Mar 28, 2008 - Capitol Reef National Park, UT

Today we visited Capitol Reef National Park in Fruita, UT. Capitol Reef was named this because of the many slickrock domes that are contained in the park. The park is also considered geologically special because of the Waterpocket Fold or a wrinkle in the earth’s crust that was created over 65 million years ago that is contained in the park. Capitol Reef is also home to Fruita, which used to be a former Mormon settlement that existed from the early 1900s to the start of WWII. The Mormons had planted an orchard here, which still exists...

Nov 3, 2007 - Capitol Reef National Park

It was time to hit the road again today. After four days in Moab, I knew that I had to press on. I hated to leave Sunflower Hill - it was a perfect home away from home, and the staff could not have been more friendly and accommodating. But, I had places to see, the first of which was Capitol Reef National Park near Torrey, Utah. Capitol Reef is one of the lesser known national parks, even though Highway 24 runs through it. I had passed through there on my earlier trip, but did not get to do much exploring. Today I would have more...

Oct 2, 2007 - Travel Day again, off for Capital Reef park

Was bright and sunny this morning and Dave went to check the road after the rain and all is well so we will pull the house out and head south for more parks and good times. We really are enjoying this trip south and seeing lots. We had stopped at some of these parks on one of our really short(like 9 or 15 days) trips to Arizona and back some 12-14 years ago but sure didn't see or do all we are now. It is so nice to take an extra day just to atv, or another day to see something and not worry about the schedule. We still have 3 national parks...

Sep 29, 2007 - Capital Reef National Park - Torrey, Utah

After leaving Natural Bridges National Monument, we continued northward toward Capitol Reef National Park. We were delighted to find that the route we were taking took us through some beautiful scenery as we came down to the canyons cut by the Colorado River in this area. Gosh what beautiful red rock!!!! And to think that this was just a public highway rather than another national park. The only downside to this beautiful scenery around the Colorado River Basin was that it made our initial exposure to Capitol Reef National Park seemingly...

Feb 14, 2007 - Capital Reef, Utah

We took the long route around Utah on our way to Bryce and Zion. That took us right through Capital Reef National Park. This is the least visited park in Utah, and I can't understand why. This is an amazing place. Although it was a beautiful, sunny day, it was just a little too chilly to go on any long hikes. In any other season either hiking or horse-back riding would make for an incredible couple of days. Just the drive through the canyon was one of the most amazing places that I have ever been. Again, we had the entire park to...

Nov 15, 2006 - Capitol Reef National Park, UT

The Capitol Reef's main attraction is the 100 mile waterpocket fold, a 65 million year old series of reefs, white-rock domes, hidden arches and twisting canyons. We took our car to the limits of its abilities on one of those twisting canyons. We drove the car along a pothole-ridden road that wound its way slowly (we could only go 10mph) between the sheer walls of colourful sandstone. We managed to get out of the canyon without completely knackering the suspension and were rewarded by the sight of 1000 year old petroglyphs etched on the...

Oct 27, 2005 - Capitol Reef National Park, Utah

Highway 12 from Bryce to Capitol Reef is an amazing road passing through some of the most spectactular, remote country. We pulled the car over so many times to check out the view. Capitol Reef is basically a 100 mile long ripple in the earths surface - The Waterpocket Fold. It was called a reef not because it used to be under water but because the sheer cliffs were a massive barrier to travel. We camped in the area of an old settler village called Fruita. It was full of orchards and the trees looked great in their autumn colours. That night...

Jul 28, 2004 - Surfing the Capitol Reef!

Driving northeast from Escalante, we came across a little shop just below the Devil's Backbone that had a nice selection of wooden Indian flutes. Tina found one she liked in the key of "A", and I bought it for her as a gift for passing the CA nursing exam. It is a beautiful sounding instrument that sooths the soul and seems to be the voice of the Utah landscape. Within an hour, Tina played it like a natural, and it was the perfect theme music for our arival in Capitol Reef NP. If you have never been to this park, we highly recomend it! It...