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- Capitol Reef National Park is transitioning Fruita Campground to a year-round reservation system via Recreation.gov, eliminating its previous first-come, first-served method even in the offseason.
- Starting Oct. 15, visitors can book campsites for dates between Nov. 1 and Feb. 28, 2025.
- This change aims to accommodate both planners and spontaneous campers, as the campground remains less crowded during winter months.
TORREY, Wayne County — Capitol Reef National Park is ditching the first-come, first-served model at Fruita Campground even during its "offseason."
Park officials announced Wednesday that they're moving to a year-round reservation model through Recreation.gov. Beginning on Oct. 15, park visitors can reserve sites within the campground for stays between Nov. 1 of this year and Feb. 28, 2025.
Fruita Campground features 71 campsites, 65 of which are reservable with the rest designated as administrative sites.
Before the change, the park only required reservations from March 1 through Oct. 31— considered its "peak season" — every year, even though the Fruita Campground is open year-round. Those who stayed at the campground during the winter could pay through cash or check at a fee canister.
Physical payment will now be eliminated as the full system goes online, but park officials say Wi-Fi is available at the park visitor center and will be available at the Loop A kiosk to help make sure visitors have access to the website.
They add that they believe it's a win-win for people who like to plan ahead and people who are more spontaneous because the campground isn't as busy during the winter.
"If you visit without a prior reservation, you should be able to easily find an available site and book it when you arrive," park officials wrote in a statement.
Some things won't change with the shift in booking systems, though. Loop C sites aren't available in the winter because of freezing pipes in the section's bathhouse. The loop is closed off beginning on Dec. 1.
Generators normally aren't allowed anywhere but Loop C, but they are allowed in Loops A and B from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. when Loop C is closed.
Capitol Reef National Park set its visitation record in 2021 with over 1.4 million visits. It welcomed more than 1.2 million visits in 2022 and 2023. So far, over 850,000 people have visited the south-central Utah park in 2024, according to visitation data updated through August.
