So far, Capitol Reef NP has been the surprise of the trip for me. Driving in, I quite honestly was questioning my sanity for wanting to visit and really questioning anyone who actually was going to make a homestead here. It was the most desolate landscape I have seen outside of the Saudi deserts. Once we got in though, things changed quite a bit. The weather cooled and there was a decent river where a few green things could actually grow. And then we found the historic area of Fruita. Thousands of old fruit trees. Everything from Apricots, which are in season, to cherries to pears and others we could not identify. It was quite the bonanza. Enough so that we came back and picked 6 lbs of apricots. Which Carolyn took back to our somewhat under-outfitted RV and somehow managed to can, making 8 jars of fresh apricot jam.
Our big “error” of this stop was in our hike. We found a very scenic notch canyon to hike through. Pretty flat and not horrible terrain. Only about 2.5 miles in and then back out. Should have been a relatively easy hike. However, we got started quite a bit later than we anticipated and instead of hiking in the shade of the canyon walls, we hiked with the sun directly over our heads. It never got to the point of worrisome but we did burn through our water much faster than we planned and got a lot more sun than we would have liked. Thank goodness for sunscreen and big hats!
After a recovery break and downing a lot of water, we explored all over the “water pocket fold” that makes up Capitol Reef. And if you can figure out exactly what that geological feature means, you are well ahead of me! We saw quite a bit of wildlife including a mother Big Horn Sheep and her lamb as well as some massive mule deer. Plus, there are ancient petroglyphs along some of the canyon walls that are interesting to see and “read” the stories they tell. Capitol Reef is a bit of a challenge to get to and the drive in is not for the faint of heart, but it really is a fantastic place to see. We really enjoyed our visit! (Secret – one of the best parts for me was the coffee shop directly across the street from the RV Park! Loved not having to make my own and clean up the grounds for a change!!)
Sounds amazing!
Love the fresh apricot jam story. Go Carolyn!