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Voykit pocket guide · United States
Torrey
Torrey, Utah
Base in Torrey for 2 nights to do Capitol Reef: it is the only town with beds, fuel and food within 20 minutes of the park's west entrance.
Torrey is a small town at the junction of Utah SR-12 and SR-24, and the practical base for Capitol Reef National Park, whose entrance is about 11 miles (18 km) east. It has a handful of motels, a few restaurants and a gas station, so most travellers stay 1–2 nights, drive the park's Scenic Drive and Highway 12, and move on. Book ahead in summer and on fall weekends: beds are few and the nearest alternatives are 40–70 minutes away.
- Country
- United States
- Local name
- Torrey, Utah
- Best months
- Apr–Jun, Sep–Oct
- Avoid
- Jul–Aug (heat and afternoon storms), Dec–Feb (many businesses close)
- Stay
- 2 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- USD
- Money
- Currency is the US dollar (USD, $). Cards and phone payments work almost everywhere; carry a little cash for tips and small vendors.
- Daily spend
- Budget $70–110 excl. bed · Mid $120–190 excl. bed · High $200+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile cover the country; prepaid SIMs at their stores and Walmart/Target (passport required), or an eSIM before you fly.
- Emergency
- Police, fire, ambulance 911 · Wayne County Sheriff (non-emergency) 435-836-2751 · Capitol Reef National Park 435-425-3791
- Plugs
- Types A, B · 120 V · 60 Hz · Chargers are dual-voltage; hair dryers and straighteners from 230 V countries need a converter.
- Tipping
- Sit-down restaurant: 18–22% of the pre-tax bill.; Bar: US$1–2 per drink or 20% of the tab.; Taxi / ride-hailing: 15–20%, in the app.; Hotel housekeeping: US$3–5 a night.; Porter / valet: US$2–5 per bag or car.; Tour guide: US$10–20 per person for a day tour.; Counter service / tablet prompts: Optional; 0–15%.
- Water
- Tap water is drinkable nearly everywhere; boil or treat water from streams in parks.
- Toilets
- Free public toilets are scarce in big cities; use cafés, department stores, libraries, stations. Rest areas on highways are free.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee | $3–6 |
| Burger or sandwich plate | $12–20 |
| Sit-down dinner main | $18–32 |
| Draught beer | $6–9 |
| Gallon of gas | $3.50–4.50 |
| Motel double room, summer | $150–300 |
| Capitol Reef Scenic Drive, per vehicle | $20 (check) |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- SLC · Salt Lake City International
- About 3.5 h drive via I-15 and SR-24; the usual rental-car gateway.
- LAS · Harry Reid International, Las Vegas
- About 5 h drive; useful for a Utah national-parks loop.
- GJT · Grand Junction Regional, Colorado
- About 3.5 h drive east via I-70 and SR-24.
Typical fares
- Torrey → Capitol Reef visitor centre
- about 18 km (11 miles), 20–30 min by carabout 11 miles (18 km), 20–30 min by car
- Torrey → Hanksville
- about 72 km (45 miles), 50 min by carabout 45 miles (72 km), 50 min by car
- Torrey → Salt Lake City airport
- about 3.5 h by car (check)
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
You need a car. There is no public transport to Capitol Reef or between towns, and no rideshare. Fuel up in Torrey or Bicknell before park drives; the next reliable services are in Hanksville (east) and Loa (north).
See and do
Known for
- Capitol Reef National Park gateway
- Utah Highway 12 scenic byway
- Dark night skies
- Boulder Mountain and Thousand Lake Mountain
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Capitol Reef National Park | Drive SR-24 east about 11 miles to the visitor centre, then the Scenic Drive | 20–30 min to the entrance |
| Boulder and Highway 12 over Boulder Mountain | Drive SR-12 south over the mountain | 1–1.5 h to Boulder |
| Hanksville | Drive SR-24 east about 45 miles | About 50 min |
| Bryce Canyon National Park | Drive SR-12 south via Boulder and Escalante | About 2.5 h |
| Goblin Valley State Park | Drive SR-24 east, then south via Hanksville | About 2 h |
Sleep
- Torrey town centre (SR-24 through town)
- Walkable strip of motels, cafés and the Chuckwagon store; closest to park access.
- West SR-24 (toward the park entrance)
- Newer hotels and lodges with red-cliff views; 1–3 miles from the centre, so you drive to dinner.
- Bicknell and Loa (north on SR-24)
- Cheaper, fewer rooms, 15–25 min north; a fallback when Torrey is full.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Where is the gas station? | Where is the gas station? |
| Is the park road open? | Is the park road open? |
| Do you have a table for two? | Do you have a table for two? |
| Can I pay by card? | Can I pay by card? |
| Where is the nearest restroom? | Where is the nearest restroom? |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake and 'hi, how are you?' — reply 'good, thanks'; avoid: Treating the question as a real health enquiry
- Restaurants: Tip 18–22% and wait for the check; avoid: Leaving without tipping
- Personal space: Keep an arm's length in queues; avoid: Standing close to strangers
- Politics and religion: Listen more than you speak; avoid: Opening with hot-button topics
- Smoking: Smoke only in marked areas; avoid: Smoking near doors or in parks where banned
Scams and watch-outs
- Distances are long and cell signal drops on Highway 12 over Boulder Mountain and inside the park: carry water and a paper map.
- Summer afternoons bring flash-flood risk in Capitol Reef's slots and canyons; check the park forecast before hiking.
- Many restaurants and motels close in winter and reduce hours in spring and fall: check before you arrive.
- Altitude is about 6,800 ft (2,070 m) in town; pace your first day.
- Gas is limited: fill up when you see a station.
Torrey is a low-crime rural town; the real risks are driving distances, heat, flash floods in Capitol Reef and thin services after dark. Carry water, fuel up early and tell someone your route.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Torrey yet. Suggested stay: 2 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Capitol Reef National Park gateway
- Utah Highway 12 scenic byway
- Dark night skies
- Boulder Mountain and Thousand Lake Mountain
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Torrey town official site: www.torreyutah.gov/
- Capitol Reef National Park (NPS): www.nps.gov/care/
- Utah Office of Tourism — Capitol Reef Country: www.visitutah.com/
- Wikivoyage: Torrey, revision 4943395 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=4943395
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
TorreyTorrey, Utah
To this address, please
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
- Police, fire, ambulance911
- Wayne County Sheriff (non-emergency)435-836-2751
- Capitol Reef National Park435-425-3791
No consulates in Torrey; nearest consular help is in Salt Lake City or Denver. US travellers: no embassy needed.
Cell signal is patchy outside town; download offline maps before you drive.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/torrey). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.