Campground Regulations

Campers in Fruita Campground

NPS

Welcome to Fruita! The campground's A and B loops were constructed in 1964. The C loop was added in 1987, for a current total of 71 sites. Each year, thousands of visitors enjoy their stay under a canopy of cottonwood trees. Please help preserve your park and provide for a safe and enjoyable visit by becoming familiar with the following information and regulations. Contact a ranger or campground host for further details.

 

 

General Information

• Campsites are reservable March 1–October 31. Visit www.recreation.gov to make a reservation up to 6 months in advance. The remainder of the year campsites are first come, first served.
• There are no utility hookups available.
• Quiet hours: 10 pm–6 am.
• Checkout Time: 11 am.
• Limit of 8 people per campsite. Please respect other campers by keeping noise and night lighting to a minimum at all times.

Fees:

• Nightly fee is $25.00 per site, or $12.50 only for Senior Pass or Access Pass holders.
• Make checks payable to “National Park Service” or “NPS”.

Stay Limit:

• March 1–November 30: 14 days
• December 1−February 28: 30 days

Generator Hours:

(Beginning August 1, 2023, generators are only permitted in the C loop.)

• Mountain Daylight Time (Mar.–Nov.):
• 8 am–10 am and 6 pm–8 pm.
• Mountain Standard Time (Nov.–Mar.):
• 8 am–10 am and 5 pm–7 pm.
• Generators may not be run outside of approved generator hours for any reason.

Site Length/Vehicle Size:

• There are no pull-through sites.

• Most sites in Loops A and B are less then 40 feet (12.2 m) long.

• Most sites in Loop C are between 40 and 52 feet (12.2 and 15.8 m) long.

• Walk-in tent sites are available in Loops B and C (still require a reservation).
• View a map of the campground with site lengths.

 

Safety

In case of emergency, call 911:

• A telephone is located at the Loop A fee station.
• WiFi is available at the visitor center.
• Cellular phones are not reliable in this area.

Medical Facilities:

• Wayne Community Health Center is located in Bicknell, 19 miles (31 km) west of the park off of Utah State Route 24. Telephone: [phone].

• The closest hospital is in Richfield, 75 miles (121 km) west of the park.

Wildlife:

• Feeding wildlife is prohibited.
• Food items must be stored in a vehicle or an animal-proof hard-sided container at all times unless being prepared or consumed.
• Leaving food items unattended may result in confiscation of items and/or a violation notice.
• Keep tents zipped and vehicle doors closed.

Additional safety information

 

Rules and Regulations

Registration/Occupancy:

• Site saving is prohibited. No person may register for a campsite with the intent of saving it for someone else. Site occupants must be present at the time of registration.
• Campsite registration and payment must be completed within 30 minutes of occupying a campsite. Campsite occupancy is not recognized until the required camping fee has been paid, and registration is properly posted.
• It is prohibited for visitors to go through the campground soliciting registered campers to share their campsite.
• From 10 pm–6 am, on nights the campground is posted as full, campground entry is limited to registered campers and their vehicles.

Speed Limit/Parking:

• The speed limit is 5 mph in the campground.
• Parking is limited to the number of vehicles/trailers that can fit in the designated parking space without extending into the roadway.
• Parking is not permitted on the grass or along the roadway.
• Overflow parking for registered campers is available in the amphitheater parking lot; however, campers may not camp in or occupy these vehicles. Inform camp hosts if parking a vehicle in overflow.

Bicycle Use:

• Bicycles and e-bikes are restricted to roadways. They are not permitted on any hiking trails or anywhere off-road.
• Bicycles (but not e-bikes) may be ridden on the path immediately adjacent to the roadway between the visitor center and campground.

Skateboards/Rollerblades:

• Use of roller skates, roller blades, kick scooters, skateboards, roller skis or similar devices is only permitted on paved surfaces in the campground.

Pets:

• Pets must be physically restrained at all times on a leash 6 feet (1.8 m) in length or less.
• Leashed pets are permitted on the path from the campground to the visitor center, along roads, in open orchards, and in the picnic area. Pets are not permitted on hiking trails or in off-trail areas.
• Pets may not be left unattended at campsites.
• Pet owners must immediately pick up their pet’s feces and dispose of it in garbage cans.

