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Capitol Reef National Park
With its grand cliffs and colorful sandstone formations, Capitol Reef National Park is a paradise for hikers and bikers. And if a relatively easy hike or bike ride is not your desire, the park is also a popular choice for a scenic drive.
Hickman Bridge in Capitol Reef National Park.
Ravell Call, Deseret News |
But gone are the days when Capitol Reef was considered America's most "undiscovered" scenic wonderland. Once a sure bet for solitude, the park is another of Utah's many popular and busy tourist spots.
Over the past two decades annual visits to the park have increased from about 300,000 a year to about 1 million.
Visit the park during the winter months, however, and it's a safe bet you won't be fighting crowds like you might in the summer. Even though winter temperatures average lower than 50 degrees, snowfall is usually light, and most trails and roads remain accessible. All the park's campgrounds are open year round.
The park, 11 miles east of Torrey or 37 miles west of Hanksville on U-24, was established first as a national monument in 1937 to protect the great reef formation of the Waterpocket Fold, a 100-mile bulge in the Earth's crust that has eroded into a variety of natural formations. In 1971 Capitol Reef became a national park.
The park is named for Capitol Dome, a huge rock formation located in the park that resembles the nation's Capitol building.
The Cathedral Valley in the extreme northern end of Capitol Reef National Park, accessible by four-wheel drive or high-clearance vehicles, has huge monoliths that rise hundreds of feet skyward. Also located throughout the park are natural arches and bridges carved out of the sandstone, such as Hickman Bridge.
Among the park's most popular attractions are Grand Wash and Capitol Gorge, sheer-walled canyons that can be viewed on a 25-mile scenic drive. Ancient pictographs and Indian rock art can be found throughout the park.
The Capitol Reef area was settled more than 100 years ago when Mormon pioneers established the small town of Fruita. Remnants of the town, a small schoolhouse and the Gifford Homestead, a small pioneer cabin, are popular tourist attractions near the park's headquarters. Fruit from the town's orchards is still harvested in season.
The park's 241,904 acres are mostly located in Wayne and Garfield counties. Small sections of the park also extend into Sevier and Emery counties. The south end of the Reef and the park boundary join with the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area and Lake Powell.
More information is available by checking out the park's Web site at www.nps.gov/care/
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