Capitol Reef? What is that? Is it in the south seas somewhere? I thought you guys were going to take a road trip to go hiking? I know Capitol Reef is not well known but some of the responses I get are downright comical. I guess that is part of the allure - it's far enough of the beaten path that fewer know about it's existence and fewer still make the effort to go. I hope this helps put CRNP on your radar.
Tucked away in south central Utah off Highway 24, Capitol Reef National Park is part of an awesome geological feature - a one hundred mile long warped and folded terrain called a Waterpocket Fold. Jutting out of the surrounding landscape, it is visible from miles away. CRNP has miles of trails and countless ravines and mesas to explore. Massive, colorful, and full of life, this is a national park you must make the effort to visit.
Get your pack...
At nearly a quarter of a million acres, Capitol Reef has plenty to offer for lovers of red rock high desert hiking and camping.
Capitol Reef
Traveling Highway 12 from Bryce Canyon National Park you pass through and border Grand Staircase - Escalante National Monument. If you have never driven this stretch of highway you are really missing something extraordinary. An awe-inspiring trek through an austere and fantastic landscape of sandstone, canyons, and gorgeous skies. This is red rock country at its most spectacular. Be careful - it is easy to stare off into the horizon longingly and lose track of the road. I can imagine how much fun it would be to wander aimlessly out into this country on horseback. Some day...
Journal Note: Our night in Kodachrome was fantastic. Few people in the campground. Grilled chicken and wine to close the evening. Short hike for sunset. Green gentians but different than Yellowstones!
Awesome Scenery
Notice the road winding through this incredible scenery. Countless photo stops roll by.
Grand Vistas
Along this marvelous section of highway, between Escalante and Boulder, you will come across the Kiva Koffeehouse. What a treat for weary travelers. You must stop to take it in. We never fail to stop to enjoy a cup of coffee or snack while enjoying the incredible views and nice people in this wonderful place. It even has lodging but Capitol Reef awaits.
Journal Note: Stopped at Kiva again. Kicked it for an hour as we talked with a nice man and his young daughter. They were road tripping it. Canyon was brilliant green with Cottonwood. What a view. Another mocha for the road.
Moving on. The stretch of highway on the way to Boulder is breathtaking, as has been much of this part of Utah. The road bends north as you head towards Boulder. In time you will navigate a long ridge line with stunning views on both sides of the highway. Great views and great photos abound. Take time if you can to enjoy this stretch because it will end all too soon. Eventually you head into the Dixie National Forest and wind over a gorgeous mountain range. Fall along this stretch of highway must be marvelous indeed with all of the aspen. Maybe fall of 2010.
Leaving the mountains we can see the small town of Torrey ahead where we gas up and grab a sandwich. What a great day it has been. I scroll through the images from the day. They are all keepers. CRNP is due east now along highway 24 and only a few minutes away. We have already had nice views of Capitol Reef as we descended towards highway 24. My camera batteries are still running strong. I am very glad I purchased a battery grip that can handle lithium and AA alkaline batteries.
We arrive at CRNP and spend the next couple of hours setting up our campsite. A couple of curious horses cruise the fence line so I wander on over and rub one of the horses muzzle. What a beauty. I head back to the campsite and we crank out a meal. It has been a long day of driving and I am beat. Darkness comes on and we are out in no time. Last thing I remember is the screeching of an owl.
Hike to Cassidy Arch
After lounging around Capitol Reef in the morning we decide to hike up to Cassidy Arch in mid afternoon. Not a particularly long hike but highly recommended. In fact, the views are so stupendous if you do not hike Cassidy Arch you are missing an amazing experience. Warning though - if you have a fear of heights then you might not enjoy parts of this hike.
| Starting on the Grand Wash trail we branch off to the left in short order to begin the steep switch backed ascent to Cassidy Arch. This is not a hike to try in the heat of summer. The elevation gain is around 800 feet in 1.75 miles. Off in the distance a low rumbling of thunder from approaching weather. The skies above are beautiful broken blue with drifting cumulus clouds in shades of white to dark grey. The temperatures are mild. Light weight shirts are all that is needed for skin protection. A hawk soars in the skies above.
Journal Note: We stop to prepare for the hike up to Cassidy. Talked to a couple on their way out. They were stoked. We are excited to see the views. Watch out for the wind across the arch. No chance!
