Torrey, Utah / Plan / Entrance fee
Fees and passes
The Capitol Reef Entrance Fee
The Capitol Reef entrance fee is $20 per vehicle, and it buys you one road. Highway 24 runs straight through the middle of the park for free, and so does almost everything people come here to photograph. Here is exactly what you pay, what you do not, and the eight days in 2026 when nobody pays anything.
The part that surprises people
You can spend a full day here without paying
Capitol Reef has no entrance gate on the highway. The Park Service charges its fee for the Scenic Drive, a 7.9 mile paved road running south from the visitor center, and collects it at a self pay station just south of the campground.
Everything on the Highway 24 corridor sits outside that station. The visitor center, the whole Fruita historic district, the orchards, the Gifford House, the Fremont Culture petroglyph panel and the Hickman Bridge trailhead all cost nothing to reach. So does the entire Cathedral Valley district out to the north, and the Notom Bullfrog and Burr Trail country to the south.
That is not a loophole and it is not a reason to skip the Scenic Drive, which is worth the twenty dollars and leads to Grand Wash and Capitol Gorge. It just means that a family arriving late, driving the highway, walking to the petroglyphs and eating a pie at the Gifford House has had a full Capitol Reef day for the price of the pie.
We sell nothing here, so there is no reason for us to talk you into a ticket. If you want the whole planning picture, the planning hub has permits, timing and services in one place.
The full list
Every price the park charges
As published by the National Park Service and checked in September 2026. Entrance passes are valid for seven days.
| What | Price | Covers |
|---|---|---|
| Private vehicle | $20 | One non commercial vehicle and everyone in it, for seven days |
| Motorcycle | $15 | Seven days |
| Person on foot or bicycle | $10 | Per person aged 16 and over, for seven days |
| Under 16 on foot or bicycle | Free | No pass needed at all |
| Capitol Reef annual pass | $35 | One vehicle and its occupants, this park only, for a year |
| America the Beautiful annual | $80 | Entrance and day use fees across the federal land agencies. The Park Service lists a $250 non resident version |
| Senior annual, age 62 and over | $20 | US citizens and residents |
| Access pass | Free | Visitors with a permanent disability |
| Military pass | Free | Current US military and dependents |
| Fourth grade pass | Free | US fourth graders and their families |
Camping is separate and not covered by any entrance pass. Fruita Campground is $25 a night, its group site $125, and the two primitive campgrounds out in the backcountry districts are free. Details on the camping guide and where to stay.
Three ways
How you actually pay it
At the self pay station
On the Scenic Drive, just south of the campground. This is the one most people use, and it is why the fee feels optional if you never drive that way.
At the visitor center
Staffed, and the place to buy an annual pass or ask about a fee free day. Also where you collect a free backpacking permit if you need one.
Through pay.gov
The Park Service lists online payment as an option, which is useful if the station is out of envelopes or you would rather not carry cash.
Do not read any of this as permission to skip the fee if you use the Scenic Drive. It is charged for that road, rangers do check, and $20 for seven days is not the part of this trip worth gaming.
The math
Which pass is worth it
Three simple thresholds decide this, and they are worth thirty seconds before you pay at the station.
2
Visits to this park alone
Two separate trips inside a year and the $35 Capitol Reef annual pass has already beaten paying $20 twice. If you live in Utah or you are back in autumn, buy it the first time.
4
Parks on one trip
Four park entries at $20 to $35 each and the $80 America the Beautiful pass wins, and it keeps working at every federal site for a year. On a Mighty Five road trip it is the obvious buy.
Before you buy anything, check three things
- Is anyone in the car 62 or over, serving in the military, a fourth grader, or a visitor with a permanent disability? Those passes are $20 or free and they cover the whole vehicle.
- Are your dates near one of the fee free days below?
- Are you actually going to drive the Scenic Drive? If the answer is no, you may not need a pass at all.
2026
The days nobody pays
Entrance fees are waived across the National Park System on these dates. They are set nationally and announced each year, so check before you count on one.
| Date | Occasion | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|
| February 16 | Presidents Day | Quiet season here, and the one fee free day where you may have the Scenic Drive to yourself |
| May 25 | Memorial Day | Peak spring. Free entry, but lodging in Torrey will not be |
| June 14 | Flag Day | Hot on the canyon floor. Start early |
| July 3 to 5 | Independence Day weekend | Three days, and it overlaps Torrey Apple Days on Main Street |
| August 25 | 110th birthday of the National Park Service | Monsoon season, so watch the forecast before any canyon |
| September 17 | Constitution Day | Arguably the best week of the year to be here |
| October 27 | Theodore Roosevelt's birthday | Apple harvest is usually still running in the orchards |
| November 11 | Veterans Day | Cold, quiet, and many Torrey businesses have closed for the season |
A fee free day waives entrance only. Camping, permits that carry a charge elsewhere and anything you buy from a business are unaffected. Timing the rest of the trip is covered on the month by month guide.
Straight answers
Fee questions
How much does it cost to enter Capitol Reef?
Twenty dollars per private vehicle, valid seven days. Fifteen for a motorcycle, ten per person arriving on foot or by bicycle if you are 16 or over, and nothing at all if you are under 16 on foot or a bike.
Is Capitol Reef free to enter?
Partly, and more than most people expect. The fee is charged for the Scenic Drive. Driving Highway 24 through the park, visiting the visitor center, Fruita, the orchards, the petroglyph panel and the Hickman Bridge trailhead, and going out to Cathedral Valley all cost nothing.
Where do I pay the Capitol Reef entrance fee?
At the self pay station on the Scenic Drive just south of the campground, at the visitor center, or through pay.gov. There is no gate on the highway.
Do I need a reservation or timed entry ticket?
No. Capitol Reef has no timed entry system, unlike Arches. The only thing that needs booking is a campsite. See the planning hub.
How long is the Capitol Reef pass valid?
Seven days for a standard entrance pass. The Capitol Reef annual pass runs a year at $35, and the America the Beautiful annual pass runs a year across federal lands at $80.
When are the fee free days in 2026?
February 16, May 25, June 14, July 3 to 5, August 25, September 17, October 27 and November 11. They are set nationally each year, so confirm before you plan around one.
Does the entrance fee cover camping?
No. Fruita Campground is $25 a night on top of entry, the group site is $125, and the two primitive campgrounds in the backcountry districts are free. Senior and Access pass holders pay half at Fruita.
Fees, pass types, validity and the 2026 fee free days on this page come from the National Park Service Capitol Reef fees page, and the Scenic Drive detail from the Scenic Drive page, both checked September 2026.
Next step
Now spend the money where it matters
Entry is the cheapest part of a Capitol Reef trip. The bed and the vehicle are what actually cost, and both are worth deciding before you arrive.
Also useful: the orchards, road conditions and the Torrey town guide. Or read who writes this site.