Spring Break 2017 Capitol Reef

Stopped in Scipio on the way there.

     I spent a few days at Capitol  (spelled Capitol not Capital)  Reef National Park. This is a park that is usually overlooked by visitors to Utah, but I loved it.  For one, it is not very busy, relatively speaking and there are many sights to see within a few miles radius.  Fish lake is not far away.  Boulder mountain and highway 12 are spectacular.  It is close to Grand Staircase an Calf Creek Falls and it is only about a 4 hour drive from my house.


https://www.nps.gov/care/index.htm

     When I got there on Saturday night the Fruita Campground
was almost full.  I wasn't expecting that, but I was able to find one of the last spots.  The clouds were cloudy and dark, which always makes for a great photo.  I parked the trailer and went in search of that great photo.

This is a wonderful place full of history and beauty.  Mormon pioneers settled the area in the late 1880's and planted fruit trees.  Hence, the name Fruita.  I am always amazed at those pioneers who settled these unknown, rugged areas.

Chimney Rock

The next day was sunny and that doesn't always make for great photos, so I did a hike down Capitol  Wash and the tanks.  Capitol Wash was at one point the main road.  The place is really remote and was one of the last places to be connected by a road and to get electricity.

Although it became widely known in south-central Utah for its orchards, Fruita residents also grew sorghum (for syrup and molasses), vegetables and alfalfa. Fruit growers usually picked the fruit prior to maturation and hauled it by the wagon load to bigger towns like Price and Richfield - and beyond. This was a formidable undertaking when one considers that in 1901 it took the Mormon Bishop of Torrey more than an hour and a half to travel the ten miles between Fruita and Torrey in the best weather. If the road between Torrey and Fruita was difficult, the route between Fruita and Hanksville - 37 miles (59.5 km) east - was nearly impossible. (park service)

Capitol Dome

There is a 10 mile tour route that you can take by car.  The cool thing about this park is the entrance fee is only 10 dollars.  I know right.

Great Sunset

I decided to take the drive on Highway 12 to Escalante, through Grand Staircase.  This is one of the most scenic drives in America.  Truly it is.  It is up and over.  At the summit you are at 9600 feet above sea level and then it is racing back down.  At one point in Grand Staircase you are drive on top of a natural bridge.   I stopped in Escalante but the road goes all the way to Bryce Canyon.

My first Panorama.  You can see Bowns Lake Center Right.

The Henry Mountains are stunning from here.

Mt Ellen from Boulder Mountain

Grand Staircase







There is a Whole in the Rock museum in Escalante.  These people are incredible.  I saw the other end of this trial in Bluff Utah.  I have heard The Hole in the Rock Association is trying to by up land  along the trail.  I don't really like this.  One day I am going to make a post about the power of women.  This lady would be in it!

I attempted the next day to find the road to Cathedral Valley, but didn't have a lot of success.  I only had a street map and there is no verizon internet service there, so I couldn't open anything up.  This is probably the most annoying thing about down there.

I ended up all the way to Hanksville which is also in Wayne County.  These kids travel all the way to Bicknell 55 miles away to go to high school.  There is not much there, but I ate at Stan's Burgers which seems to be the place in town to get a hamburger.  Another hour and I could be at Lake Powell.  

Coming back I tried to find the road to Cathedral Valley. One road I had to drive through the river and the other road was not marked very good

I decided it wasn't worth it to gt stuck. Instead I went down the Notom- Bullfrog Road Apparently this goes all the way to Lake Powell and hooks on to the Burr trail.

It started snowing on the way back.

I was going to stay another night, but my goal was really cathedral Valley so I am going home tomorrow.  Last shot I took was a turkey gobbler.

So some things.  Torrey is a wonderful town.  When I first got into Wayne County, people started waving at me as they drove past.  Very friendly place--the whole county really.  There are at least three RV parks in Torrey.  I stayed at the Wonderland RV Park and it was wonderful.  The owners are local folks who really know the area.  They are honest and the bathrooms are spotless. 

Wonderland

Wonderland

Fruita Campground