Capitol Reef National Park

So the third Utah National Park is less popular than other four. And it’s difficult to say for what reason. I cannot say that there was a lot of wow effect places. But I definitely found a lot of interesting.
09.07. Capitol Reef National Park
On that day we left Moab and started our route back West. We exited I15 on SR24 and of course started to stop on every vista point. Route is scenic as the most of the roads between national parks
09.07. SR 24
09.07. SR 24
Capitol Reef National Park has three major region: Waterpocket District, Cathedral Valley, and Fruita. The first two have unpaved road, and after previous day dirt road experience we decided to take day of the rest and explore Fruita.
And as the majority of visitors, we started with Scenic Drive.
09.07. Capitol Reef National Park
09.07. Capitol Reef National Park
09.07. Capitol Reef National Park
I liked mostly unpaved part of it. It goes through the narrow canyon.
09.07. Capitol Reef National Park
09.07. Capitol Gorge Road
09.07. Capitol Gorge Road
09.07. Capitol Reef National Park
09.07. Capitol Reef National Park
09.07. Capitol Reef National Park
09.07. Capitol Reef National Park
The roads end on trailhead which follows canyon to watertanks along the wall with petroglyphs.
09.07. Capitol Reef National Park
09.07. Capitol Reef National Park
09.07. Capitol Reef National Park
What we liked is the picnic area near the river and under the shade of huge trees with pleasant shadow in the hot summer day.
The second most famous nature sight in the park is Hickman Bridge so we hiked there. The trail by itself is interesting: with the view on Fremont river, Capitol Dome, canyons and unique rocks.
09.07. Capitol Reef National Park
09.07. Capitol Reef National Park
09.07. Capitol Reef National Park
09.07. Capitol Reef National Park
09.07. Capitol Reef National Park
09.07. Capitol Reef National Park
09.07. Capitol Reef National Park
09.07. Capitol Reef National Park
Bridge is huge. Real bridge. Not the ordinary arch, but massive and concrete bridge.
09.07. Capitol Reef National Park
09.07. Hickman Bridge
09.07. Hickman Bridge
09.07. Capitol Reef National Park
And more of the trail views
09.07. Capitol Reef National Park
09.07. Hiking to Hickman Bridge
09.07. Capitol Reef National Park
09.07. Capitol Reef National Park
It even has smaller version of the bridge 😉
09.07. Hiking to Hickman Bridge
And Fremont river
09.07. Capitol Reef National Park
09.07. Capitol Reef National Park
Oh, and we visited local Goosenecks
09.07 Goosenecks
09.07 Goosenecks
09.07 Goosenecks
09.07 Goosenecks

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