NP.GUIDE / FIELD GUIDE / FALL 2026
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Conditions change. Follow signs and ranger orders.
As of Oct 24, the Scenic Drive is open to Grand Wash and closed beyond. Grand Wash and Capitol Gorge are closed. Cathedral Valley, Notom-Bullfrog, and Burr Trail roads are unknown and likely impassable. Call 435-425-3791, press 1 then 4, for road status.
Water tests show elevated E. coli in the Fremont River and Sulphur Creek. Do not swim, submerge, or swallow creek water. Wash hands with soap and water.
Monsoon storms flood canyons with no warning, even under sunny skies. Never enter a gorge if storms threaten. Never camp in wash bottoms.
Summer highs reach 100 F and top 100 in the districts. Carry 1 gallon of water per person per day. Hike early or late. Potable water is available only at the visitor center, picnic area, and campgrounds.
Cell service is not available anywhere in the park. The nearest service is in Torrey. The visitor center has free public WiFi. A pay phone stands at the Fruita Loop A fee station.
Orchard harvest runs through late fall. Apples are $2 per pound where posted open. Krueger and Chesnut orchards are open. Jackson orchard is closed by flooding. The Gifford House closes Nov 22.
NPS conditions (large page)
Major places list all five services. Seasonal services may be closed.
Do this: Stop first for road conditions, permits, maps, and the daily weather. Ask about the river ford and district roads.
Junction of the Scenic Drive and UT-24. Open daily 8 to 4:30 spring through fall, 9 to 4:30 in winter. Visitor center parking is limited. Oversize vehicles use UT-24 pullouts.
Do this: Reserve on Recreation.gov. The campground often books out mid-March through October.
71 sites, reservation only. Generators only in Loop C. In an emergency, call 911 from the Loop A pay phone.
Summer estimates without long stops. Traffic, wildlife, weather, and road work can cause delays.
Torrey → east on UT-24, 11 miles → visitor center
Last gas and food west of the park. Many local businesses close in winter and on Sundays.
I-70 exit 149 → SR-24 west through Hanksville, 81 miles → visitor center
Hanksville has year-round groceries and gas, 37 miles east of the visitor center.
Visitor center → Scenic Drive → Grand Wash junction and back, about 90 minutes
Open to Grand Wash only as of Oct 24. Grand Wash and Capitol Gorge lots ban vehicles over 23 feet.
Visitor center → UT-24 east → Notom-Bullfrog Road south → Burr Trail west → UT-12 north → Torrey → visitor center, 124 miles, 4 to 6 hours
Paved except dirt sections on Notom-Bullfrog and Burr Trail. Notom-Bullfrog is likely impassable as of Oct 22. Confirm status first.
Emergency: call 911. Tell the dispatcher your location, direction of travel, vehicle, and problem.
Park information: 435-425-3791
This independent guide is not the National Park Service and is not an emergency service.
Private vehicle $20, motorcycle $15, per person $10. Good for 7 days. The $35 annual pass covers one vehicle and its occupants.
71 sites, $25 per night ($12.50 Senior and Access). Reserve on Recreation.gov up to 6 months ahead. Two free primitive campgrounds serve the districts first-come.
A free permit is required for backcountry camping. Get it at the visitor center during open hours. Arrive early enough to finish before closing. There is no limit on permits.
Free day-use permits are required for canyoneering, rock climbing, and bouldering. Get them at the visitor center or online. Most canyoneering routes are open.
Distances are one way unless marked as a loop. Check trail closures.
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