The views make us feel small as we ascend the grade. We pass by some Prince's Plume (Stanleya pinnata) and I take a few shots. Rumblings still grow in the distance but it appears far off and does not seem to be moving in our general direction - at least not perseptively. Never the less we are prepared if the weather turns. |
We packed our parkas. Always be prepared. Wow! The views are spectacular. Sheryl is lagging behind staring at the scenery.
We stop and chat. After a few minutes we pack it up and move on up the trail. Every bend and turn in the trail is anticipated as the views get better and better. Sheryl hugs the hill side at times due to the heights. We eventually reach a leveling off of the trail and a nice spot to rest under a small tree. Sheryl excitedly states that we can see the arch now - fantastic! We wonder if you can walk across the arch. Getting out the binocs it looks possible but unwise due to the winds.
Hike to Cassidy Arch: Cassidy Arch in the Distance
The trail cuts a horseshoe as we make our way towards the arch. What a great hike this has been. Sheryl spots a hawk sitting on a cedar. We break out the binocs but it flies off before we can spot. Hard to tell but it looks like a Red Tail. It flies off into the distance. A few more faint rumblings but nothing to worry about. The weather has not changed much but it is a bit windy now.
We close in on the arch. Passing through an interesting and colorful landscape I take numerous images. One image in particular has a wonderful array of colors and lighting. It will make an amazing enlargement.
The gnarled junipers make for great photos. Some specimens are barely alive with only a sliver of green on a single piece of branch. The skeletal remains of the rest of the juniper show the years of tenacious life in a very tough environment. Some are so old that the remaining dead wood has been worn in a strangely geometric fashion - much like basalt in its vertical geometry.
Journal Note: Junipers are survivors. Gnarled and picturesque. Cool little lizard sitting on an exposed root. Wind picking up. Memory card full - one more left.
An American Kestrel working on a small lizard is perched on a juniper branch. It flies off before I can get my larger lens out and ready. I need a second camera body! A few more rumblings of thunder off in the distance. The weather does not appear to be getting any worse so we are not concerned. You can be struck by lightning even if the activity is miles away. We will skidaddle if the weather worsens. On towards the arch.
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Hike to Cassidy Arch: Cassidy Arch
Sheryl pauses frequently to look at the sandstone terrain. Amazing colors and patterns. She is definitely a closet geologist. She picks up a stone that looks oddly out of place. Very round and covered in little nodules. Looks like a geode. Earlier in the day we had spent part of the morning hunting geodes along the western flank of the Waterpocket Fold. We found hundreds. Some were broken and revealed their wondrous crystalline interior. The largest was maybe three inches in diameter. All were left in place.
Hike to Cassidy Arch: Colorful Terrain
As we approach the arch I snap a few shots but the wind has picked up considerably. Out on this exposed plateau there is nothing to stop the wind. Looking at the arch I can see that it is frequently crossed but someone would have to be crazy to cross it today. The wind must be 20 or 30 miles an hour at times. We keep well away from the side except for a brief looksie by me. The clouds are racing across the sky and darkening. What an awesome view!
Journal Note: I peer over the edge. Freaky dizzying heights. Hawk soaring over the canyon.
We break out some grub and kick back for a while. I almost doze off as I lay back against a sandstone seat. Sheryl explores the area at length while I shoot a few images of her doing what she loves most - looking for little surprises. We both acknowledge that we are damn fortunate as Americans to have such an amazing national park system. More rumblings off in the distance but it seems closer this time - the wind rips my hat off and almost throws it over the edge. It might be time to head back before our luck runs out. Leaving is always hard.
Hike to Cassidy Arch: Cassidy Arch as we depart
The lighting and color is great. I rattle off countless more images as we retreat from the arch. A northern flicker flies by us caught up in the wind but manages to find a large old juniper to take refuge. The wind rips my hat off again and luckily it stays on the trail. A little more to the right and it would have been irretrievable. I have had this hat for years so I hold onto it until we round the corner and out of the wind. Sheryl finds some mule deer tracks in a small ravine. Taking our last look at Cassidy Arch we round the corner and head down trail. What a day this was. A drop of rain hits our shirts and we look at each other. Good timing indeed. Laughing we turn to the sky and let a few drops hit our faces. Damn it is good to be alive.
The Close of a Perfect Day at Capitol Reef National Park
Tomorrow we head to Yellowstone. Grizzlies by tomorrow evening...