Cathedral Valley Tour: Discover Capitol Reef's Hidden Gems

Embark on a private Cathedral Valley tour to explore the hidden gems of Capitol Reef. Discover awe-inspiring features and experience the heart and soul of this stunning national park.

Duration: 7 hours
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • Cathedral Valley - Guests will be picked up from their lodging in one of our luxury off-road SUVs. They will then be driven through roughly 70 miles of Utah’s most remote terrain. The famous Cathedral Valley Loop features a dramatic river crossing (safely navigated in our capable SUVs) and scenic stops. Refreshments and a stop for lunch and/or…
What's Included
  • Bottled water
  • In-vehicle air conditioning
What's Not Included
  • Gratuities
Additional Information

Cathedral Valley is a hidden gem that often leaves visitors wondering, “Where is that? Why didn’t I see it when I visited Capitol Reef?”
The truth is, while some of its breathtaking features are highlighted in promotional materials, accessing this area is not recommended for first-time park visitors in rental vehicles. However, it is highly recommended…

Location
8J77+H8 Torrey
This pick-up address is The Hidden Falls gas station's parking lot. The same parking lot is shared with La Cueva restaurant. Park under a big green sign with gas prices on. Your tour guide will arrive in a SUV/Jeep with the letters MERIDIAN on it.
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.9
(49 Ratings)
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Don_s
Oct 8, 2025
Stop looking and go with Meridian!! - Stop looking at other expeditions and go with Meridian. Mel was very professional, personable, safe and knowledgeable of the areas backcountry, geology and culture. The half day tour we took was a private tour.. just my wife and I. He took us off road to the best sites you can’t get to easily as a casual visitor. We also got to see a couple of fossil sites. They also customize trips according to what you want to do.. check them out, you will not be disappointed!!!!
Review provided by Viator
Kimberly_m
Oct 8, 2025
Cathedral valley 7 hour tour - A must trip for those that wish to see this side of the park and not worry about the driving. Our guide had so much information to share and knew all the best photo opps as well. We were picked up at our hotel, in a comfortable SUV, and 7 hours flew by.
Review provided by Viator
S6897ysmarye
Oct 6, 2025
Excellent tour - Our 1/2 day tour to CathedralValley was excellent! We would highly recommend this tour company. Reservations and communication were easy. Mel was very informative and gave us a perfect morning.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Cindy_m
Oct 2, 2025
Jeep tour of bentonite hills - Jenny was right on time to pick us up at our hotel. She drove us through the park and off road to see some incredible sights. She stopped at an old water drilling rig which my husband loved as he worked in the water well business for years. She took pictures and then showed us some big sections of petrified trees. We then saw the bentonite hills. She was knowledgeable about the area’s history, plant and animal life. We enjoyed the tour.
Review provided by Viator
825lawrencev
Sep 21, 2025
Fascinating landscape - great tour - Our tour guide was informative and fun! He took us to parts of the Park you would not normally see. It is the best way to do Capitol Reef. Given it is an off-road trip, the road can get very bumpy to almost unnavigable. If you try this with a normal car be ready to call for a tow and have a large repair bill. Mel was an expert at navigating the road. He knew the best spots for pictures and explained all the geographical features we saw well. Capitol reef does not have the "WOW" of Zion or Bryce, but if you have some intellectual curiosity you will enjoy the trip just as much. We actually saw dinosaur bones embedded in the rocks! Very little traffic on the trip. You pretty much have that part of the park to yourself. GREAT TOUR
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Eric_h
Sep 20, 2025
Best guide ever! - I believe Mel was the best tour guide that I’ve have ever had the pleasure to ride along with, he was so knowledgeable and I am so grateful I was with him for the ride! Thank you!!! Eric
Review provided by Viator
Denisemp7219sj
Sep 13, 2025
Don’t hesitate! - Mel was an excellent tour guide!! Extremely informative and patient with our questions. This was our first guided trip of this type (small group) and we were put at ease right away. We are a couple in upper 60’s with mobility issues and Mel graciously accommodated us.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Pauldg8023sw
Jul 25, 2025
Book it!! - We took the half day Cathedral Valley tour . Absolutely amazing . Stunning scenery. Mel is a very friendly and knowledgeable guide , both of the area and the geology. This felt more like a friend showing us the sights than it did a “ tour guide”. Thanks for a great trip!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Pandurang
Jun 3, 2025
Exceptional service by Meridian photography and tours. - Meridian Photography and Tours delivered exceptional service at Capitol Reef National Park! Expert guides, stunning vistas, and seamless logistics resulted in unforgettable, professionally captured memories, exceeding all expectations.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Mytrip0
May 28, 2025
Temple of Sun Tour - Our tour guide was excellent. Our tour was actually called the Temple of the Sun tour. Our guide was a former park ranger, very knowledgeable and was engaging. He shared a lot of information about the area we were visiting. He was prepared with plenty of water and snacks. He took photos for us. It was a very enjoyable 4 hours. This tour is a small group so get a lot of personal attention. I would do this again and highly recommend.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
From $180
up to 8 guests
1 - Adult
Cancellation: Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your experience (local time).