Scenic Drive Stop 9 Picnic Area
Scenic Drive Stop 9 Picnic Area is a picnic site in Utah, at a modelled elevation of 1,721 m. Bluebell Knoll stands 3,447 m to the west-southwest, 17 miles off. The nearest named place is Eph Hanks Tower, a peak 0.4 miles away. Capitol Reef Country Scenic Byway passes 4.7 miles off.
What to expect
- Operated by
- National Park Service
- Access
- Yes
How to reach it
- 4.7 mi off the Capitol Reef Country Scenic Byway
- 8.1 mi off the Journey Through Time Scenic Byway
- 27.5 mi off the Fish Lake Scenic Byway
- 28.8 mi off the Bicentennial Highway
Overlooks nearby
- South Fruita Overlook · 6 mi
- North Fruita Overlook · 6 mi
- Hickman Bridge Overlook · 6 mi
- Rim Overlook · 6 mi
Named places within 25 miles
- Eph Hanks Tower: 0.4 mi
- Golden Throne: 0.9 mi
- Ferns Nipple: 2.9 mi
- Danish Hill: 4.9 mi
- Pectols Pyramid: 5.6 mi
- Aspen Spring: 8.2 mi
- Chipmunk Spring: 9.8 mi
- Indianwater Seep: 12.7 mi
- Spruce Spring: 13.3 mi
- Dripping Rock Seep: 14.1 mi
- Egyptian Temple: 0.7 mi
- Pioneer Register: 1.8 mi
- Water Tanks: 2.0 mi
- Cassidy Arch: 4.0 mi
- The Narrows: 4.4 mi
- Waterpocket Fold: 3.2 mi
- Caineville Reef: 8.3 mi
- Mummy Cliff: 8.9 mi
- Caineville Reef: 10.7 mi
- The Terrace: 11.3 mi
- Red Cliff Oasis: 13.7 mi
- Town Park: 13.8 mi
- KE Bullock Waterfowl Management Area: 20.0 mi
- Bicknell Town Park: 20.9 mi
- Coombs Site: 24.1 mi
- Fremont River Waterfall: 5.8 mi
- Lower Waterfall: 7.1 mi
- Middle Waterfall: 7.9 mi
- Upper Waterfall: 8.0 mi
- Diversion Dam Ruins: 6.7 mi
- Car Ruins: 9.9 mi
- Bicknell Veterans and Heritage Memorial: 21.4 mi
- Old bunker: 23.9 mi
- Anasazi State Park Museum: 24.1 mi
- Anasazi State Park Museum: 24.1 mi
- Scenic Drive Stop 11: 1.4 mi
- Upper Muley Twist Arch: 21.4 mi
Summits around it
The highest named summits within 21.2 miles of Scenic Drive Stop 9 Picnic Area. Elevation from each summit’s own record; bearing measured between the two coordinates.
| Summit | Bearing | Elevation | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bluebell Knoll | WSW 258° | 3,447 m | 17.0 mi |
| Thousand Lake Mountain | NW 313° | 3,441 m | 21.1 mi |
| Boulder Mountain | WSW 237° | 3,380 m | 15.5 mi |
| Lookout Peak | W 260° | 3,378 m | 19.9 mi |
| Chokecherry Point | WSW 240° | 3,283 m | 9.8 mi |
| Dry Lakes Peak | ESE 103° | 3,182 m | 21.2 mi |
| Point Lookout | NW 316° | 3,095 m | 19.3 mi |
| The Baldys | SW 227° | 3,014 m | 17.3 mi |
When to go
Light through the year
| Date | Sunrise | Golden hour | Sunset |
|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox | 07:29 | 19:02 | 19:37 |
| June solstice | 06:03 | 20:13 | 20:52 |
| September equinox | 07:13 | 18:49 | 19:23 |
| December solstice | 07:39 | 16:27 | 17:09 |
Local time (America/Denver).
Climate normals
Months averaging 50–80 °F: Apr–Oct.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg °F | 31 | 36 | 45 | 52 | 61 | 72 | 78 | 75 | 67 | 55 | 41 | 30 |
| Precip in | 0.6 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.7 | 0.3 | 1.0 | 1.1 | 0.9 | 0.9 | 0.5 | 0.4 |
1991–2020 U.S. Climate Normals, NOAA NCEI — Capitol Reef NP, 7 mi away.
Inside the official boundary of Capitol Reef National Park. Quietest months by visitation: Jan and Feb; busiest: May.
NPS visitation statistics, monthly averages 2021–2025 (2020 excluded).
Where this comes from
Location and category confirmed against OpenStreetMap.
OpenStreetMapOpenStreetMap element way/564159838
Day trips start here
- Capitol Reef National Park · 2 mi
Take the scenic way to Scenic Drive Stop 9 Picnic Area.
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