile round-trip trail (it's fairly steep) to Cassidy Arch. Easy.

Among the hikes in Capitol Reef's South District, this typically quiet (you may have it all to yourself) trek offers a great reward—it leads into a narrow slot canyon with soaring cliff walls—but requires relatively little effort. It takes only about an hour to complete this 2.2-mile round-trip trail with an elevation gain of about 400 feet. Easy.

This extremely popular trail leads to a natural bridge of Kayenta sandstone, with a 133-foot opening carved by intermittent flash floods. Early on, the route climbs a set of steps along the Fremont River. The trail splits, leading along the right-hand branch to a strenuous uphill climb to the Rim Overlook and Navajo Knobs. Stay to your left to see the bridge, and you'll encounter a moderate up-and-down trail with an elevation gain. Up the wash on your way to the bridge is a Fremont granary on the right side of the small canyon. Allow about two hours for the 1.8-mile round-trip, which has an elevation gain of about 400 feet. Moderate.

As you hike to the base of The Golden Throne, you may be lucky enough to see one of the park's elusive desert bighorn sheep, but you're more likely to spot their split-hoof tracks. The challenging but rewarding hike sees a steady elevation gain of nearly 800 feet and sheer drop-offs. The Golden Throne is hidden until you near the end of the trail, when suddenly this huge sandstone monolith appears before you. If you hike near sundown, the throne burns gold. The round-trip hike is 4 miles and takes two to three hours. Difficult.