9 Reasons Your Next Glamping Trip Should Be in Capitol Reef

May 18, 2016 | Updated November 10, 2023

Capitol Reef Resort has been hosting travelers from around the globe for decades at the gateway to Capitol Reef National Park. And just like good hosts do, they get better and more creative each year. Phenomenal views, a pool and gorgeous hotel rooms just weren’t enough. So now they’ve gone and made a legit glamping compound that rivals any hotel. There’s a reason all the glamping sites fill up quickly ... here are 9 reasons you should spend your next glamping trip here:

Sleep in Conestoga Wagons

09. There's a Luxury Pool Just Outside Your Teepee

Last time we checked, the desert gets hot during the daylight hours. Really hot. We suggest hiking in the early morning hours, and saving the pool for the afternoon heat. It’s the desert, right? Water can be hard to find for cooling off, but if you’re glamping in the desert you've got a pool right outside your teepee flap.

And, if you cool off a bit too much, or you find out that desert nights can get a little bit chilly, take advantage of the hot tub. Heck, take advantage of the hot tub any evening after a long day of hiking and driving through the desert — your muscles and joints will love you for it.

08. Fremont People Ancient Petroglyphs Are Down the Road

2,000 years ago the Fremont and ancestral Puebloan people began to farm a bit in the area and lived in pithouses. Their ancient art (petroglyphs) can be found throughout the park. They were mostly hunter-gatherers and lived off of pinyon nuts, rice grass, berries, nuts, bulbs, tubers, deer, bighorn sheep, rabbits, birds, fish and rodents.

Where?

Just east of the visitor center on Hwy 24, you’ll see a sign on the left side of the road that will point you to the parking lot where there’s a boardwalk and telescopes to help you view the petroglyphs.

Looting has been a problem in the area over centuries. It is illegal to collect anything within the national parks. And do not write your name on the rock ... it could get you a $20,000 fine. Just enjoy seeing bits of human culture that have been wonderfully preserved for thousands of years. Pretty, ain’t it?

07. Torrey : An Artsy and Charming Small Town is Just Minutes Away

Farmers markets, art galleries, guides and outfitters, trading posts and the Chuck Wagon. Main Street is lined with grand ol’ cottonwood trees, and has seen the likes of John Wesley Powell, Butch Cassidy, Maynard Dixon and Wallace Stegner. The locals are an eclectic mix of pioneer stalk and red-rock-country-lover newcomers.

Where to Shop:

The Torrey Gallery, Torrey Trading Post

Where to Eat:

Slacker’s: Burgers, Shakes & Fries | Rim Rock Patio (across the street from your teepee!) : Pizza, pasta, microbrew beer, live music | Castle Rock Coffee & Candy: Coffee, breakfast, pastries, fresh eggs

Torrey Apple Days, July 4 weekend: Community dinner, 4th of July breakfast, Race for the Apple 5k, raffles, parade, classic car show, kids games, pie eating contest, live music

06. A Mattress is Way Better Than Your Camping Pad

Always. A mattress will always win over a camping pad. You get the same outdoorsy experience in a teepee that you would in a tent ... except you have a cushy and luxurious mattress that won’t leave your hip bones aching the next morning. AND, you can actually stand up in your teepee, which is a handy thing indeed when a wardrobe change is required. Right?

05. You Can Fit the Entire Family in a Conestoga Wagon

If only our parents’ generation knew about glamping — all four kids could have had bunkbeds ... in a tent-like dome! But it’s better and cleaner and you don’t have to worry about digging a trench around the tent when it rains and pours. Imagine playing cards and board games in here?! Mom, Dad ... I think we all want a camping re-do.

04. Movie Night Every Night Inside Your Teepee

Your teepee will have a flat screen TV for all of your evening post-adventure relaxation of bliss sessions. You walked for miles and miles and took at least a million photographs. You’ll love laying down on your mattress and totally zoning out. Don’t judge.

03. Saddle Up Like You're a Real Cowboy or Cowgirl

Horse corrals are just outside your teepee flap. They’re gorgeous. And you’ll probably want to be a hero and ride one while you’re in the desert because it’s the perfect photo-op and you’ll never see the desert the same again. Brush up on your Woody Guthrie and Bill Monroe ‘cause you’ll want to hum or whistle a little folk tune now and then. Learn more about horseback riding tours.

02. You'll Wake With the Rising Sun

Hotel walls are too thick to let in the glorious sunrise ... but your tent will warm up slightly and brighten things up so you can rise with nature. Early to rise, but you’ll beat any crowds on the trails. You’ll be one step ahead of everyone all day long. First on the trails, first at the restaurants, first at the lookout points, first ready for bed.