Southern Utah unfolds like entering another world. Flat Stanley watch with awe as the scenery of the unknown constructs of earth passed by. The adventure began with a road trip on an unpaved road, called Skutumpah Road, leading through the western boundaries of Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, Capitol Reef National Park’s neighbor. The Grand Staircase is a geological spectacle of cliffs and terraces arranged in sequence, showcasing diverse array of sedimentary rock layers in a staircase fashion. Flat Stanley followed the dirt road as far as he dared in his rental car, but, clearly, this level of adventure was more intended for those with all wheel drive, or at least high ground clearance. So a grand view of the Grand Staircase was not to be had on this trip. Maybe on the next one… As he passed through the entrance to Capital Reef National Park, Flat Stanley found himself entering an orchard of over 2700 fruit trees. In Fruita, as it is known, there are cherries, apricots, peaches, pears, and apples growing in the government-maintained orchard. And the best part? They are free to pick! If they are in season, the fruits of Fruita can be yours for the effort of climbing a latter and helping yourself. We took the Scenic Drive that up to a short road through a rock formation known as Grand Wash. Grand Wash was a canyon pass between large sandstone walls, capped off with brilliantly red rock and other sedimentary layers. We stopped several times along the drive to absorb the beauty of this raw and rocky earth. After the scenic drive, Flat Stanley opted for a short hike to a naturally formed rock bridge. The Hickman Bridge Trail led to a rather unimpressive natural bridge, but the hike was still very nice due to the scenery along the way. It was particularly interesting to see black volcanic pumice stones litter the grounds there, showing evidence of an eruption in the past, but not too long ago… From there, Flat Stanley was a car trek down a better-maintained unpaved road to see part of the formation that is the namesake of the park. The original Indian inhabitants called the Capitol Reef “The Land of the Sleeping Rainbow”. Rainbows of rock do seem to jut out from the surface of the land, as though sticking up from under a bed sheet. Cool! |
They call this rock formation The Castle
On the Scenic Drive
On the Scenic Drive
On the Scenic Drive
On the Scenic Drive
In the Grand Wash
In the Grand Wash
In the Grand Wash
In the Grand Wash
In the Grand Wash
On the Hike to Hickman Bridge
On the Hike to Hickman Bridge
The Actual Capitol Reef
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