This place has a view you'll be upset you missed. A nice walking path for those who don't hike a…read morelot. Even the drive up is breathtaking. There is a $25 fee per car to park. There is also a gift shop.

This review is for Bartizan Arch Trail which was a ~5 miles round trip that took ~3 hours to…read morecomplete. This was a surprisingly unique and stunning hike near Cedar City, Utah. While most of southern Utah was over 90°F; the temperature in this area was easily ~30° lower! Within the first ~1 mile to Spectra Point were amazing views of the canyon. This reminds me of Bryce Canyon National Park except you can't walk into the canyon. For the most part, the declines start after Spectra Point towards Bartizan Arch. As a result, the inclines back out can feel a bit strenuous. The trail was on the exposed rims of the canyon as well as parts of the nearby forest. Furthermore, the trail was slightly rocky and becomes narrower near the arch. Watch your steps! For those looking for a shorter hike; I would recommend going up to Spectra Point which would be a ~1.9 mile roundtrip. In my opinion, the view at Ramparts Viewpoint wasn't too much of a difference compared to the view at Spectra Point Viewpoint. Parking lot and restrooms were next to the Cedar Breaks National Monument visitor center. Short video of the hike for those interested! https://youtu.be/C9IpeLT1i3g

As part of our quest to visit all 63 U.S. national parks, we set off on a six week road trip. I…read morehave a personal rule: I only count a national park as "visited" if I actually spend time there, hike or walk through it, and truly experience it. On this trip, we visited 14 national parks, and Capitol Reef National Park became one of the most beautiful surprises of the entire journey. The drive from Death Valley to Capitol Reef was already an adventure, with constantly changing landscapes along the way. But nothing prepared us for the moment we arrived. Suddenly, the desert opened up into an incredible world of red rock formations, towering cliffs, and colors that seemed almost impossible. It was breathtaking. Capitol Reef is a smaller national park compared to some of the giants we visited, but it has a beauty and personality all its own. In fact, it became my husband's favorite park of the entire trip. There is something about the combination of landscapes, colors, history, and peacefulness that makes this park truly special. The scenery changes dramatically throughout the park. One area is filled with the famous red rock formations, cliffs, and sandstone walls that look like they were painted by nature. Then, as you explore other areas, the landscape changes into lighter limestone formations, with shades of yellow, cream, and gray. Everywhere you look there is a different view, a different texture, and a different color. One of the unique things about Capitol Reef is the historic Fruita area, where early settlers planted orchards along the Fremont River. Today, visitors can still see these beautiful fruit groves, which feel almost magical surrounded by the desert landscape. There is also a historic building in the Fruita area where they sell homemade fruit pies, and it is incredibly popular for a reason. The pies are absolutely delicious. We could not resist and enjoyed having pie and ice cream one morning for breakfast. When you are traveling, sometimes breakfast rules become a little more flexible! The park also has fascinating history, including ancient petroglyphs left by the Fremont people. Seeing these markings carved into the rock walls was a powerful reminder that people have been connected to this landscape for thousands of years. The hiking was another highlight. I especially enjoyed hiking through the Narrows, where I was able to explore on my own and experience the beauty and quiet of the canyon. Walking through the towering walls, surrounded by the colors and textures of the desert, was unforgettable. Capitol Reef feels like nature's own painting. The reds, oranges, yellows, blues, turquoise, and greens all come together to create a landscape that is constantly changing depending on the light. It is a park that invites you to slow down, look around, and appreciate the incredible creativity of the natural world. Capitol Reef may not always get the same attention as Utah's more famous parks, but it deserves it. It is beautiful, peaceful, full of history, and absolutely worth the visit.

This is an amazing national park. One thing I noted about the park is that it offers things for…read morepeople to do regardless of their activity level. If you're super fit and want to do hikes, good for you as there's plenty of strenuous hikes! If you aren't as active or use a mobility assistive device, you can travel on the very, very scenic drive and also learn about the ghost town of Fruita (although the NPS employees live there). If you time your visit right, you can even pick fruits from the orchards. I combined the Rim Overlook trail with the trail to Hickman Bridge to get amazing views, as well as hiked the Cassidy Arch trail. The trails weren't too crowded, so it was a great place to listen to nature and focus on hiking. You're rewarded with amazing views. Definitely hit up Gifford Homestead for fruit pies. They often sell out in the afternoon.

The Toadstool Hoodoos are cool rock formations formed by differential erosion. They look like…read moremushrooms, as the harder rock caps and protects the softer rock underneath. The hike is an easy 1.5 miles. The views at the end are worth it, and you can get close to the rock formations as you like (although don't topple the rocks!). It's suitable for families with small children. If you don't mind driving on an unpaved road (I did it in a 2WD sedan), check out House Rock Valley Road for unparalleled views of the landscape with swirling sandstone, painted hills, and other cool rock formations. Check out the Wire Pass Trail for amazing slot canyons, although check the weather. If there's any chance for rain, do not enter the slot canyons since the formations channel water and form deadly floods in the canyon. The visitor center in Kanab is huge, with lots of good pamphlets and displays about the geology and archaeology of the area.

This feels like a review in progress because the area is so large - but was pleasantly surprised by…read morehow much more I want to explore this region. We did Willis Creek Narrows and Lower Calf Creek Falls - both incredible. Now adding to the wish list for return trips. The drive along US 12 is just spectacular. Definitely recommend a high clearance vehicle with 4WD to access some of the more remote locations. Be prepared to adventure and bring what you need as this is not a manicured national park, but more a haven for those looking for an off-grid escape.

