Day Trip to Capitol Reef National Park

This was our first visit to Capitol Reef National Park.  It was 120 miles from our homebase, a bit far but doable so we decided to take a day trip to see more sandstone formations.  We wondered if this area was really unusual by it being a National Park and we found out right.  We discovered this National Park to be remarkable and somewhat refreshing and we would certainly plan to come back when we could spend more time.  I have too many photographs here, it was hard to select which ones to put on today's blog because I took over 200! After a point, photographs of the rock and sandstone formations begin to resemble each other, therefore I tried to include the more unique ones.

Our drive began by taking Highway 24 South off of Interstate 70.  The highway drives by the most unusual rock formations of the San Rafael Swell.  This area also offers recreational opportunities like camping, hiking and 4x4 trails.  

There are several scenic stops on Highway 24.  Way off in the distance, we snow on the mountains.

A view of the Henry Mountains, 11,600 feet.

The landscape almost looks like something you would see on the moon.
 Highway 24 is another one of Utah's noted Scenic Byways.

This large land formation is called Factory Butte.

The cottonwood trees are showing fall colors.  The sun is shinning bright, the road is winding and new scenes at every turn.

We travel around 90 miles before we reach the first road sign indicating we are nearing Capitol Reef National Park.  Another sign states we are entering a "Scenic Area for the next 14 miles".  We cannot imagine the views getting any more bizarre than what we have seen thus far.

Capitol Reef National Park, made a National Monument in 1937 and a National Park in 1971, protects an unusual section of land that looks like a wrinkle in the earth.  Called the Waterpocket Fold, it is a 100 mile long major geological feature.  This pushed-up buckle in the earth's surface has eroded exposing deep layers, created narrow canyons and rock formations. 

Coming upon this building, we stop to find it is a Latter-Day Saints (Morman) homestead of the Behunin Family.  This one room cabin was built in 1882.  Unfortunately, the family had to leave shortly after the home was constructed due to flooding by the Fremont River.  Signage states the family went to the nearby settlement of Fruita where they seemed to thrive.

This formation is called Navajo Dome.  The formidable Waterpocket Fold rock structure is where Capitol Reef National Park gets its name.  It was considered like a "barrier reef" that blocked the early travelers through this area.

And the name Capitol Reef is partly inspired by the below formation called Capitol Dome. It reminded travelers of the US Capitol..therefore 'Capitol Reef'.

This one room schoolhouse built in 1896 for the Fruita community, served as their church and community center as well.  The last class to attend was in 1941 when the students of the settlement were bussed to schools elsewhere in the area.

You could peek through the windows to find the school's furniture, heat stove and cupboards all in place..almost just as it was left in 1941.

The Latter-Day Saints pioneer settlers were excellent farmers specializing in many different crops.  They found fruit and nut orchards were quite sustainable in this area because of the Fremont River and protective cliffs.  These historic orchards contain over 2700 trees that bear cherries, apricots, peaches, pears, apples, almonds and walnuts.  

This small, sparse orchard was beside the schoolhouse.  The sign states the 'Amasa Pierce Family' moved to this area in 1895.

More evidence of Autumn.

We stopped by the Capitol Reef Visitor Center, enjoying their film on the history, geological features and recreational opportunities of the region.  We learned that the Gifford Homestead, just down the road on the Scenic Drive, sold fresh fruit pies and other refreshments.  We purchased one of the most tasty peach pies we have ever enjoyed..and I forgot to take a picture.

The 200 acre Fruita Historical District, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, is nestled in the green valley along the Fremont River.  You pass by several fruit orchards some even offering 'pick-your-own' fruit.  This visit, we find all of the fruit harvested.  The orchards, the Gifford Homestead, schoolhouse and blacksmith shop are all maintained by the National Park Service.

Our time here is winding down, time for one more drive through the most noted "Scenic Drive" in Capitol Reef National Park.  Click here to see a stop by stop web page of the Scenic Drive.

Here is our view of Stop 2 in the above web page description.  It is an example of the rugged western escarpment.   

This is the Grand Wash spur road.  We drove the path to find amazing views and a hiking trail at the end.  No time for hiking today to the narrowest of canyons and the Cassidy Arch (named for Butch Cassidy, thought to have hidden in this area).

We found this signage interesting. It describes the uranium mining that took place here in 1904.

Amazing rock amphitheater found on the Grand Wash Road.

We could see recent evidence of the heavy rains this region has experienced.  Road graders had scraped the mud and rock debris off the main road, washes we crossed were still wet and the Capitol Gorge spur road was washed out and closed.

At the end of the paved Scenic Drive is the Capitol Gorge Road.  This dirt road continues for another 2.5 miles through a narrow canyon, a main break in the Waterpocket Fold.  Originally a frontier road, it was a primary travel way for Native Americans and settlers.  In 1883 a group of men, including 

Elijah Behunin (the settler who built rock house we saw on Hwy 24) worked for 8 days clearing the narrow 3.5 mile stretch of boulders for better wagon passage.  Until 1962, one could drive all the way to the confluence of the Fremont River along an old railroad bed.  Today, we find the 2.5 mile dirt road closed due to flooding.  

This rock formation is called the Golden Throne.

Not only were the Cottenwood leaves turning yellow, I found a lot of this flowering yellow bush.  I looked here: American Southwest Wildflowers but I could not identify it.

Arriving to the end of the Scenic Drive, we turn around to see the rock formations take on a whole new appearance. 

 The Castle, made of fractured sandstone that's on top of grey Chinle and Moenkopi Formations, is the Park's iconic landmark.

We notice it's getting cloudy, the lack of sunlight dimming the reddish rocks.

Chimney Rock

Driving back to our homebase we again pass by the moonscapes of Highway 24.

We really enjoyed our day trip to Capitol Reef National Park.  There are so many opportunities for unique hiking and 4x4 trail experiences.  The nearby town of Torrey offered nice amenities with restaurants and camping.  Maybe one day we can explore more of this curious National Park.

More Later.

One more week in Moab.