During the 2019-2020 school year, Daisy was in fourth grade, so we got her the free National Parks pass for fourth graders and visited as many National Parks and monuments as we could. When COVID hit, we had to cancel trips to Canyonlands and Mount Rushmore, and then the pass expired. Because of the pandemic, the NPS gave the passes to fifth graders for this school year, so we were able to get Daisy a new pass!
We used the pass at Muir Woods and Point Fort (though Point Fort is free anyway) while we were in California. Then over this past weekend, we took a trip to Capitol Reef.
Capitol Reef is about 3.5 hours from Salt Lake, but it took us about five hours because of traffic and stopping for dinner. We left Friday at 4:00, which is not our preferred time of travel, but Eva had dance class and Scotty had to work.
Two days before we left, Scotty's mom invited herself to come along (she's been known to do that), so we were able to have a rotation of kids from vehicle to vehicle.
On Saturday, as we entered the park, we started off with a visit to the Gifford House to buy some cinnamon rolls and mini pies. Then we went to the trailhead for Cassidy Arch and got the last spot in the parking lot.
From the parking lot to this sign is about 1/4 mile
This hike is rated "strenuous," so I confess, I was pretty nervous to take four kids and my in-laws. There were some pretty miserable points, and it took us five hours, but we made it there and back!
I was so grateful to be able to do this hike considering three weeks ago I could barely walk. I have never before felt such a sense of awe at my ability to climb a stair or step over a rock. I can never take it for granted! I did things on this hike I wasn't sure I'd ever do again.
Starting off on the hike - when everyone was still feeling optimistic and full of energy
The first view of the arch (looks like a dark cave entrance right below the skyline)
A little heart at the top of the mountain
Me, my father-in-law, and Nicky out on the arch. The group to the left of us are rappelling down to the bottom. It's much deeper than this photo shows. They have to do 8 different rappels to get down. You can only see the depth of the first rappel in the picture, so imagine 7 more! It's really high up!
Cactus blooms
Right when we reached the arch, it suddenly got very windy, so we spent the rest of the hike with sand blowing in our faces. We all had a nice film of dirt coating us when we finished, and we were pretty exhausted.
We went to the picnic area and had lunch. They have a really nice grove with picnic tables and trees. There's a river nearby, and you can cross over a bridge into an orchard. There are lots of orchards in Capitol Reef, and when the fruit is ripe, you can pick it and eat it! (I don't think I'll ever want to deal with the heat in Capitol Reef in order to be able to be there for fruit season).
After lunch, we took it easy for a while and went to see the Fruita School and the Behunin Cabin.
Fruita School - built around 1896
Behunin Cabin - pioneer house built in 1882 (how would you like to live there with 13 kids?)
A scenic potty break
After taking it easy for a while, we did the Pioneer Registry hike. It was short and mild and took us past some mountain walls where pioneers signed their names. I didn't really take any good pictures on that hike, other than Grandma crossing the finish line:
Hooray for Grandma!
After the Pioneer Registry, we drove into Torrey, where we were staying and had pizza at Slackers. It was hot and fantastic, and the employees there were delightful!
The next morning we headed back into Capitol Reef. We hit the Visitor's Center to get the stamps and cancellations in the kid's National Parks Passports. Then we went to see some petroglyphs before we hiked the "moderate" trail to Hickman Bridge.
On the hike, we were discussing the difference between an "arch" and a "bridge." From what we researched, it seems that a "natural bridge" is formed by water, while a "natural arch" is formed by weathering. I vote we call them whatever we want and forgive each other. If all else fails, just call it what's written on the signage.
Shortly after starting the hike
A fun little set of bridges about 3/4 into the hike
Hickman Bridge
Hanging out under the bridge with snacks
The other side of the bridge (if you look closely at the mountain wall, it looks like there's a heart on it)
Grandma and Grandpa coming down one of the last sets of stairs on the way back
A caterpillar silk nest at the trailhead. These were all over in the trees, and if you looked closely inside the silk, you could see hundreds of caterpillars wriggling about.
After the hike, we went to the picnic grove for lunch and respite. Then it was time to head out, but first we stopped at the Goosenecks lookout to check out the view.
It was a view that a photograph can never truly capture
It was a great trip, as indicated by the mass amounts of dead bugs and red sand on our van. Capitol Reef is a really cool place.
1 comment:
We went there for spring break at the beginning of March and LOVED it! I honestly had never heard of that park until I looked at our stamp book to plan a National Park vacation. We had snow for part of our visit (which is very exciting for my desert dwelling kid). But, wow, it certainly is in the middle of nowhere; we were worried we didn't have the address correct as we were driving there.
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