Named after the Capitol Dome, Capitol Reef is a National Park in southern Utah. The dome rock formation reminded early travelers of the US Capitol building. This National Park is on a wrinkle in the Earth called a Waterpocket Fold. The fold extends 100 miles, from Thousand Lake to Lake Powell. This Waterpocket Fold formed from gradual yet powerful processes: deposition, uplift, and erosion.
Capitol Reef is home to the small Mormon settlement of Fruita. A town where early Mormon settlers made their home in the middle of the canyon. A visit to Fruita can include seeing the old schoolhouse, the blacksmith shop, the Gifford house store and museum.
To sustain themselves, the settlers grew orchards in the lush desert valleys. This included, but not limited to, apples, peaches, cherries, pears, plums, apricots, and almond trees. Both historic and heirloom varieties are here.
The National Park features a short 8-mile paved scenic drive. It offers different breathtaking views of this Waterpocket Fold. The scenic drive ends at a 4-wheel drive dirt road. A road that drives through the Capitol Gorge. It offers wonderful views of the Dome and the surrounding desert.
There is an extensive variety of hiking trails from easy all the way through to strenuous. I took it easy that day and hiked around 8.5 miles. It was my 3rd straight day hiking National Parks and I still had two to three more days to go.
I did two hikes that were incredibly rewarding. The Natural Bridge Trail and the Cohab Canyon Trail. The Natural Bridge Trail offers beautiful views of a natural rock bridge. It’s tucked away in a remote desert canyon, hidden from view.
The Cohab Canyon Trail was the highlight of my stop in this National Park. The erosion from flash floods in the canyon was very unique. Holes covered the sandstone walls from top to bottom. This creates the illusion of screaming souls trapped in the rocks.
On my return to the start of the trail I decided to detour. I took a side trail that was short, steep, and, exhausting. The trail wound back and forth. It lead up to a plateau with sweeping views of the entire Capitol Reef valley. This side trail was well worth the effort and added only a few extra miles to the hike.
Capitol Reef National Park was the biggest let down of the five Parks featured in southern Utah. The landscape was impressive and the hikes were enjoyable. There was much to learn about the Mormon’s, who were able to sustain life in the harsh desert conditions of Utah. I’d love to return one day and dive deep into all that this park has to offer.
