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UT 24 is a Utah state highway that cuts through Capitol Reef National Park. There are a few points of interest along the road within the park.
Chimney Rock
From west to east, the first place we stopped was a small unmarked pullout to view Chimney Rock. There’s a nice view along the road as well. A difficult 3.6 mile round-trip trail takes you up to the rock for panoramic views, but we decided not to do it.
Panorama Point
Next, we made a right turn off the road and stopped at Panorama Point, where we were able to get some dramatic views of the desert landscape. The best views were of Mummy Cliff to the north.
Goosenecks Point
The road continued to Goosenecks Point, where a short 600 foot trail led to an overlook. At the overlook there are dramatic views of a canyon cut by Sulphur Creek, which sits 800 feet below.
Sunset Point
At Goosenecks Point is another short trail to Sunset Point. It runs ⅓ mile one-way, first with some excellent views of the landscape and Mummy Cliff.
The trail then winds towards the canyon with Sulphur Creek below, ending at a panoramic viewpoint. Obviously, it’s great for sunsets, but we were there mid-morning.
The Castle
We finished the trail and drove back to UT 24, where we drove towards the Fruita Historic District. On the way, we stopped at an unmarked pullout to snap some pictures of the Castle.
Navajo Dome
After visiting the Fruita Schoolhouse, we continued along the road to another unmarked pullout for views of Navajo Dome. This is one of the many white Navajo sandstone domes that give Capitol Reef its name. Supposedly they resemble the United States Capitol building in Washington, DC.
Behunin Cabin
Finally, near the eastern end of UT 24 running through the park is the Behunin Cabin. It’s a one-room cabin built in 1882 by Mormon settler Elijah Cutler Behunin, one of the very first pioneers who attempted to homestead in the Capitol Reef area. The Behunin family left about a year after building the cabin and became one of the first families to settle in Fruita.
