A Fruitful Delight

Without a definite plan for our next campsite, we got on the road toward the southern Utah national parks.  Finding amazing scenery yet again, we headed to Capitol Reef without any particular goal in mind.  Passing the few campgrounds that were our choices, we ended up in Capitol Reef and were pleased to have no problem securing a site.

Capitol Reef is usually a “stopover” park for tourists moving from the more popular parks of Arches and Bryce.  What we found when we arrived was a complete surprise.  The scenery moved from awesome to breathtaking and the park itself was a soothing mix of beauty and peace. 

Comprised of what is called “the waterpocket fold”, a unique geologic formation making the area nearly impassable, the Mormons settled the area in 1853.  With up to only 10 (albethey large) families, they made full use of the land and created their own little paradise in the valley. Fruit trees were planted around the settlement and a one room schoolhouse built.  They stayed the only inhabitant of the harsh challenging area until the early 1900’s when the government started acquiring pieces of the surrounding landscape as national parkland.

The campground green and hospitable and surrounding by orchards, barely before we stepped out of the coach, we had people streaming in curious about Holy City Beer.  Figuring our exhaustion was from the constant rise and fall of the elevations we’d traveled, we asked for a reprieve until “cocktail hour” and got ourselves settled in.

The big event for any visitor to Capitol Reef is the Mormon community house and bakery selling pies, jams and breads made locally.  After a light lunch, we wandered over for a most wonderful fresh baked mixed berry pie with vanilla ice cream !  We sat under a shady tree surrounding by blooming lilies all around and breathed soaked up the warm day and the special treat.

Feeling satiated and lazy, ,we took a short nap before aking a hike from the campground.  We wandered the Freemont River Overlook taking us along the stream and up to a great view of the Fruita community area.  Is there any end to new and beautiful vistas on this journey?!  With the orchards thriving in the valley, the contrast of the harsh, dry high desert was striking.

What we anticipated during the evening hours did not disappoint.  With our biggest gathering yet, we had 17 of us around the picnic table all partaking in BEER!  We shared for hours until the cold beer was gone and came away with a host of new acquaintances and friends all who completely enjoyed the Holy City experience.  At sunset we took off to watch the sun settled over the canyon and then headed to the well-presented ranger program on astronomy under the full moon.

That's Moonshadow way down there!!

The next morning’s morning hike was not as early as we planned, but we did head out on our bikes for the 3 miles to the Rim Overlook Trail.  A steep climb for 1100 ft up the slickrock and Navajo sandstone brought us to another breathtaking precipice with a view again over the Fruita settlement and down the gorge.  The temperature was fast climbing to a dry 93 degrees in the full sun and the unexpected gnats and flies at the top (what WERE they doing up THERE?!) had us headed back down the mountain after a short break.

Again feeling spent from the heat and elevation, we spent the afternoon relaxing and enjoying the company of our neighboring campers.  Many who we had met the night before, we had a chance to get to know them better including Siegers, a life drawing professor and combat art specialist.  A fascinating and exceeding talented man, he brought his chair over, opened a beer and got to work drawing sketches of a few of us. 

Having to run for our “date night” with the campground hosts, we changed and headed for the big town of Becknell, UT (population 300?!) about a 20 minute drive from the park.  In a creatively repurposed home-to-theatre, we were surprised to find reasonable prices, fresh popcorn and a surprisingly delicious menu.  Rob had a bbq pork and horseradish sandwich with a caramel milkshake while I munched on my first theatre popcorn in ages while we watched “Wonder Woman”!

We got along famously with Ralph and Tess and told a lot of stories and had some good laughs as we slowly made our way back to the park taking scenic detours the whole way.  My plan for attending the park’s full moon hike was surpassed by Ralph driving us through the park’s scenic drive in their 4 wheel drive truck with the lights off. 

With the canyon walls surrounding us and the moonlight illuminating the cliffs and features, we sat in the truck bed with Tess completely dumbfounded by the beauty. At the end of the passable road we stopped and wandered in the moonlight and craned our necks for shooting stars although the closest we got were a couple satellites passing by.  What an end to another amazing day!

Today we DID rise early to grab a final hike up the Cohab Canyon as the sun filtered back into the park.  With lizards scattering, birds singing and mountain goats hiding around each bend, we got some exercise before stopping to grab the bakery’s famous cinnamon rolls.  Luckily, we also happened onto the season’s first fresh picked fruit – CHERRIES! – in 1# bags for $1 that were picked an hour before! 

Having said our goodbyes to Ron and Mike, Ralph and Tess, Siegers and other  new friends, we're back on the road for the final Utah parks before moving into Colorado and  a month of family and long time friend visits.  Another transition to another adventure!