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We woke up and headed into Capitol Reef National Park for a day of exploring. As you can see from the pictures, we started off the day with very dramatic clouds which unfortunately included a possibility of thunderstorms throughout the day. We did have to modify some of our plans in the park as we had planned on hiking a wash and following a 4×4 road. Overall, Capitol Reef is definitely an underrated (and very not-crowded) national park and we will definitely be returning.
Just past the Visitor’s Center where you can pick up a map of the valley, you will happen upon the town of Fruita and the historic Gifford Homestead. This 200-acre desert oasis was settled by the early Mormons and the house depicts the typical spartan nature of rural Utah farm homes of the early 1900s. The district contains many relics of the area’s homesteading past, including a one-room schoolhouse, a blacksmith’s shop, and the Gifford family’s old home, which has been converted into a museum and store. The store serves the MOST WONDERFUL fresh baked pies which can be enjoyed outside at the picnic areas along with greeting the friendly horses. The store is open from March 14 (Pi Day) through the end of October (typically) and is well worth the stop.
If you take the scenic drive route, as you leave the Fremont River valley, you’ll climb up a desert slop with the rock walls of the Waterpocket Fold to the east. On the east side you can explore Grand Wash, a dry channel etched through sandstone. A dirt road follows the twisting gulch one mile, with sheet rock walls rising along the sandy streambed. We were unable to complete this drive due to the risk of rain, but it is on the list for next time.
When you return to the paved scenic drive, continue south past Slickrock Divide, where the rock lining the reef deepens to a ruby red and forms odd columns and spires. Called the Egyptian Temple, this is one of the most striking and colorful areas.
Capitol Gorge is at the end of the scenic drive (approximately 10.7 miles from the Visitor’s Center). It is a dry canyon through Capitol Reef, much like Grand Wash. This twisting, narrow gorge was the route of the main state highway through south-central Utah for 80 years. Cars bounced their way down the canyon until 1962. An easy one mile walk down the gorge will take you past petroglyphs and a “register” rock where pioneers carved their names. We were also unable to complete this hike due to the risk of thunderstorms.
For those with all-wheel drive and/or 4×4 vehicles, you can continue past Capitol Gorge south on Pleasant Creek Road. This is a rougher dirt road and we were not willing to give it a try with impending thunderstorms. Three miles in, the road passes Sleeping Rainbow Floral Ranch (closed to the public). Floral Ranch dates back to the early years of settlement. In 1939, it became the Sleeping Rainbow Guest Ranch, from the Native American name for Waterpocket Fold. It is now used as a field research station by students and faculty of Utah Valley University.
Pleasant Creek’s perennial waters begin high on Boulder Mountain to the west and cut a scenic canyon completely through Capitol Reef.
At the end of our journey, we packed up and headed to Moab to meet up with the rest of Chris’s family who was rendezvousing with us after exploring the Grand Canyon.
Day 4 Campground:
Thousand Lakes RV Park – Rating: ★★★★★The spots at Thousand Lakes were roomy, nicely groomed, with some nice shade trees. We were located at the back of the park which had some of the best views of the surround mesas. It was windy and chilly while we were there, so we didn’t explore too many of the amenities, but did stop in the well stocked general store to buy a Capitol Reef sweatshirt. They have a number of grocery items as well as clothes and souvenirs. Bathrooms and showers were older but clean and functional.
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