Perhaps the most striking feature of Capitol Reef is the Waterpocket Fold, a nearly 100-mile warp in the Earth’s crust. (Imagine Grand Canyon’s horizontal layers; now imagine those layers vertically—that’s the Waterpocket Fold.) Just like you should expect in any Utah national park, it’s just one of many incredible red-rock vistas you can find here.
About two hours from Arches National Park and Moab, the park is incredibly long and narrow, with only the Fruita area—where Mormon pioneers grew cherries, apricots, peaches, and more—paved and easily accessible. It’s in this park section that the vast majority of park visitors head; they spread out between the overlooks on the 8-mile scenic drive, hiking trails like the Cassidy Arch Trail, and the still-operating orchards, where you can buy fresh pies and tasty park goodies.