Capitol Reef is a National Park comprising 378 square miles of sandstone canyons, ridges, buttes, and monoliths. The Park is defined by the Waterpocket Fold, a 100-mile long wrinkle in the earth's crust known as a monocline. The Fold extends from nearby Thousand Lakes Mountain to the Colorado River (now Lake Powell). Capitol Reef National Park was established to protect this grand and colorful geologic feature, as well as the unique natural and cultural history found in the area. The name was derived from the rounded sandstone buttes which resemble capitol domes and from the long line of rocky cliffs which are a barrier to travel, like a coral reef.
White settlement came late to the area, in the 1870's, Latter Day Saints (Mormon) settlers moved into the high plateau lands west of Capitol Reef and established communities based on short-season farming and grazing. In the 1880's Mormon settlers moved into Capitol Reef and established the community of Fruita along the banks of the Fremont River. These settlers planted the fruit orchards along the river that still exist today. No more than 10 families at any one time lived in the Fruita area.
The area was called "Wayne Wonderland" in the 1920s by local boosters Ephraim P. Pectol and Joseph S. Hickman, and in 1937, President Roosevelt set aside a portion of Wayne Wonderland as a National Monument. Funds for the park were scarce, however, and it would be a long time before the first rangers would arrive. During the 1960's, a campground, visitor center and staff housing were built and a road through the park was paved. During this period, most of the farmers in the area left and sold their land to the Park Service. In 1968, a large amount of land was added to the park, increasing it's size by almost 600%, and in 1971 the National Monumnent officially became Capitol Reef National Park.
Travellers to the park experience a dazzling landscape of rock formations. From colorful domes, high cliffs, and towering spires of sandstone to arches, natural bridges, and narrow slot canyons. The desert streams, such as the Fremont, wind through the Park, carving deep canyons and meandering through floodplains surrounded by narrow ribbons of greenery.
The Waterpocket Fold defines the Park. A 100-mile long warp in the Earth's crust, the Waterpocket Fold is a classic monocline: a regional fold with one very steep side in an area of otherwise nearly horizontal layers. A monocline is a "step-up" in the rock layers. The layers on the west side of the Fold have been lifted more than 7000 feet higher than those on the east. The park was established primarily to preserve the geologic features of the waterpocket fold, such as the scenic rock domes and narrow canyons. Capitol Reef is a geologist's paradise, with nearly 10,000 feet of sedimentary layers ranging from 270 million to 80 million years old. The Waterpocket Fold has tilted this geologic layer cake down to the east, with older rocks in the west and younger ones in the east. Rock layers in Capitol Reef reveal ancient environments as varied as rivers and swamps (Chinle Formation), Sahara-like deserts (Navajo Sandstone), and shallow oceans (Mancos Shale). These layers have been eroded by wind and especially water over the last 20 million years. The landforms are a result of different responses of various rock layers to these forces of erosion. Hard sandstone layers form cliffs, while softer shale layers form slopes and low hills. Black boulders found scattered throughout the park are volcanic rocks from the 20 to 30 million year old lava flows which cap the nearby mountains.
Traveling on Interstate 15 - Take US Highway 50 east at Scipio (exit 188) towards Salina for 30 miles. At the junction with Utah State Highway 89/259, turn right (south) and travel 8 miles. Turn left (east) onto Utah State Highway 24 towards Sigurd. Continue on Highway 24 for 82 miles to reach the park Visitor Center.
Ripple Rock Nature Center is open from Memorial Day through Labor Day from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, closed Sundays and Mondays.
The following Entrance Fees are charged for traveling the park_fs Scenic Drive beyond the Fruita Campground.
Entrance Fee Waivers: Fee waivers are available for groups traveling the Scenic Drive for educational purposes. Fee waiver requests must be submitted two weeks prior to your visit.
Sites at the Fruita Campground are $10 per night. Senior and Access pass holders receive a 50% discount on their campsite.
Heading East on Hwy 24 and South on Hwy 95, (about 80 miles) will bring you to Glen Canyon National Recreation Area. Alternately, the adventurous can reach Bullfrog marina in Glen Canyon NRA by driving south on the unimproved Notom Road, but check road conditions at the Visitor Center.
Travelling east on Hwy 24 and North on Hwy 95 about 55 miles will bring you to the turn off to Goblin Valley State Park.