All-Terrain Vehicles (ATVs) and Utility-Terrain Vehicles (UTVs):

• All ATV and UTV use is prohibited in the park.

Firearms:

• Use of any weapon, trap, or net is prohibited at all national park sites.
• Carrying of firearms must comply with state law.
• Firearms are prohibited in all federal facilities, including the visitor center.

Campfires:

• Wood gathering is not permitted in the park. Firewood is available for purchase seasonally at the Gifford House or local stores.
• Fires are permitted only in permanent fire rings located in each campsite or in an above-ground portable grill or fire pan capable of containing all fire ash and residue.
• Ground fires are not permitted.

Fruit Picking:

• Check at the visitor center for information on orchards that are open for fruit picking.
• Fruit may only be picked when the orchard is posted as open.
• Sampling fruit is allowed in orchards open for harvest. There is no charge for fruit consumed in the orchards.
• Read and follow the ladder safety signs posted in the orchards.

Collecting:

• Other than orchard fruit, collecting of any plant, mineral, or archeological materials is prohibited.

Hammocks/Clotheslines/Slacklines:

• Permitted only during daylight hours, in your own campsite and in such a way that no resource damage occurs. Slacklines must be attended at all times.

Bathing/Dishwashing:

• Wash dishes, bathe, and use only completely contained solar showers at your site.
• Washing of any kind is not permitted at spigots, drinking fountains, the RV dump station, restroom sinks, and gray-water sinks.
• Water from dishwashing, bathing, and solar showers must be collected and deposited in gray-water disposal sinks.

Closure and Public Use Limits:

• Pastures containing horses are closed to public entry. Do not feed the horses.

Artificial Lighting:

• The use of artificial light for purposes other than personal route-finding or minimum impact camping is prohibited.
• Capitol Reef is a dark sky park; keep external artificial light use to a minimum.
• Learn more about Capitol Reef's night skies.

 

Additional Information

Campground Hosts:

• Hosts occupy sites 1 and 2 in Loop A from approximately March 1–November 1. Contact the hosts for campground related issues.

Drinking Water:

• Potable water is available at drinking fountains and spigots in front of each restroom, and at the fill station near the entrance of Loop A.
• Water from sprinkler spigots is NOT potable.

Fremont River Water Quality:

• The park recommends visitors do not swim, wade for long periods, or ingest water from the Fremont River because E. coli bacteria are routinely detected at frequencies greater than Utah water quality standards. Sources of E. coli may include runoff from agricultural, grazing, and urban land, and human and wildlife waste.

Sprinklers:

• From late spring through early fall, the campground sprinklers may be left on for up to 24 hours for the survival of the grass.
• If a sprinkler is impacting your campsite, contact the campground hosts if the problem persists.

• Water from sprinkler spigots is NOT potable.

Nearby Services:

• Some convenience items, information on nearby services, and WiFi are available at the visitor center.
• Food, gasoline, and lodging are available in Torrey, 11 miles (17.7 km) west of the visitor center on Utah State Route 24.

Lost and Found:

• The visitor center acts as the receiving station for all lost and found items.

Trash and Sewage Disposal:

• Dumpsters are located near each entrance to the campground. Scavenging in government refuse containers is prohibited. Recycling bins are located near dumpsters.
• The RV dump station is located near the entrance of Loop A and may be closed periodically for maintenance.

Refunds:

• No refunds will be issued for recreational benefits already received. Request a refund from recreation.gov if the reservation was made online, or from the visitor center if the camping fee was paid on site.

Examples of legitimate refund requests:

• A family emergency necessitates leaving early.
• Visitor experiences medical problems while staying in the campground.

Examples of refund requests that will not be honored:

• Changes in or dissatisfaction with the weather or environmental conditions.
• Voluntary changes in travel plans.
• Misunderstood information, mistakes (i.e. paid full price but has a senior pass), and other situations under the campers’ control.

Interpretive Programs:

• From spring through fall, programs are offered at the campground amphitheater and other nearby locations.
• Information on programs and schedules is available at the visitor center, campground bulletin boards, and with the campground hosts.