Located in Wayne County, Utah, Capitol Dome is a mountain peak at about 1,773 m (5,817 ft) above sea level. It lies in or next to Capitol Reef National Park, so park hours, fees and rules apply. The nearest town is Richfield, about 92 km (57 mi) away (Capitol Dome lies SE of town).
Capitol Dome is a 6,120-foot-elevation (1,870 m) summit located in Capitol Reef National Park, in Wayne County, Utah, United States. This iconic landmark is situated 2.5 miles (4.0 km) east of the park's visitor center, and 0.85 mi (1.37 km) southeast of Navajo Dome. Precipitation runoff from this feature is drained by tributaries of the Fremont River, which in turn is within the Colorado River drainage basin. It towers 800 feet (240 m) above the Fremont River and State Route 24. This geological feature's dome-like shape reminded early explorers and settlers of the dome of the United States Capitol in Washington D.C., and lent the park its name.From the Wikipedia article “Capitol Dome (Utah)”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
From the National Park Service
Capitol Dome is best viewed from the Hickman Bridge Trailhead, on Utah State Route 24, two miles (3.2 km) east of the visitor center. The trailhead parking area has a vault toilet and is suitable for passenger cars and a limited number of RVs. Capitol Dome is also visible from Hickman Bridge, Rim Overlook, Navajo Knobs, and Cohab Canyon trails. History Capitol Reef National Monument ( established 1937 ) was focused on a small area around the Fremont River, known as Capitol Reef: capitol for the white domes of Navajo Sandstone that resemble capitol building domes, and reef for the rocky cliffs which are a barrier to travel, like an ocean reef. Local supporter Ephraim Portman Pectol and Yellowstone National Park Superintendent Roger Toll named the area in 1935, before it was established by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. Geology The white Navajo Sandstone dome known as “Capitol Dome,” isn’t actually a true dome. Capitol Dome is a series of fins that blend together, resembling a dome. This is why visitors can only see this iconic feature heading east on Utah State Route 24, and not heading west. The fins become noticeable in late afternoon light, when shadows appear.
Navajo Sandstone was deposited about 180 million years ago, when most of Utah was covered by massive sand dunes. The dunes spanned such a large area, geologists call it a "sand sea" to convey the expanse. For Utah, this was an extremely arid time above ground, although a high water table below ground eventually helped solidify the sand dunes into stone.
An even closer look at Capitol Dome reveals fine tilted layers, or cross bedding, created by ancient sand dunes. This sandstone played an important role in the protection of this landscape. When Capitol Reef National Monument was designated in 1937, the enabling legislation highlighted these “ancient sand dune deposits of unusual scientific value.”
Learn more about the geology of Capitol Reef !
Text: National Park Service (public domain) — nps.gov.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Capitol Dome the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 59° (ENE) at the June solstice and 120° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 301° (WNW) in June to 240° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 75° in summer but only 28° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:29 AM | 90° E | 7:37 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:02 AM | 59° ENE | 8:52 PM | 301° WNW | 75° | 14h 50m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:13 AM | 89° E | 7:23 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:39 AM | 120° ESE | 5:09 PM | 240° WSW | 28° | 9h 30m |
Azimuth is measured clockwise from true north (90° = east, 270° = west). Computed for 2026; values change by less than a degree from year to year.
Golden hour & blue hour by month
Summits catch first and last light — alpenglow can turn rock pink or orange minutes before sunrise and after sunset while valleys stay in shadow.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:12 AM | 7:41 AM | 8:21 AM | 4:49 PM | 5:29 PM | 5:58 PM | 9h 48m |
| February | 6:49 AM | 7:16 AM | 7:53 AM | 5:27 PM | 6:04 PM | 6:31 PM | 10h 47m |
| March | 7:11 AM | 7:37 AM | 8:12 AM | 6:57 PM | 7:32 PM | 7:59 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 6:22 AM | 6:50 AM | 7:25 AM | 7:26 PM | 8:01 PM | 8:29 PM | 13h 12m |
| May | 5:45 AM | 6:15 AM | 6:52 AM | 7:52 PM | 8:30 PM | 8:59 PM | 14h 15m |
| June | 5:30 AM | 6:02 AM | 6:41 AM | 8:11 PM | 8:51 PM | 9:22 PM | 14h 49m |
| July | 5:43 AM | 6:14 AM | 6:53 AM | 8:10 PM | 8:49 PM | 9:19 PM | 14h 35m |
| August | 6:12 AM | 6:40 AM | 7:17 AM | 7:44 PM | 8:20 PM | 8:48 PM | 13h 40m |
| September | 6:41 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:42 AM | 7:00 PM | 7:35 PM | 8:01 PM | 12h 27m |
| October | 7:08 AM | 7:34 AM | 8:10 AM | 6:13 PM | 6:48 PM | 7:15 PM | 11h 14m |
| November | 6:39 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:46 AM | 4:35 PM | 5:14 PM | 5:42 PM | 10h 07m |
| December | 7:06 AM | 7:35 AM | 8:17 AM | 4:25 PM | 5:06 PM | 5:36 PM | 9h 31m |
Local time (America/Denver), including daylight saving time. Golden hour runs from about −4° to +6° solar altitude, so the morning golden hour begins during blue hour, before sunrise.
