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Categories: Arts & Culture; Sports & Recreation; Outdoor Adventures; History & Heritage
Overview.0 Formed by the same forces that shaped the Colorado Plateau and raised the Rocky Mountains, Capitol Reef promises dramatic vistas. One hundred miles of bending, creasing rock created Waterpocket Fold, a prominent natural feature in the park. The fold's layered rock can be seen between Thousand Lake Mountain and the Colorado River. Erosion has exposed these layers, transforming the landscape into a rainbow-hued collection of cliffs, domes, arches, spires, and twisting canyons. Early settlers to the area found some of the fold's ridges to be nearly impassable, and called them "reefs." The park takes its name from one of the most rugged of these features.
The first indication of human habitation in the area dates back to the ninth century, A.D., when people of the Fremont Culture cultivated squash, beans, and other crops along the Fremont River. By the mid-13th century, the Fremont people abandoned the area. When trappers and explorers finally ventured into this beautiful but remote and forbidding area in the late 1860s, they found nomadic Utes and Paiutes.
In the 1870s, a few Mormons moved into the vicinity. In 1880, the first Homesteaders settled in the lush Fremont River Valley. The area became known as "Junction". Founded at the junction of the Fremont River and Sulphur Creek, this community supported around ten families who grew vegetables, sorghum, and alfalfa. Junction's prosperity, however, was due to its orchards. The settlers planted apple, peach, cherry, apricot, mulberry, and plum trees, along with almond and walnut trees, and over 2,500 of the trees survive to this day. In the early 20th century Junction was renamed "Fruita," and today the remains of this historic community are central to visitor activities at Capitol Reef.
The park was designated as a national monument in 1937, but it wasn't until the early 1960s, when a paved road into the area was completed, that visitation rose. In 1971, Capitol Reef was established as a national park. Although it still remains remote and rugged, the park welcomes nearly 700,000 visitors per year.
What to see and do. 0 The main road through the park, scenic UT 24, leads to the visitor center near the 200-acre historic Fruita settlement. In addition to providing information on trail and road conditions throughout the park, the visitor center features an introductory audiovisual presentation, shown on request, and a huge relief map of the park. Geological exhibits explain the natural history of the park, while the area's human history is represented by artifacts from the ancient Fremont Culture and the more recent Mormon inhabitants. A bookstore sells topographical maps, related publications, and interpretive items.
You'll find the orchards and the historic site of Fruita near the visitor center. Although many of Fruita's buildings were removed, a few historic structures remain. These include the Gifford farmhouse and barn, the Merin Smith implement shed, and the one-room schoolhouse, built of logs in 1896, which also served as a community center for dances and other social gatherings. Today, visitors will find a picnic area and a developed campground at Fruita.
The orchards surrounding the settlement still yield, and visitors are welcome to pick ripe fruit from the trees for their own immediate consumption. During harvest, you can pick the fruit in bulk, for a fee. Price lists, plastic bags, scales, and a self-pay station are located at orchard entrances, in season. Visitors are reminded to read and follow all instructions on the use of orchard equipment.
The Scenic Drive through Capitol Reef winds along the base of the Waterpocket Fold. From the road, hikers can wander to view an old uranium mine, the Pioneer Register, and ancient petroglyphs carved by the Fremont people. The drive offers plenty of spectacular scenery as it winds through the multihued landscape.
For the hardy visitor, Capitol Reef offers many opportunities for adventure. Rugged roads and difficult desert trails lead into the backcountry. Fifteen day-hike trails originate near the visitor center; some are rather strenuous and all cover dry, rugged desert terrain. Overnight backcountry hikes require a permit, obtainable at the visitor center. All hikers are cautioned to stay on the trail and away from the fragile cryptobiotic soil so essential to the desert ecosystem. Hikers are also advised to bring plenty of water; there is no reliable source of water along these desert trails.
Mountain biking is allowed on designated park roads; contact a ranger for a list of routes. Rock climbing is an increasingly popular sport at Capitol Reef, but restrictions and regulations apply. Park Rangers can provide more information. Horseback riders are welcome to plan pack trips through the park. Overnight trips require a backcountry permit. Some areas are closed to horses, so talk to a Ranger before you begin your trip.
Capitol Reef's Fruita Campground offers 70 tent or RV sites (no hookups) on a first-come, first-served basis for $10 per night. A dump station and restrooms are located on site, and the campground is open year-round.
Primitive campsites are located at Cedar Mesa and Cathedral Valley in the park's backcountry. These campgrounds are free of charge and include a picnic table and fire grate, and a pit toilet on site, but there is no water available.
There are no lodging or dining facilities in the park. These may be found near the park in Torrey or Bicknell.
Capitol Reef National Park is open year-round. The visitor center is open from 8 AM to 4:30 PM daily, with extended hours during the summer. It is closed on Christmas Day and some federal holidays.
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