Looking to plan a weekend getaway or a longer vacation this September? While this time of year is often considered the shoulder season in Southern Utah, it has more to offer than first-time visitors might think.
Temperatures are beginning to fade, the summer crowds are dwindling, and winter weather is still a few months away.
Keep reading as we dive into some of the best reasons to plan a stay in Fruita Utah hotels like Chuckwagon Lodge this September.
The Best Place to Beat the Labor Day Crowds
Holiday weekends during the summer months are known for drawing crowds to national parks. For years, parks like Zion and Arches have seen heavy traffic and crowds of visitors at popular trailheads and overlooks during the weekends surrounding Memorial Day, the Fourth of July, and Labor Day.
Capitol Reef National Park and hotels in Torrey Utah also see an uptick in visitor numbers on these weekends. But when you consider the overall crowd levels at Capitol Reef compared to other Utah national parks, you’ll quickly see why this Torrey, Utah destination is the better choice for a holiday weekend getaway.
Zion National Park is the state’s most-visited national park, with more than 5 million visitors making their way into the park annually in recent years. By comparison, Capitol Reef welcomes around 1.4 million guests. The former is also much larger, covering 378 square miles compared to Zion’s 229. This means more room for visitors to spread out.
In fact, an online travel guide called Travel Lemmings, which has more than 10 million annual readers, named Capitol Reef as the only one of Utah’s Mighty 5 to be named one of the nation’s top 20 national parks. The parks on the list were chosen based on their lower crowd levels and cost to visit, among other factors.
Apple Picking in Capitol Reef National Park
Another great reason to plan a September stay in Fruita Utah hotels is the chance to enjoy one of the most unique things to do in Capitol Reef National Park; apple picking.
Capitol Reef is home to nearly 2,000 fruit trees, in orchards that were originally planted by pioneers between the 1880s and 1960s. While the pioneer town of Fruita is long gone, the orchards remain, and they have been maintained for decades by the National Park Service.
Today, visitors can stroll the orchards, taking in the colorful blooms in the spring. And in the mid-to-late summer, you can even pick fruit to take home with you.
Four different types of fruit grow in the orchards: apricots, apples, pears, and peaches. The season for picking apricots ends in mid-July. But the season for picking pears and peaches typically lasts into early September, while the season for picking apples runs through mid-October.
Visitors are welcome to pick fruit in orchards with a “U-Pick” sign indicating that they are open. Hand tools are provided, and any fruit that you pick can be paid for at the self-pay stations located at the front of the orchards. The times when the orchards are open for harvest vary depending on the weather and the year’s crop. Check out the National Park Service’s Facebook page or Twitter feed to find out which fruit are available to pick each day, or call the park’s information line at (435) 425-3791.
Temperatures Begin to Cool
June, July, and August are the hottest months of the year at Capitol Reef and hotels in Torrey Utah. All three months see average daily highs of 87 degrees (Fahrenheit) or higher. In August, the average daily high is 88 degrees. But just a month later, that temperature drops to an average of 80 degrees, with the end of the month seeing even cooler weather.
If you’ve been hoping to take on a challenging hike, like the Rim Overlook Trail, these cooler temperatures will make things a little easier.
Save Big on Your Stay in Fruita Utah Hotels
Need another reason to plan a September visit? How about the chance to save big on your stay at Chuckwagon Lodge?
Right now, when you book a stay of three or more nights before October 31, you’ll receive a 25 percent discount on your booking! This is a great way to extend your trip or save some cash to use on a fun meal or activity during your stay! Book today to take advantage of these savings!