Milky Way & night sky
From Capitol Dome, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 5.2 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 23° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 1 (excellent dark-sky site), which is excellent for astrophotography.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -1° | — |
| February | 5:22 AM – 5:42 AM | 0.3 | 13° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:30 AM – 6:00 AM | 1.5 | 19° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:35 AM – 5:05 AM | 2.5 | 22° | SE → S |
| May | 12:35 AM – 4:25 AM | 3.8 | 23° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:47 PM – 3:57 AM | 5.2 | 23° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:40 PM – 2:40 AM | 4.0 | 23° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:58 PM – 12:38 AM | 2.7 | 23° | S → SW |
| September | 9:04 PM – 10:34 PM | 1.5 | 19° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:16 PM – 8:36 PM | 0.3 | 13° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 0° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -19° | — |
Window when the galactic core is at least 10° high during astronomical darkness on the 15th of each month. Pick nights within a few days of the new moon. Plan exact nights with the Milky Way planner.
Estimated sky darkness: 1 Bortle 1 — Excellent dark-sky site. The Milky Way casts faint shadows; zodiacal light and airglow are obvious. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.93 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 35% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (62%). July is the warmest month and December the coldest, which matters for gear, snow access and how long batteries last at night.
Average cloud cover (%)
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °F | 59 | 65 | 74 | 81 | 94 | 97 | 100 | 97 | 96 | 83 | 71 | 59 |
| Low °F | -11 | -7 | 4 | 17 | 21 | 30 | 46 | 43 | 25 | 13 | 0 | -7 |
| Precip. (in) | 0.7 | 0.7 | 0.8 | 0.8 | 0.7 | 0.5 | 1.1 | 1.0 | 1.1 | 1.1 | 0.7 | 0.8 |
Monthly climatology for the surrounding 1° grid cell from NASA POWER (MERRA-2). Mountain sites can be colder and cloudier than the cell average.
Photography tips for this mountain peak
- Afternoon thunderstorms are common in summer at high elevations — plan summit hikes for early morning.
- Snow on the summit holds detail best when you expose for the highlights and lift shadows later.
- Alpenglow lasts only a few minutes; set up and focus beforehand.
- Clouds around the summit add drama — a clear blue sky is often the least interesting condition.
- Check road and trail conditions with the managing agency before you go.
Season: Early summer keeps snow on the peaks with green valleys below; autumn adds aspen or larch color in many ranges.
Suggested gear: Telephoto lens, Lightweight tripod, Warm layers, Microspikes in shoulder seasons. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Permits, drones & access
National Park Service rules. Under federal law (54 U.S.C. 100905), still photography in National Park Service areas needs a permit only when it (1) takes place where members of the public are not allowed, (2) uses models, sets or props that are not part of the location's natural or cultural resources or administrative facilities, or (3) would cause the park to incur additional administrative costs to monitor the activity. Ordinary visitor and most landscape photography needs no permit. Commercial filming rules are separate and have changed in recent years — confirm current requirements with the park before a paid shoot.
Drones: Launching, landing or operating unmanned aircraft (drones) is prohibited in National Park Service units under a 2014 Superintendent's closure (36 CFR 1.5), except where a park has issued specific written approval. Flying from outside the boundary over park land can also violate park rules and disturb wildlife.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Capitol Dome, closest first.
Natural Arch
Natural Arch
Ghost Town
Natural Arch
Scenic ViewpointScenic Viewpoint
Dark Sky PlaceScenic Viewpoint
WaterfallCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Fruita Campground2.6 km (1.6 mi) · reservable
- Capitol Reef Group Campground3.1 km (1.9 mi) · reservable
- Singletree17.1 km (10.6 mi) · reservable
- Lower Bowns21 km (13 mi) · reservable
- Rosebud Atv23 km (14 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Capitol Dome?
What time is golden hour at Capitol Dome?
Where does the sun rise and set at Capitol Dome?
Can you see the Milky Way from Capitol Dome?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Capitol Dome?
How far is Capitol Dome from Richfield?
Sources
Location data: Wikidata, National Park Service, USGS GNIS / GeoNames, Wikipedia. Sun, moon and Milky Way times are computed by LWPhoto Atlas for 2026. Climate: NASA POWER. Sky darkness is a population-based estimate (Walker's law), not a measurement. See data sources & licenses.