The seventh stop on our mini National Parks tour was Capitol Reef.
We didn’t know much about this park going in, but once again we were pleasantly surprised. This Utah National Park brought us something completely unique that we had yet to see. The #history at this park is strongly preserved and portrayed. The Fremont Culture people who are thought to have created their homestead here around 500 CE as well as latter day explorers and pioneers who settled in the 1800s created what is now known as the Fruita Rural Historic District. They farmed and had orchards that contain almost 2,000 trees of cherries, apricots, plums, apples, pears, peaches, mulberry, almonds and walnuts which are still maintained to this day.
When the fruits are ready for harvesting you can even walk through, pick and eat the fruit. It’s the only thing that you are allowed to take from National Parks.
Of course, and unfortunately for us, there is no fruit in the winter. You will have to go some time June through October to get fruit. Different fruit is ready for harvest at different times of the year. We did, however get to see a bunch of #wildlife at this park all within a matter of minutes. Our first day at the park we did a quick drive through to check out the orchards, the old schoolhouse and the Gifford farm.
First we passed a marmot crossing sign. That was cool in itself, but when we actually saw a marmot a few seconds later we were pretty excited. It was our first ever marmot sighting, woo hoo!
A little further down the drive we saw mule deer which were so different from the Wisconsin whitetail deer that we’re used to seeing. They were smaller and super fluffy. There were horses and cows which may not really count because they lived there on the farm land, but then in the campground parking area the wild turkeys had taken over like they owned the place. It was fun to see so many animals in such a short timeframe.
Keeping with the history, one of my absolute favorite experiences at this park would have to be viewing the Fremont Culture Petroglyphs.
It’s crazy to think that these were made a thousand years ago. Many of them looked as if they could have been made just last week. There were people, big horn sheep, ducks, bears, what looked to be the sun or moon rising above a cliff, perhaps a canyon with a riverbed and many unique pictures that leave your mind to ponder. It was #amazing to see this history so close and so clear.
We also enjoyed a small hike along the Navajo River. However, the big hike that we took at Capitol Reef was the Grand Wash trail.
A famous gorge that cuts its way through the upper portion of the Waterpocket Fold, a geological wrinkle on earth, in the park. The trail runs along a reef which at the time of our hike was a dried up riverbed. It was very apparent that the trail once was, and still can be, underwater. The cliffs reach up to 500 feet high and are less than 15 feet apart in the most narrow section of the hike. Hiking below these massive natural structures makes you feel about the size of a flea. It’s a very humbling experience. At one point we stopped for a snack break. While sitting on the ground we looked up and just marveled the cliffs that towered over us. We even came across a baby arch. That may have been a highlight for the girls.
So there we have it. Another park has provided a unique, #educational and inspiring experience. We have yet to be disappointed. As we head on to park number eight we're optimistic the trend will continue.
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