Bryce Canyon to Capitol Reef Road Trip

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Start / endStops

Bryce Canyon to Capitol Reef: the drive

The drive from Bryce Canyon National Park to Capitol Reef National Park covers 124 miles (199 km) and takes about 2 hr 45 min without stops, mostly on SR-12 and SR-24.

It's an easy drive that leaves plenty of time to explore along the way. Allow about 3 hr 15 min with breaks.

We found 4 worthwhile stops within about 25 miles of the route, including Lower Calf Creek Falls and Anasazi State Park Museum.

Best time to go: April to June and September to October. Orchards in Fruita open for picking in summer.

Best stops between Bryce Canyon and Capitol Reef

Before you leave Bryce Canyon

1. 1

   Red Canyon

   30–60 min~34 min detour

   Bright red hoodoos and rock tunnels on Scenic Byway 12, a free preview of Bryce with a paved bike path.

2. 2

   Kodachrome Basin State Park

   1–2 hrs~16 min detour

   Tall sandstone chimneys named by National Geographic after the color film, 20 minutes from Bryce.

   

1. 3

   Lower Calf Creek Falls

   Mile 663–4 hrsOn the route

   A 6-mile round-trip sandy hike to a 126-foot waterfall in Grand Staircase–Escalante, on Scenic Byway 12.

   

2. 4

   Anasazi State Park Museum

   Mile 7845 minOn the route

   A small museum and excavated ancestral Puebloan village in Boulder, Utah, next to the Hogback ridge drive on Byway 12.

   

Where to stay in Torrey

The quietest of Utah's Mighty 5: the Waterpocket Fold, historic Fruita orchards and pie at the Gifford House. Torrey is the closest town with lodging. Rooms near national parks sell out in peak season, so book early.

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Trip cost calculator

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Bryce Canyon to Capitol Reef road trip FAQ

Route calculated from OpenStreetMap data and checked 2026-11-09. Drive times assume normal traffic and no stops.