Contrary to the consensus of the American people, I was STOKED about visiting Capitol Reef National Park!
Can you believe it gets about 1/3 the amount of visitors per year that Zion gets? Anyway, I was excited. And the thing I was MOST excited for was the Temple of the Sun and Moon. Seeing the giant rock formations on Instagram is just jaw-dropping. Who wouldn’t want to see that in person?! But getting there was trickier than I had imagined.
Immediately upon entering the park, we stopped at the Visitor Center and grabbed a map. I scanned the oversized, poster-sized piece of paper several times but, wait… where were the temples?
Idk. But definitely not on the map.
We decided the best course of action was to ask a park ranger for directions. That was our first mistake of many. The crudely drawn map didn’t do much for us – it was literally just a squiggly line leading away from the main highway with almost zero points of reference. The ranger’s directions helped slightly, but again – not much.
Long story short, our first attempt to reach the Temples failed. Majorly. I could have sworn the squiggly line was telling us to go right once we reached the wash. But I was wrong, and we almost killed our truck because of it (thankfully everything is fine, but yikes it was a terrible road).
Our little mishap led us to Factory Butte, which is actually incredibly cool (and was also on my list for this trip, so no harm done!), but I really wanted to get to the temples. So we tried again and this time we succeeded.
It’s because of this happy little misadventure that I decided to make a post with detailed and current directions to Cathedral Valley and the Temple of the Sun and Moon. So that no one would have to suffer through our stupid mistakes. So that everyone could enjoy the monolithic beauty of the Temples. Does this make me a hero?
I really can’t say, but yes.
In this post we’ll cover:
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Things to Know Before Visiting
- Step-by-Step Directions to the Temple of the Sun and Moon
IF YOU WANT A COMPLETE ONE-DAY ITINERARY FOR CAPITOL REEF NATIONAL PARK, CLICK HERE INSTEAD
Frequently Asked Questions
1. CAN YOU CAMP AT THE TEMPLE OF THE SUN AND MOON?
No, but you can camp very close to them! For most of the trip you’ll be driving through BLM land. It is only the very last stretch of road (after your turn left towards the Temples) that you hit National Park land. You can camp anywhere outside of that. So basically you can camp close enough to just wake up and take a short, easy (less than 1 mile) jaunt to the Temple of the Sun and Moon.
2. DO YOU HAVE TO PAY TO VISIT THE TEMPLE OF THE SUN AND MOON?
No. There is no fee to visit the Temple of the Sun and Moon.
3. ARE DOGS ALLOWED AT TEMPLE OF THE SUN AND MOON IN CATHEDRAL VALLEY?
Yes! At least technically speaking. The rule is that dogs are allowed (on a leash that is 6ft long or less) in parking areas as well as within 50 feet of any public road. You’ll be taking most of your photos from the parking lots / roads or at least very close to them.
4. WHAT ARE THE TEMPLE OF THE SUN AND MOON MADE OF?
Entrada Sandstone. This sandstone was deposited during the Jurassic period 160 million years ago.
Things to Know Before Visiting Cathedral Valley
1. YOU NEED 4WD [AND PREFERABLY HIGH CLEARANCE]
The 4WD is a must MUST. Wind blows sand over the road and there are some areas where you’re literally driving through a sandy-bottomed, dried up river. It’s easy to get stuck, especially if you aren’t going very fast, and very hard to get unstuck.
The high clearance isn’t exactly necessary, but there are some tricky areas where you could easily bottom out if you aren’t careful.
2. YOU WON’T HAVE SERVICE
So make sure you have an offline map downloaded. These directions should get you there, but in case you take a wrong turn, it’s good to have a backup to get a general idea of where you are. This is also another reason having 4WD is essential. If you get stuck, it’s gonna be a heck of a time trying to get a tow.
3. CHECK THE WEATHER
You probably don’t want to make this trek during or right after a heavy rain. Like I said before, there’s a point where you cross a wash. If the ground is wet it’ll increase your chances of getting stuck and you do not want to get stuck on this road.
4. CALL 435-425-3791 THE DAY OF YOUR VISIT
Then press 1, followed by 4. This will give you the current road conditions, so you can be sure it’s safe to head out.
