My husband and I had just left Capitol Reef National Park (State Park at the time) with it’s incredible vistas, when we decided to take an unpaved road in the Fishlake National Forest. It was a “short-cut” choice, and we ended up regretting it. About half-way up, the heavens opened and saturated the entire area. We found ourselves stranded in mud with two wheels (front and back) hanging over a steep drop. Fortunately, the car remained in place as we got out of it. This was way before cell phones, so we left on foot to get help. Luckily, we came upon a house which turned out to be a ranger’s home. He was a good-natured fellow who took us back to the scene and never admonished us for anything. With his Jeep and a come-along, he got us back on the road, for which we profoundly thanked him. We never forgot the kindness and professionalism of our rescuing park ranger.
Sincerely,
Capitol Reef National Park
This park protects a grand and colorful geologic feature known as the Waterpocket Fold, a 100-mile wrinkle in the Earth's crust known as a monocline that extends from nearby Thousand Lakes Mountain to Lake Powell. The park also preserves the unique natural and cultural history of the Fremont people who lived throughout Utah and adjacent states from 700 to 1300 AD. The park features petroglyphs, pictograms and artifacts of the Fremont people, as well as a wealth of layered sandstone rock formations, multicolored mesas and buttes, and sweeping, colorful desert views in all directions.
State(s): Utah
Established: 1937
“they never fail to renew my faith in nature.”
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Greetings from Capitol Reef National Park
A huge lake with a little island in the middle sometimes there is snow in there but sometimes it's nice and sunny. The island in the middle is called the wizard's island and it's beautiful there.
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Greetings from Capitol Reef National Park
This was taken in front of the Capitol Dome Rock in 1993. After seeing the arid environments of Arches and Canyonlands, I remember being very surprised to see the fruit trees here. I recently read an article in my National Park magazine about the ongoing efforts to save the orchards…
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