Capitol Reef National Park is a National Park in Utah. This guide combines the park's official information with computed sunrise, sunset and Milky Way times, satellite climate data and 12 photo locations inside or next to the park.
Best photo spots in Capitol Reef
We matched 12 named overlooks, waterfalls, peaks and other features to Capitol Reef. Each has its own page with sun directions and a monthly golden hour table.
Scenic Viewpoints (3)
Scenic ViewpointScenic ViewpointScenic ViewpointWaterfalls (1)
Natural Arches (3)
Mountain Peaks (1)
Mountain Passes (1)
Ghost Towns (1)
Dark Sky Places (2)
Sunrise, sunset & golden hour
At Capitol Reef 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.
| Month (15th) | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Sunset az. | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:41 AM | 8:21 AM | 4:49 PM | 5:29 PM | 244° | 9h 48m |
| February | 7:16 AM | 7:53 AM | 5:27 PM | 6:04 PM | 255° | 10h 47m |
| March | 7:37 AM | 8:12 AM | 6:58 PM | 7:32 PM | 268° | 11h 55m |
| April | 6:50 AM | 7:25 AM | 7:26 PM | 8:01 PM | 283° | 13h 12m |
| May | 6:15 AM | 6:52 AM | 7:52 PM | 8:30 PM | 295° | 14h 15m |
| June | 6:02 AM | 6:41 AM | 8:11 PM | 8:51 PM | 301° | 14h 49m |
| July | 6:14 AM | 6:53 AM | 8:10 PM | 8:49 PM | 299° | 14h 35m |
| August | 6:41 AM | 7:17 AM | 7:44 PM | 8:20 PM | 289° | 13h 40m |
| September | 7:07 AM | 7:42 AM | 7:00 PM | 7:35 PM | 275° | 12h 27m |
| October | 7:34 AM | 8:10 AM | 6:13 PM | 6:48 PM | 260° | 11h 14m |
| November | 7:07 AM | 7:46 AM | 4:35 PM | 5:14 PM | 247° | 10h 07m |
| December | 7:36 AM | 8:17 AM | 4:25 PM | 5:07 PM | 241° | 9h 31m |
Computed for the park's reference point (38.2822, -111.2470); large parks span several minutes of difference.
Milky Way & dark skies
From Capitol Reef, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| February | 5:22 AM – 5:42 AM | 0.3 | 13° |
| March | 4:30 AM – 6:00 AM | 1.5 | 19° |
| April | 2:35 AM – 5:05 AM | 2.5 | 22° |
| May | 12:35 AM – 4:25 AM | 3.8 | 23° |
| June | 10:47 PM – 3:57 AM | 5.2 | 23° |
| July | 10:40 PM – 2:40 AM | 4.0 | 23° |
| August | 9:58 PM – 12:38 AM | 2.7 | 23° |
| September | 9:04 PM – 10:34 PM | 1.5 | 19° |
| October | 8:16 PM – 8:36 PM | 0.3 | 13° |
| November | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| December | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
1 Estimated Bortle 1 — Excellent dark-sky site. The Milky Way casts faint shadows; zodiacal light and airglow are obvious.
Weather & best time to visit
Weather is posted daily; check at the park visitor center for weather updates. Do not enter into narrow canyons if there is a threat of rain or if rain has been falling in the area. Rain and snow may also make dirt roads impassable to vehicles.
Weather overview: National Park Service.
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 (%)
Average high (°F)
Photography permits, drones & fees
Permits. 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.
| Entrance fee | Cost (USD) |
|---|---|
| Entrance - Private Vehicle | $20.00 |
| Entrance - Motorcycle | $15.00 |
| Entrance - Per Person | $10.00 |
| Commercial Entrance - Per Person | $10.00 |
Fees as published by the NPS when this page was built — confirm on nps.gov before you go.
Getting there
From I-70: Take exit 149, then take UT-24 west toward Hanksville; continue for 43.8 miles (70.5 km). Turn right to continue on UT-24 west and continue for 37.3 miles (60 km). From I-15: take exit 188 then US-50 east toward Scipio. Left on UT-50; continuing 0.7 miles (1.1 km). Turn right onto US-50 east; continue for 24.4 miles (39.3 km). Turn right onto UT-260 south and continue 4.2 miles (6.8 km), then right on UT-24 for 71.3 miles. UT-12: North on highway 12 to Torrey, UT. Right onto UT-24.
Directions: National Park Service.
Activities
- Arts and Culture
- Cultural Demonstrations
- Astronomy
- Stargazing
- Biking
- Road Biking
- Camping
- Backcountry Camping
- Car or Front Country Camping
- Horse Camping (see also Horse/Stock Use)
- Group Camping
- RV Camping
- Canyoneering
- Climbing
- Rock Climbing
- Fishing
- Food
- Picnicking
- Guided Tours
- Self-Guided Tours - Walking
- Self-Guided Tours - Auto
- Hands-On
- Citizen Science
- Arts and Crafts
Nearby parks
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