The Fruita Campground in Capitol Reef National Park is most commonly described as an oasis in the Desert. It's no surprise as the campground seems to show up out of the red rock with beautiful shade trees and green grass providing shade from the desert sun.
Fruita Campground - Capitol Reef National Park
The Fruita Campground is the only developed campground in the main portion of the park.
Deer is a common sighting in the orchards and grass fields surrounding the campground.
One of the highlights of staying in the Fruita Campground is being able to walk over to the Gifford Homestead Farm Store for fresh cinnamon rolls and fruit pies. This is one of our favorite things to do in Capitol Reef National Park.
It is also centrally located to several hiking trails and most other park activities.
Capitol Reef National Park Entrance Fee
Park entrance fees are separate from camping and lodging fees.
Park Entrance Pass - $20.00 Per private vehicle (valid for 1-7 days from the date of purchase)
Park Entrance Pass - Motorcycle - $15.00 Per motorcycle (valid for 1-7 days from the date of purchase)
Per-Person Entrance Pass - $10.00 Visitors 16 years or older who enter on foot, bicycle, or as part of an organized group not involved in a commercial tour.
Annual Park Entrance Pass - $35.00, Admits pass holder and all passengers in a non-commercial vehicle. Valid for one year from the month of purchase.
$30.00 for Commercial Sedan with 1-6 seats and non-commercial groups (16+ persons)
$40.00 for Commercial Van with 7-15 seats
$40.00 for Commercial Mini-Bus with 16-25 seats
$100.00 for Commercial Motor Coach with 26+ seats
Remember that Capitol Reef National Park has an entrance fee separate from camping fees.
Learn more about National Park Passes for parks that have an entrance fee.
$80.00 - For the America the Beautiful/National Park Pass. The pass covers entrance fees to all US National Park Sites and over 2,000 Federal Recreation Fee Sites for an entire year and covers everyone in the car for per-vehicle sites and up to 4 adults for per-person sites.
Buy your pass at this link, and REI will donate 10% of pass proceeds to the National Forest Foundation, National Park Foundation, and the U.S. Endowment for Forestry & Communities.
National Park Free Entrance Days -Mark your calendars with the five free entrance days the National Park Service offers annually.
Fruita Campground Camping Fees
Campsite Cost: $25.00
Senior/Access Camping Fee: $12.50
Golden Age/Senior Pass or Golden Access/Access pass holders receive a 50% discount
Campground Reservations
Are Campground Reservations Available? Yes, the entire campground is on the reservation system from March 1st. through October 31st.
Phone Number? (877) 444-6777
Online? Recreation.gov
How Far Ahead can you make a reservation? 6 months
First Come, First Served? Yes, From November 1 - February 28, all campsites are first-come, first-served.
Fruita Campground Map
Campground Information
Number of Sites: 71
Walk-in tent sites are available in Loops B and C (still require a reservation).
Season: Fruita Campground is open year-round
Location in the park: Near the Fremont River and historic fruit orchards
Latitude/Longitude: 38° 16' 56.9500" N 111° 14' 48.8000" W
Elevation: 5442' elevation
Campground Address: Camp Ground Rd, Torrey, UT 84775
Accessible Sites: Yes, campsites 024, 026, 014, and 063 are accessible sites.
Campground Amenities
Potable Water? Yes
Dump Station: Yes, the dump station is located near the campground entrance and is open year-round.
Bear Boxes: No
Flush Toilets: Yes, there are flush toilet restrooms available year-round
Payphone: Not within the campground
Laundry/showers: No
Is firewood available for purchase? Firewood may be purchased at the Gifford House during business hours or at local stores.
Is wifi available? WiFi is available at the visitor center.
Is Cellular Phone Service Available? Cell coverage is not reliable in this area.
Is a camp host available on site? Yes, Campground Hosts are available in sites A1 and A2 from mid-March through the first week of November.
Don't forget to pack
Insect repellent is always a great idea outdoors, especially around any body of water.
We use Permethrin Spray on our clothes before our park trips. Please read my article on preventing biting insects while enjoying the outdoors.
Sunscreen - I buy environmentally friendly sunscreen whenever possible because you inevitably pull it out at the beach.
Bring your water bottle and plenty of water with you. Plastic water bottles are not sold in the park.
Sunglasses - I always bring sunglasses with me. I personally love Goodr sunglasses because they are lightweight, durable, and have awesome National Park Designs from several National Parks like Joshua Tree, Yellowstone, Hawaii Volcanoes, Acadia, Denali, and more!
Click here to get your National Parks Edition of Goodr Sunglasses!
Binoculars/Spotting Scope - These will help spot birds and wildlife and make them easier to identify. We tend to see waterfowl in the distance, and they are always just a bit too far to identify them without binoculars.
Amenities at each campsite:
Each site has a picnic table and fire ring (except sites 7, 48, and 50, which only have an above ground grill).
Firepit in the site? Yes
Picnic Table in the site? Yes
RV Camping at Fruita Campground
Hookups: No, there are no electrical hookups, water hookups, or greywater hookups available.
