Capitol Reef National Park

Our visit to Capitol Reef on Sunday completed our quick circuit of the “Big 5” National Parks in Utah, which was one of our goals of this trip. Capitol Reef had a different vibe. We felt more of a human element, like we were visiting an area that was once home for pioneers and such over the years. Several buildings were still preserved, and there were fruit orchards planted in various spots throughout the park. There was even a store/cabin that sold freshly made fruit pies…which were delicious! Also, of note were the petroglyphs, or ancient carvings, that were seen occasionally throughout the park. One of note was “the Registry,” where explorers from as far back as the late 1800s had etched their names and dates high on one of the canyon walls.