May 15, 16 and 17 / Capitol Reef

May15
We are staying at the lovely Fruita camp ground in Capitol Reef NP. It is located in the small valley that was settled by Mormons in 1880. No more than ten families ever lived here but those that did persevered and loved this beautiful valley. The name was changed from Junction to Fuita after the area was planted in orchards. Fifteen orchards are still here and producing. At picking time, you can eat as much fruit as you want while you are in the orchard or pay for what you picked and take it with you. Horses are still in the barn and one of the homes is open. We have heard they sell fabulous pie. The old school house was closed in 1941, but is still here along with the iron works. All this is nestled between towering red rock cliffs. We laid out our three days after visiting the Visitor Center, made a picnic lunch and headed for the Nortom-Bullfron Rd gravel road down to the south end of the park. Our first stop was the tiny stone Behunin house that served a family of ten. The parents and two smallest children slept inside, the older girls slept in a “wagon box”, and the older boys slept in alcoves in the rocks! It did say that the harsh conditions caused them to move on, hopefully to a little bigger place. The gravel road follows the 100 mile long ridge of Waterpocket Fold rock formations that go north and south that Capitol Reef is known for. It is the largest such formation in North America. Every red rock area we have seen is different and this area is once again beautiful. Much of the formations along the Nortom-Bullfrog Rd. are white rounded and folded looking. With seat belts fastened, we hung on and drove up the wild switchback Burr Trail Rd to the top of the ridge for a “picnic with a view.” I’m not sure what we would have done if we had met a car along the way. Going down was a little scary. We continued down the gravel road and stopped just before the road left the park and took the Surprise Canyon hike as far as we could into the slot canyon. A little sliver of open space at the end of the canyon would allow water to rush through during the monsoon season but we couldn‘t squeeze through. After we got back and with the sun shinning, Chris and I took the road back toward Torrey stoping at all the pullouts so I could get some photos of some of the fock formations with names like Castle Rock, Twin Rock, Chimney Rock, and Goosenecks. We stopped at the old school house and listened to a tape by a woman that had spent her first year teaching here. A steak bar-b-q with the afternoon sun finished off the day.

Chimney Rock



Home to ten with boys sleeping in the alcoves of the rocks.





Castle Rock

 May 16
The ranger at the Visitor Center told us about a hike to Cassidy Arch where you can actually stand on the top of the arch. Right away Chris and I decided we had to do it even though it was listed as a strenuous hike. We headed for Grand Wash Road and walked down the wash looking for the trail marker to Cassidy Arch. Somehow we missed it and I think we walked almost a mile into the canyon before heading back with our eyes wide open. We almost missed the marker again! With that little warm up, Chris and I took off up the rocky cliff side for a 700 foot climb. Some of the way up was steps but most of the time we were climbing over rocks looking for the small rock cairns marking the trail. As we climbed higher and higher the views became more and more spectacular. The last half mile was literally walking up on top of one boulder after another. Looking into arch with marvelous views all around us was worth the hike but walking out onto the top of the arch was awesome!!!!! Luckily there were some other people up there to take our picture.
Our knees lasted long us enough to get myself ourselves back down. It was a little hairy a couple of times. Wow, what a hike and not bad for two gals in their 60’s!
We went into Torrey for Pizza and to check emails and make a couple of phone calls. No cell service in the park. In the afternoon we took the 25 Scenic Drive drown the middle of the park. We stopped at the end of Capitol Gorge and hiked up the wash through another beautiful canyon. The wash had been the road into the park until 1962 when Hwy 24 was completed. This small wash was first an Indian path, then early explorers found their way through this wash, next came the pioneers and their wagons, and finally early autos actually came this way. I can’t imagine! Hwy 24 is a nice alternative! Now it’s a nice hiking trail. We stopped along the way to look at petroclyphs etched in the rock and Pioneer Register with names of some of the early pioneers carved in the rock with the oldest being C. F Brown in 1796. We walked UP another cliff side, yes, even though we had hike UP in the morning, to an area called Tanks. Here we could see an example of the ponds formed by the Waterpockect Fold that fill with rain water. Tiny fish and pollywogs were swimming about. Nearby we heard a frog croak. Enough hiking but a marvelous day! Kraft Mac and Cheese was all we could muster up for dinner.



Here we are on top of Cassidy Arch!
Clik on this one to make it larger.




The Sign We Missed
It REALLY was hidden!




Walking Over Boulders to Cassidy Arch




Cassidy Arch





Waterpocket Fold Pond on Capitol Gorge Walk




Look for Norm on Capitol Gorge Hike




Norm Walking Down Capitol Gorge Wash
This was the road until 1960's

 May 17
Weather not great today with showers in the forecast. Chris and I had planned to hike to Hickman Bridge but changed plans and we all went into Torrey to check out a couple of art galleries and shops. The couple that were open had beautiful pieces but out of our reach. We had a laid back afternoon with reading and bird watching.