This place is absolutely BOMB. I got recs from several people to come here for pie and pastries and…read moreI was not disappointed!! I got the cinnamon roll which I promptly went outside and ate as soon as I bought it (it was delicious, even though it wasn't warm -- I'm sure it would have been STELLAR after a 10-15 second warm up in a microwave!). I also bought two pies - the mixed berry, and cherry flavors. They had a strawberry rhubarb and a peach flavor that were VERY tempting, but I was by myself and only had 4 days to consume the pies so I just got two. They're the size of a small plate/large saucer; I ate half a pie at a time and it was a LOT of sugar, even after full days of hiking. But sooo tasty, and very good after a short heat in the microwave. Perfect end to a day after dinner with a beer at the Bnbs where I was staying. Would absolutely recommend a visit here if you're at Capitol reef, it's a must really if you like pastries/sweets at all!

It seems like everyone talks about the pies at Gifford Homestead - while we were in the Capitol…read moreReef visitors center, almost every single person in line to talk to the rangers asked where to pick up pies! Of course we got into it as well, dropping in a bit before lunch on a overcast Monday morning. As we waited in line, the cashier told us that last year, the store sold over 81k pies! We ended up picking one plus a delicious looking cinnamon roll in the cabinet. Mixed Berry Pie ($8.50) - This is a mini, personal sized pie, with an extremely flaky pie crust, filled with plenty of sweet and tangy mixed berry compote, and then topped with some baked crunchy oat crumble. I believe the crust uses shortening instead of butter or lard considering the taste, but the texture is pretty much perfectly flaky. It's thin on the bottom of the pie, but doesn't get soaked through with the berries. The sides are a bit thicker to give more baked crisp texture with the flake. There's a good filling to crust ratio and the filling is quite good. It's not too sweet and filled with blueberries, strawberries, and other berries. I was honestly surprised that such a tourist trap could actually have a good pie. (4/5) Cinnamon Roll ($4) - Unfortunately this one is a miss. The cinnamon roll is dry, hard, and dense inside, making it not a pleasant eat. It's topped with sweet cream cheese frosting. (3/5) Gifford Homestead is basically a must visit attraction inside the park. I don't think the food is going to blow anyone's socks off, but considering the fact that it's in the middle of the National Park and the business has so much history, I certainly don't regret visiting!

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.

We saw a sign on the road, and I have always been interested in the Anasazi Indians, so we stopped…read more I was hoping to see ruins, but I didn't see any signs to let us know there were any, so we only saw the indoor museum part. There were some nice displays of arrowheads, pottery, statues, mini replicas of dwellings, etc. The gift shop seemed well stocked, and I bought use ancient Utah sea salt (no iodine). It was free entry, and I made a donation. Clean bathroom. No movies. What I got most of out of this visit, that Anasazi is not politically correct anymore. The Navajo who were helping excavate used this term but it means "enemy," so the correct term is "Ancestral Puebloans" or "Pueblo people" (such as the Hopi, Zuni, etc). Outside was a food truck. Nearby was a gas station.

A small state museum with a lot of charm in a ton of history to tell. While it's not a major…read moretourist attraction, it is on the main thoroughfare. It's a wonderful secret, that I hope gets shared more. Definitely recommend.

Saw this area in the fall. It was bursting with golden yellow. A lovely little side trip to see…read morethe largest living tree/organism.

What an amazing natural wonder!! Pando is a single male Aspen clone - it spans 108 acres and has…read moreover 40,000 trunks all on one giant shared root system - one giant tree!! It weighs 6000 tons and is the heaviest known organism in the world! And if all that isn't interesting enough, the root system is estimated to be several thousand years old!! :-o Pando used to be the largest known organism in the world period - but was booted from the top spot by the discovery of the Oregon fungus mats lol. Still the heaviest though and well worth a visit. Pando is a "quaking" or trembling Aspen and is also known as The Trembling Giant. The leaves will tremble collectively, sometimes even without wind - very interesting experience!! (See my video attached to the review). You can find Pando just south of Fish Lake near Richfield Utah. There are some viewing pull-offs on the way in, small parking areas and campgrounds nearby with restrooms and a few hiking trails. Fish Lake is also a great place to explore - the whole area is just gorgeous - Highly recommend!!

Absolutely amazing. It can be intimidating when you're in an unfamiliar remote area, but our Jeep…read moreTour guide Dave not only made me feel comfortable and safe but he was funny as hell and made the trip really fun in addition to providing a lot of good info in the area. We did the Sunset Capitol Reef tour which was beautiful and included a nice lunch in the desert shade. He was also extremely knowledgeable about the area, and we immediately knew we were in good hands.

Thanks to Mark and Fremont River Guides for getting my son into his first catch on a fly…read more We had an excellent day on Meeks Lake. The damsels were hatching, and the fish were taking dry and wet flies. The boat was perfect for the lake. Mark was great at teaching my son a few casting methods, and how to land a fish. Mark also knows the area well. We can't wait to go out again. "The tug is the drug".

Do you like petroglyphs? Do like short and reasonable hikes? Then Fremont Indian State Park is for…read moreyou. As a solo traveler with some mobility issues, I was worried about how much access I would have to various stops on the map from the visitor center. The crew in the gift shop were delightful! They high lighted the ones I could definitely do and I did!! I loved the paved little loop at the visitor center itself that is ADA approved. My favorite was probably the 100 Hands Cave. Just a neat little walk by the creek and a small hill to get to the sight. I forgot my binoculars, so if you go bring some with you! I went on the second weekend in May, so not quite the summer season yet, so it wasn't crowded at all and I spent a couple of hours there.

Incredible state park in Utah…read more As part of our family trip to Utah's National Parks, we stayed at Utah State Parks since they had openings. It was a good choice. This is a nice state park with friendly staff and clean facilities. There are clean restrooms with showers and even a laundry room. Just be sure to bring quarters if you arrive after the visitor center closes. In addition, the park itself has some recreational activities available and is located on historic land with pictographs to find. Very good state park.

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.

Sweet town. Complete with a Main Street, busy rigs and open scenic areas…read more This Covid period, I love how the town posted flags on the street lights with the pictures of their 2020 graduates. This is what being in a tight knit smaller town is all about. Of course, lots of outdoorsy things to do around the area.

A very quaint town that definitely has it appeal. It seems like a throw back into time that we…read moreenjoyed spending time grabbing a bite to eat, filling up with gas, and driving around to take in the historical building and it's charm. Perfectly located near the entrance to Bryce Canyon National Park.

Decided top stop in for a coffee and were thoroughly surprised and in heaven when we got fresh…read morebaked orange buns and cheese and chive s scones. What a beautiful way to start the day.

A great spot for good coffee and browsing their shop for any little extras one might need. The…read morestairs to the second floor area are amazingly intricate and well made by the previous owners from years past. A great historical little house.

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.