Capitol Reef

Capitol Reef

A giant, sinuous wrinkle in the Earth's crust stretches for 100 miles across Utah. This impressive buckling of rock was created 65 million years ago by the same tremendous forces that later uplifted the Colorado Plateau. The rock layers were bent, or flexed, into a huge fold that stretches from the Fishlake Mountains in central Utah to Lake Powell in the south. Most is preserved in Capitol Reef National Park which preserves this fold and its spectacular, eroded jumble of colorful cliffs, massive domes, soaring spires, stark monoliths, twisting canyons and graceful arches. It is named Capitol because of the resemblance of the many whitish sandstone domes to the US Capitol building and Reef refers to the high uplifted ridge running north-south along the fold. The park is much less visited than others in south Utah, partly due to the rather remote location and perhaps because there is no obvious central attraction.

UT 24 crosses the park & and passes close to several of the most famous named features, such as the deep twisting canyon formed by Sulphur Creek and Hickman Bridge, a natural arch created by erosion. It is well worth the entry fee to drive the ten mile scenic road which follows the reef itself, past huge, crumbling, multicolored cliffs with magnificent scenery in all directions. The last few miles are unpaved, and most of the route is narrow and winding. The road ends at the start of a narrow steep-walled canyon (Capitol Gorge) that extends several miles southwards, and a pleasant foot trail runs along its base and passes some ancient Indian petroglyphs. A similar nearby path winds through Grand Wash, another narrow canyon.