Capitol Reef National Park: Cathedral Valley off-road Jeep tour
Description
Cathedral Valley is one of those places that visitors always end up asking "Where is that?, why didn't I see that when I visited Capitol Reef?" The reality is, though some of its most awe-inspiring features are included in promotional photos and literature, access to the region is not something a new visitor to the park in a rental vehicle would be advised to embark on. It is, however, one that is highly recommended to any visitor who wants to experience the true heart and soul of Capitol Reef. We offer two options for this tour: 1. Half Day and 2. Full Day. 1. Half-day tour will take you to the most beautiful and iconic features of Capitol Reef: Temple of the Sun, Temple of Moon, and The Glass Mountain. You will see grand vistas of the colorful Bentonite and Mancos Shale, Mars-like formations. 2. Full-day is an 7-9 hour long trip that will take you on a 60-mile Cathedral Valley loop to all 8 destinations detailed in the tour's itinerary of the "What to expect" session below.
Tour Options
Itinerary
We will pick up guests at their lodging location in one of our luxury off-road SUVs. Guests will then be transported through approximately 70 miles of some of the most remote terrain in Utah. The renowned Cathedral Valley Loop includes a dramatic river crossing (in the safety of our capable SUVs) as well as scenic stops. Refreshments will be provided as well as a stop for lunch and/or snacks. Insight into the history, both ancient, geologic, and recent, will be provided to add to the pure scenic spectacle that is an unforgettable memory and adventure.
The road into this location takes you through some spectacular, rainbow-striped sedimentary hills of Jurrasic era deposits that need to be seen to be believed.
Guests will be treated with a birds-eye view of the amazing monoliths and geology of Cathedral Valley below and a vista across the valley to the nearly twelve thousand foot high Thousand Lakes Mountain. A short, 1/4mile hike will bring those who wish an even closer look at this amazing valley!
This overlook offers stunning views right from the parking area and even more beautiful vistas from the end of an easy, 1/4mile hike. Guests will see the best view of the iconic Jailhouse Rock formation which is the centerpiece of the overlook.
A short spur road off of the main loop will bring guests to another short hike(optional) of 1/8mile to one of the highest overlook points on the tour. From this point, amazing views and photos await, spanning east and west up and down the valley below.
Magnificient Entrada formation that represents the name of Cathedral Valley.
This is where the story of The Glass Mountain ends. Possible pronghorn antelope viewing.
Sandstone iconic towers that only 1% of visitors to Capitol Reef National Park get to experience.
A unique on Earth site where an enormous crystal lattice rises from the desert sands and glistens in the afternoon sunlight.
A knowledgeable guide will lead you around this iconic monolith and show you the best viewing and photography points.
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
We are also available to pick up our guests at local short term rental properties (Airbnb, VRBO, etc) in the Torrey, Teasdale, Grover areas. Simply reach out to us prior to booking to confirm your lodging address is in our area and we will coordinate pickup.
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Service animals allowed
- Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Not recommended for visually impaired travelers
Reviews(60)
Fantastic tour of Capital Reef. Guide was excellent. Tour in range of 6 to 7 hours. One of our favorites was Cathedral Valley. Last stop on tour was a 180 degree canyon view that was absolutely spectacular.
Best tour ever spent 6 hours with Mel. He knows the area and the best time of day to view the sights. Will do more tour with him when in the area
Our family had a great day with Mel exploring the less accessible areas of the Capitol Reef/Cathedral Valley area. He was very knowledgeable about the area, the geology and geography. He gave us a couple options to customize the trip to what we wanted to focus on. We chose to start at the overlook at 1000 Lakes that looks down into the park and surrounding areas, then we proceeded to drive down into the park and see everything up close. We stopped at multiple places along the way to take pictures and point out interesting things we wouldn't have known about if we did it on our own. We felt like we had the whole park to ourselves, the only other people we saw was Mel's wife with another private tour group. I originally booked the half day but later upgraded to the full day, and I'm glad we did. Mel picked us up and dropped us off at our hotel, which was very convenient. Highly recommended experience!
This 7-hour tour was insanely wonderful. Learned so much about Capitol Reef's geological history, explored all areas of the Cathedral Valley, and had a very fun time with our tour guide, Jeannie. She is passionate about the area and went out her way to answer our questions/share her vast knowledge.
We were blessed to have Mel as our tour guide. Mel is extremely knowledgeable about the geology and paleontology of Capital Reef. He took us to the main attractions of the North part of the park and lead us on several short hikes to incredible viewpoints. I would definitely recommend taking this tour.
Awesome day! Mel was a super driver and guide, knowledgeable and personable. The Land Rover was clean and comfortable. We had a great time. Best tour we've been on.
Unbelievable scenery, amazing photos, and a great group of people. Would do it again in a heartbeat!. will book again..
Breathtaking views, amazing experience! 😊 The photography tour was well-guided and helped me capture stunning shots.
Had an amazing experience with Meridian Photography Utah Tours! Jenny Kay, the owner, was super friendly and knowledgeable about the Capitol Reef area. She took us on an incredible photography adventure, sharing insights into the park's history and natural beauty. The off road-tour was a thrill, and the Milky Way session was breathtaking.recommend!
This tour was awesome. Utah landscapes are beautiful and Meridian Photography made the trip easy and fun. I got some really nice pictures without any rush.