Pull-through sites available: No
RV Length: Most sites in Loops A and B are less than 40 feet long.
Most sites in Loop C are between 40 and 52 feet long.
Generators:
Generators are only permitted in the C Loop
Generators may not be run outside of approved generator hours for any reason.
Mountain Daylight Time (Mar. - Nov.):
8 am–10 am and 6 pm–8 pm.
Mountain Standard Time (Nov. - Mar.):
8 am–10 am and 5 pm–7 pm.
Generators may not be run outside of approved generator hours to power medical devices or other equipment.
For a fun adventure check out Escape Campervans. These campervans have built in beds, kitchen area with refrigerators, and more. You can have them fully set up with kitchen supplies, bedding, and other fun extras. They are painted with epic designs you can't miss!
Escape Campervans has offices in Vancouver, Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Phoenix, Salt Lake City, Denver, New York, and Orlando
How to get to Campground
Traveling westbound on Interstate 70: Take Utah State Highway 24 west towards Hanksville (exit 149). Stay on Highway 24 for 80 miles to reach the park Visitor Center.
Traveling on Interstate 15: Take US Highway 50 east at Scipio (exit 188) towards Salina for 30 miles. At the junction with Utah State Highway 89/259, turn right (south) and travel 8 miles. Turn left (east) onto Utah State Highway 24 towards Sigurd. Continue on Highway 24 for 82 miles to reach the park Visitor Center.
Top 5 Things to do while camping at Fruita Campground
Visit the Fruita Orchards - Original settlers to the area planted orchards, and today, these orchards have approximately 2,000 trees!
Trees include cherry, apricot, peach, pear, apple, plum, mulberry, almond, and walnut trees.
There is a list of rules, and all fruit taken out has to be paid for, so bring some cash with you and pay at the self-pay station provided.
Scenic Drive - This 1.5-2 hour scenic drive follows south along the Waterpocket fold, offering beautiful views of the area.
Petroglyph Panel - Get a close-up view of a well-preserved petroglyph panel dating back to the people of the Freemont Culture.
Explore the visitor center and enjoy a Ranger Program - Capitol Reef has Year-round interpretative programs as well as numerous seasonal programs including evening campfire programs at the campground amphitheater, astronomy programs, archeology programs, and and geology talks.
Tour the Gifford Homestead - The Gifford Farm sits in the heart of the Fruita Valley.
Today, the Capitol Reef Natural History Association runs this building with a museum and items for sale including the best locally made pies from the fruit in the orchard!
Find out when they get their pies delivered. They are quite possibly the most sought-after thing in the valley, along with the campsites in the Fruita Campground!
They are open seasonally and typically open on March 14th. (National Pie Day of course!) and close in Late November.
Campground Regulations
The maximum number of people in a campsite: 8 people per campsite
The number of cars per campsite: 2
Checkout time: 11 am
Quiet Hours: 10 pm to 6 am
Stay Limits: April 1–November 30: 14 days
December−March 31: 30 days
Pets Allowed: Yes, Pets must be on a leash that is less than 6 feet long.
Where to stay when visiting Capitol Reef National Park
There are no National Park Lodges within the park.
The closest lodging is in Torrey, Teasdale, and Grover, Utah.
Capitol Reef Resort - Located right outside of the park offers epic lodging options.
Days Inn Capitol Reef - This hotel is 4 miles from the park and offers free Wi-Fi, cable tv, a pool, and more.
Broken Spur Inn & Steakhouse - This hotel has breakfast included and is close to the park.
For additional hotels and vacation rentals click on the map below
Additional Capitol Reef National Park and other Utah Park Articles
Complete Guide to Capitol Reef National Park - Your complete guide to planning that perfect trip to Capitol Reef National Park
Capitol Reef Scenic Drive - A fantastic drive along the Waterpocket Fold with breathtaking views
Cathedral Valley Scenic Drive - Perhaps my favorite scenic drive in the National Parks System! Caution: this is a 4X4 road and can become impassable. Check with the visitor center before attempting.
Things to do in Arches - A guide to the park's most popular and what-not-to-miss attractions!
Epic hikes in Arches NP - Here is your complete guide to hiking Arches National Park!
Arches National Park Camping - Camping at Arches National Park is the best way to explore this epic park. Learn everything you need to know!
Goblin Valley State Park - Guide to exploring one of Utah's most fascinating parks!
Goblin Valley Complete camping guide - Learn everything you need to know to go camping at Goblin Valley State Park
Deadhorse Point State Park - Come see one of the most epic views of the entire American Southwest!
Complete Guide to Canyonlands National Park - Your complete Guide to exploring Canyonlands National Park
Complete Guide to Bryce Canyon National Park - Your complete guide to planning the perfect vacation to Bryce Canyon National Park
Complete Guide to Zion National Park - Your complete guide to exploring Utah's first National Park
Check out all of the National Parks in Utah along with neighboring Colorado National Parks, Idaho National Parks, Wyoming National Parks, Nevada National Parks, Arizona National Parks, and New Mexico National Parks.
Photos of Fruita Campground
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