Torrey Utah is a small town located in the heart of the Colorado Plateau. One of the biggest draws of the town is its location in the heart of some of the most beautiful landscapes in Southern Utah. Despite having a year-round population of fewer than 260 people, Torrey offers a variety of activities and destinations to enjoy. From national parks to museums, there’s something for every visitor.
The Chuckwagon Lodge, located in the center of Torrey Utah, is the perfect basecamp for your adventure. Enjoy easy access to the town’s most popular attractions and destinations, and have your room close by when you need a quick nap or want to cool off on a hot day with a dip in the pool.
Ready to start planning your own Torrey Utah adventure? Keep reading to learn a few of the top activities the area has to offer.
1. Visit Capitol Reef National Park
Perhaps the most popular and well-known attraction in Torrey is Capitol Reef National Park. Covering more than 370 square miles, it’s the second largest national park in Utah, beaten only by Canyonlands National Park.
Capitol Reef is home to some of the most beautiful scenery in Utah. Its crowning feature is the Waterpocket Fold. This 100-mile wrinkle in the earth’s crust is called a monocline, and it was formed between 50 and 70 million years ago. The natural wrinkle gives the park a wide range of landscapes and ecosystems. There are towering rock faces, deep canyons, and lush patches of green.
There are an endless number of ways to explore the park. Hiking is perhaps the most popular. There are dozens of hiking trails in Capitol Reef, including both challenging treks and family-friendly trails. But you can also take a scenic drive, go canyoneering, or join an off-road tour.
2. Take a Jeep Tour of Cathedral Valley
Technically you’ll still be in Capitol Reef National Park during this activity. But if you want to add some excitement and an unforgettable adventure to your next visit to Torrey Utah, a Jeep tour of Cathedral Valley is a great choice.
Cathedral Valley is a district within Capitol Reef National Park. This district is rugged and remote, and requires an off-road vehicle with four-wheel drive, as well as experience traversing the roads, to visit. For this reason, Cathedral Valley sees just a fraction of the annual visitors to Capitol Reef.
Cathedral Valley is known for its unique rock formations and desert landscape. The best way to explore this unique section of the park is by joining a Jeep tour. This ensures that you have an experienced guide and the right gear to get around during your visit. Several local tour companies take visitors into Cathedral Valley.
3. Go Stargazing
In 2015, Capitol Reef National Park was designated an International Dark Sky Park. This means that the park experiences little light pollution, thanks in part to its location and to efforts by the National Park Service to limit light pollution from park buildings. If you don’t live near a national park with this designation, stargazing should definitely be at the top of your list of things to do in Torrey Utah.
You don’t even have to go into the park to enjoy some incredible views. In 2018, Torrey also became accredited by the International Dark-Sky Association and was named an International Dark Sky Community. Throughout the town, outdoor lighting is reduced or designed to avoid adding light pollution. On clear nights, this means that you can go anywhere in town and enjoy incredible views.
Planning Your Visit to Torrey Utah
From stargazing to hiking to off-road adventures, these are just a few of the many things to do in Torrey Utah. With its beautiful scenery and abundance of outdoor activities, Torrey is a great place to visit for a relaxing vacation or an exciting adventure.
Before you start planning your itinerary for your visit to Torrey, you’ll want to decide where to stay. Torrey Utah has several resorts, hotels, and campgrounds to choose from. Centrally located in the heart of the town.
The Chuckwagon Lodge is a historic property beloved by visitors and locals alike. Comfortable, spacious rooms offer the perfect spot to rest after a long day of exploring. And when you wake up in the morning, you’ll be just a short drive away from Torrey’s many natural attractions. Grab a quick breakfast or a picnic lunch from The Chuckwagons Deli before hitting the trails at Capitol Reef or jumping in a Jeep for a day of adventure.
Thinking about planning a 2023 visit to Torrey? There’s never been a better time! Right now, when you book a stay of 3 or more nights at The Chuckwagon, you’ll enjoy a 25 percent discount on your visit. Book today to take advantage of this limited-time deal.
