Cathedral Valley rock formation in Capitol Reef National Park

Why Utah's Red Rock National Park Is Worthy Of A Visit

By Kristin Conard

VACATIONS

While Utah has many beautiful national parks, one that often gets overlooked is Capitol Reef National Park, which features amazing red rock formations, canyons, and cliffs.
The reef part of the name comes from the 87-mile-long ridge called the Waterpocket Fold; according to the National Park Service, prospectors called it a reef.
Capitol Reef National Park is divided into three main sections: The central Fruita Historic District, the northern Cathedral Valley District, and the southern Waterpocket District.
There are several hiking trails, such as the Capitol Reef Petroglyph Trail and the Cassidy Arch Trail via Grand Wash, which will take you to the park's most popular photo spots.
Visitors can also find nearly 2,000 fruit trees by the visitor center, originally planted by Mormon settlers in the 1880s along the Fremont River.
Capitol Reef National Park offers several camping options. It's worth staying the night as you'll get the full splendor of the night sky with the Milky Way frequently in view.