Seeing Capitol Reef National Park from a plane
Photo: Wolfgang Staudt, CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Built around the Waterpocket Fold, a 100-mile-long wrinkle in the Earth's crust. Look for the long tilted ridge of colored rock running north to south across the desert.
9 of our routes pass it. Utah
The easy pick
Las Vegas to Appleton: sit on the left, 33 min after takeoff.
Which side, by route
| Route | Side | When |
|---|---|---|
| Dallas-Fort Worth to Reno | Left | 112 min after takeoff |
| Denver to St George | Right (the left side is better for the whole flight) | 54 min after takeoff |
| Las Vegas to Omaha | Right (the left side is better for the whole flight) | 32 min after takeoff |
| Las Vegas to Appleton | Left | 33 min after takeoff |
| Las Vegas to Minneapolis | Left | 33 min after takeoff |
| Las Vegas to Washington | Left | 36 min after takeoff |
| Minneapolis to Las Vegas | Left (the right side is better for the whole flight) | 137 min after takeoff |
| Nashville to Sacramento | Left (the right side is better for the whole flight) | 168 min after takeoff |
| San Diego to Minneapolis | Left | 59 min after takeoff |
From the real paths of every nonstop on these routes in the last 10 days, at the usual time of day. Where the best seat for the whole flight is on the other side, you'd trade this sight for more elsewhere.
Questions
Which side of the plane do you see Capitol Reef National Park from?
It depends on the direction: the left on most of our routes (7 of 9). The table lists each route's side.
When can you see Capitol Reef National Park from a plane?
Mid-flight: see the table for when on each route.
Do clouds matter?
Yes. These answers assume a clear day. Within 3 days of your flight, pick your exact flight in the app for the cloud forecast.
More
Delano Peak Bryce Canyon Canyonlands Lake Powell Arches National Park Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) Denver (DEN) Las Vegas (LAS) Minneapolis (MSP) All routes