Tips When Exploring Capitol Reef National Park with Kids

Recently we returned from Capitol Reef National park. It was so fun. We’ve been there for many years and we never get tired of it. National Parks are so fun to explore, but when you are visiting with children it takes a bit more work. Here are a few tips when exploring Capitol Reef National park with kids.

  1. Check out  the Visitors Center & Get your Junior Ranger Packet. This is so fun for the kids. All you need to do is grab a booklet for each of your kiddos and do the activities. Then when you are done, take it back in and get your badge! These are good things for the kids to learn too.
  2. Determine abilities of your group. If you are hiking with young kids then start with some shorter walks, hikes. If you have older kids then for sure do the bigger hikes. That may sound pretty obvious, but when we are on adventures I feel like sometimes we try to over do it. Then everyone is mad at each other and it ends badly. So do what your group can actually do and enjoy it!
  3. Pack sunscreen, water and food enough for the day. When we head into the park we tend to stay longer than expected. Because of this reason, we pack more food than we think we will use. More times than not, we end up eating most of it because we stayed longer and explored more. Be over prepared and you will be grateful.
  4. Explore the Fremont Culture Petroglyphs. This is something my kids love to look at each year. They are pretty incredible. Check them out here. 
  5. Stay in a place where the kids can enjoy. We love staying at Thousand Lakes RV Park. We stay in the small cabins. This park has a nice grassy area for the kids to run around in and a pool to swim in. It’s views are amazing as well. We love having bon fires and enjoying nature.