This was a short day, since we had stayed up north for the morning and lunch with family before beginning the drive south.  We got there with a few hours of sunlight remaining and made good use of our time.

We started off on the scenic drive and it was well worth the time. The scenic drive in Capitol Reef National Park is a must-do for any visitor, offering stunning views of the park’s unique geological features and historical sites.

The drive is paved (but a little rough and tight at times) and is just under 8 miles long.  It begins at the visitor center and rides the Reef (Waterpocket Fold) south into the park and comes to a dead end at a parking area. Along the drive you will be surrounded by the towering cliffs of multicolored sandstone and enough formations to keep every creative mind entertained as you imagine stories for the various shapes and peaks.  It moves along the Fremont River for a time and past the fruit orchards that were planted by the pioneers nearly 150 years ago.

If you are feeling adventurous, the parking lot doesn’t have to be the end and you can continue along the dirt road that leads to the Capitol Gorge.

The gorge actually was a main thoroughfare in the area until it was closed to motorized traffic by the park and transitioned to hiking trails. 

You can see where pioneers etched their names into the walls along the route long ago if you continue walking along the trail after the final parking lot.

We didn’t continue far enough, but there is eventually an area that allows you to see several natural tanks or areas where water collects in the formations off the trail

Afterwards, we looped back to watch the sunset at Sunset Point. It was pretty cloudy, so we weren’t able to catch much of a sunset, but the view was still spectacular.

We went to Goosenecks overlook and it is certainly worth the stop and very brief hike. It provides a stunning view into a horseshoe bend in the canyon below, with sheer walls of rock on either side.

After some pictures we hurried back to the car, as it was rather windy and getting cold quickly after the sun was down.. There is another viewpoint called Panorama point that is even closer to the main road through the park with no hiking needed and still amazing views. We ended up staying the night at a hotel in Torrey.