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Sight Scenic Drive, Capitol Reef

Scenic Drive

A sight in Scenic Drive, Capitol Reef, budget-friendly ($) and worth about 1.5 hours. Best time to go: Afternoon.

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Scenic Drive in Scenic Drive, Capitol Reef
Photo: Wolfgang Staudt · CC BY 2.0 · license

Why go

Paved road south along the Waterpocket Fold's cliffs; small entrance fee.

It is one of 10 curated places we feature in Capitol Reef, alongside 2 activities, 2 places to eat and 2 outdoor spots. The closest of our other picks is Cassidy Arch Trail, 1.5 mi away as the crow flies.

Type
Sight
Neighborhood
Scenic Drive
Price
$
Time needed
1.5 hr
Best time
Afternoon

Nearby

The 6 closest curated picks in Capitol Reef, measured as straight-line distance.

  1. 1
    Cassidy Arch Trail

    Steep 3.4-mile round trip up to a large arch you can stand above.

    Activity · 1.5 mi straight-line
  2. 2
    Gifford Homestead

    Restored pioneer farmhouse selling small fruit pies and cinnamon rolls.

    Food · 2.6 mi straight-line
  3. 3
    Hickman Bridge Trail

    Two-mile round trip to a 133-ft natural bridge with views of Capitol Dome.

    Outdoors · 2.8 mi straight-line
  4. 4
    Fremont Petroglyphs

    Boardwalk along Highway 24 with Fremont-culture rock art figures.

    Sight · 2.8 mi straight-line
  5. 5
    Fruita Orchards

    Historic orchards where you can pick cherries, apricots, peaches and apples in season.

    Activity · 2.9 mi straight-line
  6. 6
    Capitol Reef Visitor Center

    Orientation, trail maps and info on the Waterpocket Fold geology.

    Sight · 3.5 mi straight-line

On these curated routes

Scenic Drive is a stop on our Utah Mighty Five route. Open it to see the full day-by-day plan.

More to do in Capitol Reef

Scenic Drive is our only sight pick in Capitol Reef; here is what else we recommend there. See the full Capitol Reef guide.

When to go

Average daily highs in Capitol Reef run from 42°F in December to 92°F in July; July is usually the wettest month. For Scenic Drive itself, we suggest: Afternoon.

Modelled monthly averages for Capitol Reef from NASA POWER, not a forecast. Full Capitol Reef weather by month.

Getting there

Map links open a live search for Scenic Drive, so hours and directions come straight from the map app.

Address
Scenic Dr, Utah, USA
Coordinates
38.24855, -111.22923
Destination
Capitol Reef, Utah

Scenic Drive: quick answers

How much time do you need at Scenic Drive?

Plan on about 1.5 hours at Scenic Drive. That is our curated estimate for a typical visit; groups that linger will want more.

When is the best time to visit Scenic Drive?

Our pick: Afternoon. Insider tip: Continue onto the dirt spur into Capitol Gorge if road is dry.

Where is Scenic Drive?

Scenic Drive is at Scenic Dr, Utah, USA, in Scenic Drive. The Google Maps and Apple Maps links on this page open it for directions.

Which TripsCircle routes include Scenic Drive?

Scenic Drive appears on Utah Mighty Five, a curated route you can open on TripsCircle and plan with your group.

Add Scenic Drive to your crew's plan

Save it to a shared TripsCircle itinerary, settle the timing with a quick poll, and split the costs with everyone going to Capitol Reef.

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Lists & regions

Also in Capitol Reef

Curated recommendation, not live listing data. Confirm hours, prices, bookings and access before you go.