How did Capitol Reef National Park get its name? From the National Park Service website (oh sad/mad face, we are so going to miss the N.P.S., what with all this winning. N.P.S. FAQ for Capitol Reef.): “Early settlers noted that the white domes of Navajo Sandstone resemble the dome of the Capitol building in Washington, DC. Prospectors visiting the area (many with nautical backgrounds) referred to the Waterpocket Fold, an 87-mile long ridge in the earth’s crust, as a reef, since it was a formidable barrier to transportation.”
Chimney Rock (it was late and too dark..maybe Windy has a better one?)
The Castle
The Old Schoolhouse
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From the Visitors Center, the map shows the stretch of the Waterpocket Fold and beside it is a representation of the 19 layers of material deposited over the millennia.
Here are many of the layers described.
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Where we are staying. They have motel-style rooms, various sizes of cabins, tepees, and Calistoga Wagons.
We had a 2 bedroom cabin looking out onto the cliff face.
Here are the tepees and the wagons. The staff was busy getting them fitted out for the season as they’re closed from late Fall until early Summer.
Our chariot awaits. And we’re off to Moab to visit Arches and Canyonlands National Parks.