5. TELL SOMEONE WHERE YOU’LL BE AND WHEN YOU’LL BE BACK
It might sound like overkill, but it’s always a good idea to let someone trustworthy know you’re going off-grid. That way, in the event you do get stuck (which hopefully doesn’t happen) they can get you help sooner.
6. DON’T VANDALIZE THE ROCKS & DON’T COLLECT SILICATE FROM GLASS MOUNTAIN [IT’S RUDE, BUT ALSO ILLEGAL]
It may shock some people, but nobody cares what your initials are or who hearts who. Just don’t do it. Draw in the sand or something if you can’t help yourself. And if you’re visiting Glass Mountain, don’t collect any of the silicate.
7. BRING TONS OF WATER AND SOME FOOD
Just in case you do get stuck, it’s always good to have water and food in your vehicle. Bonus points if you’re an over-preparer and have a first aid kit, emergency blanket, extra fuel tank, and flare gun. I love a good flare gun.
8. REMEMBER THESE DRIVING TIPS
- Keep a steady, fast-ish pace through sandy roads. If you slow down, you’ll get stuck. But if you absolutely need to stop, don’t spin your wheels or you’ll dig a hole and make it harder to get unstuck.
- Don’t worry about “staying in your lane”. You can stay in the center (unless someone needs to pass) or maneuver around as needed.
- Don’t let large, sharp rocks get underneath your vehicle. If your vehicle is too low to the ground and there is no way to move around it, turn around. Don’t risk damaging your car.
- Drive at a slow pace (15 mph or lower)
- Watch for large holes and dips in the road
Exact Directions to the Temple of the Sun and Moon in Cathedral Valley
Head East from the Capitol Reef Visitor Center
Starting at the Visitor Center, head East (or turn right) onto Highway 24. Follow this road for just under 19 miles (reset your trip odometer as you leave the visitor center), then turn left onto a gravel road – if you see the Cathedral Valley Inn (previously known as the Rodeway Inn) you’ve gone just a little bit too far.
After turning in, you should see a sign that says “Caineville Wash”
I believe there used to be a more detailed sign here with distances to Cathedral Valley, Gypsum Hole, and the Temples, but all we saw was “Caineville Wash”. Unless we missed something, which is possible because we were a little mentally preoccupied (considering this was our second attempt at getting here). This road will take you most of the way to the Temples. From here, your total trip is around 15 miles, but expect it to take about an hour since you won’t be driving very fast.
Pass the road on the left – Continue straight
You’ll almost immediately pass a false road on the left. Continue straight for 2 miles until you reach the wash (a dried-up river bed)
Drive STRAIGHT through the wash
This is very important. Our first trip we took a right here (because the ranger’s map made it look like you turned right into the wash and continued on) but this takes you on a way rougher, more dangerous road. The road leads to Factory Butte (which is pretty cool) and I think it might eventually loop around to the Temples, but it takes WAY longer and the road was very sketchy.
Continue until you see a wooden “Cathedral Valley” sign
As you drop into the valley, you’ll immediately notice the larger temple, Temple of the Sun. Keep going until you see a sign directing you to the Temple of the Sun and the Temple of the Moon (it will be on your left). Make the left turn. Shortly after, the road splits. You can go either direction – both roads will dead end at their respective destinations. One route takes you to the Temple of the Moon and the other takes you to Glass Mountain where you can get a view of both Temples.
You’ve arrived.
I hope you read that in Siri’s voice. Enjoy the Temples and get tons of photos!
Head back to your hotel or campsite
If you want to camp near the Temples, drive back to the sign that directed you to the Temples. Once you pass that sign, you should be back on BLM land. You can camp anywhere in this area, but look for a nice flat place with no plant life that you’d be damaging by setting up camp. Do not camp if you aren’t prepared, though. You need to make sure you have supplies, plenty of water, food, and most importantly, a garbage bag to pack out all of your trash.
Traveling through Utah?
CHECK OUT THIS PERFECT ONE DAY ITINERARY FOR CAPITOL REEF NATIONAL PARK
– OR –
THIS EPIC ONE DAY BRYCE CANYON ITINERARY
– OR –
7 EPIC AND EASY HIKES IN ZION NATIONAL PARK
– OR –
THE TRAIL GUIDE TO KANARRA FALLS
What are your Capitol Reef Plans (besides the Temple of the Sun and Moon, of course)? Let me know in the comments!
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