Very beautiful highway. This is one of those yelp freebies. You have to take this route anyways to…read moreget to Bryce Canyon, lol.

I have lived in Utah for over 45 years. I drove Scenic Highway 12 for the first time earlier this…read moresummer. Most incredible drive I have ever experienced in Utah. Changing landscape every few miles. Well worth the time and effort!!

I really loved this viewpoint that Bryce National Park. I would definitely recommend to anybody…read moretaking the scenic drive to stop here and takes some photos. This is a very different view where you can see more of the forest side with the canyon. From my experience, you don't see much of this view when you do the trails. There is a parking lot and I suggest visiting in the early morning or late afternoon. I visited around 3pm. There is probably about a 0.1 - 0.2 walk to the actually overlook which is all flat with railings. Paria View is a stopping point for you!

Paria view is located off the same access road as Inspiration Point and Bryce Point. The other/…read morepoints look out at the amphitheater, whereas this view looks the opposite direction. As such, it is not as crowded as the other 2 viewpoints. Just a parking lot here. No services and no shuttle bus stop. In the field bordered by Paria View Road and the main road- one of the best spots to spot pronghorns and prairie dogs.

Would recommend making this a spot to visit. Get to see the tops of the ridges from an up close…read moreperspective without having to hike.

Another view point along the road to Rainbow Point. Also called Ponderosa Canyon. It's between Agua…read moreCanyo and Black Birch Canyon. Just a parking area. No services. Lots of Ponderosa Pines here. These trees are recognizable by there brown and black streaked bark. If you have the opportunity- go smell the bark. It has a luscious sweet smell of vanilla and butterscotch.

This a great place to stop by to view Bryce Canyon. None of my photos do this place justice. It's…read moredefinitely a place you must experience personally and come up with your own opinion. There is a $35 fee to enter Sunset Point.

As mentioned in other reviews I wrote other lookout points, sunrise and sunset points aren't…read moreterribly different from say fairyland or inspiration points. However, they do offer slightly different vantage points of the canyon. You can see directly down into "the silent city" from here and get a distant view of Thor's hammer (famous rock formation). This is also a starting point for some of the best hikes in the park, eg if you do the Wall Street/Navajo loop to Queen's garden (counter clockwise loop).

There is some very interesting history at Cove Fort and we really enjoyed our visit. And it is…read morefree! Elder & Sister Isom were friendly and informative tour guides -- they each provided details about Cove Fort's origins and subsequent happenings here while allowing us space to look around and read the interpretive plaques on our own. The tour started with a good, short film shown in a restored cabin across the road from the fort. Then we proceeded to the rock fort with its 18-foot walls and huge thick gates. All of the rooms inside have each been decorated as they would have been when this outpost was functioning in the mid-1800's. We had passed by this place on the freeway several times previously, but thought it would be a long drive to reach the historical spot. Not so! It's close to the off ramp on a well-paved road. Plenty of parking and clean restrooms help make a visit here a very positive experience.

There's a 14 minute video that gives a bit of how the "fort" came to be. I can see how it served a…read morepurpose for travelers passing through, especially if the weather was particularly bad. They had a scavenger hunt for the kids, too.

Addy was great leading us through peekaboo, such a beautiful place, I recommend the 3 hour ride,…read moreloved every minute!!

In theory, the ride offers unique views of the park. The reality is Bryce Canyon trails are steep…read moreand narrow resulting in one painfully long panic attack for me while my eyes were glued down on the trail, not the scenery. If you are an experienced rider and aren't afraid of heights, you'll be fine.

Every viewpoint in the park is A1. That said, I do think Bryce Point is the best one - and the rest…read more(inspiration point, sunrise/sunset point, fairyland point) are all pretty similar. You get a stunning view over the hoodoos and the canyon regardless of where you are, but I think this spot offers the most "expansive" vantage. It also has the most info signs along the short walk to the view point (it's like 100 feet long, pretty short). There is a small parking lot, i had no trouble finding a spot but there were only a few available. There is a lot of turnover here though since it isn't a hike, you just go and look/take pics and leave. Definitely recommend this spot if you only have a chance to go to one overlook!!

Simply breathtaking! The Bryce Point overlook is not be missed. There are tons of wonderful vista…read morepoints within Bryce Canyon National Park, but Bryce Point provides a view like no other. With 360 degree panoramic views of the natural hoodoos at 8,300 feet of elevation, Bryce Point provides some of the best views that you'll be able to see within the park. I'm talking jaw dropping ladies and gents! The natural hoodoo amphitheater literally surrounds this very viewpoint. Bryce Point is also the starting and ending point for several popular hiking trails including the Rim Trail. This is very popular landmark as you can imagine, and it can get pretty busy. Despite this, there's plenty of parking and lots of space for to take pictures or just to simply enjoy the view. There's a paved walkway that will lead you all the way down to the vista point area. It gets SUPER windy down there! In the summertime, the wind feels perfect. But, I can imagine that it would be freezing during the spring and winter. Hold on to your hats and phones because it can definitely get blustery. Everything about Bryce Point is amazing. If you're making a visit out to Bryce Canyon, make sure to make a stop at Bryce Point before you leave.