Capitol Reef National Park was third on our attempt to hit the “Big 5” in Utah, and unfortunately, the one we could barely explore. This wasn’t due to any illness or injury, but the fact that the majority of the park’s scenic drive was closed for maintenance and repair. The rest of the park’s roads were limited to high-clearance all-wheel drive vehicles only. However, what we were able to see made us eager to return someday.
Why is it Called Capitol Reef?
Some national parks are pretty easy to figure out why they are named what they are named. Grand Canyon? It’s a pretty grand canyon. Carlsbad Caverns? It’s a big cave in Carlsbad. Capitol Reef? It’s not near the capitol building of Utah, nor is it a fossil reef system. The naming comes from two things. Locally, the rugged terrain was called a reef as it impeded overland travel the same that an oceanic reef can impede overwater travel. The “Capitol” part comes from the many sandstone domes on the rocky spires that many think look like the domes you see on capitol buildings like the White House.
Things to do at Capitol Reef National Park
Other than camping and hiking, Capitol Reef National Park has a couple of unique features that help this park stand out.
Fruita Historic District
Around the visitor center, one can find the Fruita Historic District, an old Mormon community that developed much of the land in the area. In fact, the National Park Service still maintains many of the historic orchards in the area, many being heirloom strains. When the fruit is in season, visitors can walk among the trees and harvest their fill! Also around the area are the original schoolhouse, blacksmith shop, and several cabins from early settlers.
Petroglyphs
Not only can you see the history of European settlers, but there’s even evidence of indigenous occupation through the park, easily found along Route 24. The petroglyphs are the first stop on a small boardwalk through the marshy land around the Fremont River and an excellent place to experience microclimates in the middle of a desert! The air under the canopy of the trees was easily 10 degrees cooler than it was among the comparatively dryer orchards.
Altogether, Capitol Reef National Park, or at least what we saw of it, shared a lot of the same geological history as the rest of the Big 5. It also offered unique views into the past, the historic, and the prehistoric.