Four-Wheeling
You can explore Capitol Reef in a 4X4 on a number of exciting backcountry routes, but note that all vehicles must remain on designated roadways. Road conditions can vary greatly depending on recent weather patterns. The Cathedral Valley/North District Loop is popular with four-wheelers (and also with mountain bikers).
Cathedral Valley/North District Loop. The north end of Capitol Reef, along this backcountry road, is filled with towering monoliths, panoramic vistas, water crossings, and a stark desert landscape. The area is remote and the road through it unpaved, so do not enter without a suitable mountain bike or high-clearance vehicle, some planning, and a cell phone (although reception is virtually nonexistent). The trail through the valley is a 58-mile loop that you can begin at River Ford Road, 11¾ miles east of the visitor center off Highway 24; allow half a day. If your time is limited, you can tour only the Caineville Wash Road, which takes about two hours by ATV or four-wheel drive vehicle. If you are planning a multiday trip, there's a primitive campground about halfway through the loop. Pick up a self-guided tour brochure at the visitor center. River Ford Rd., off Hwy. 24, Capitol Reef National Park, Utah, 84775.