A little about this amazing place...Located in south-central Utah in the heart of red rock country, Capitol Reef National Park is a hidden treasure filled with cliffs, canyons, domes, and bridges in the Waterpocket Fold, a geologic monocline (a wrinkle on the earth) extending almost 100 miles.

We spent most of our time just exploring canyons.




Along with the Waterpocket Fold, which defines this Park, we were able to experience a variety of unique biological phenomena: soil crusts, large black boulders strewn throughout the park, and other features unique to the desert southwest.





There was nature, too. Okay, this common sight was a bit ooky. These are tent caterpillars which are indigenous pests. They often defoliate the trees in the spring, causing great damage. They were everywhere. Nature can be so very strange.
I was surprised to have not seen a bunch of birds when there have been over 239 different species recorded as being here.
Seventy-one mammals call Capitol Reef home.
There are 15 varieties of reptiles, though I only saw one.
Capitol Reef National Park protects a rich background of American Indian habitation throughout the Colorado Plateau. Archeologists have discovered information about the indigenous people who lived in the region for nearly 10,000 years, relying on radio-carbon methods and oral traditions from tribal communities. We were impressed by the petroglyphs that have survived.





The only campground in the park was full, so we found a sweet spot in BLM land to call it a night. It was truly magical.
This was a brief visit to this unique place. We will return when we can stay longer and explore more. We are on the hors d'oeuvre tour of Utah!