Beth and I pulled out of the Bryce Zion Campground on Sunday morning, June 23rd. We said goodbye to Little Tibby White When and all of the memories the campground provided for us as we headed north and east to Capitol Reef National Park. The eastward swing of our journey is now in full force as each of the upcoming parks will bring us closer and closer to the east coast.
We found a small Church in the community of Panguitch, Utah, the Valley Christian Fellowship, at which we shared a Sunday morning worship service with the congregation there. It was funny because on this particular Sunday, at least half of those present were visitors. There were visitors from Oklahoma, Texas, Michigan, and North Carolina, of course, all in this small Church that could hold about 50 people.
After Church, we had about 2 hours of driving to reach Capitol Reef. We were running low on groceries, so we stopped and picked up what we would need for our 3 days in the park. We arrived at our campground around 4 p.m. It had rained earlier in the afternoon, giving the red rocks of the hills and mountains an even deeper red color. Beth wanted to get some pictures while the color was so vibrant, so we decided to hold off setting up until after the photo shoot.
The photo session finished, we proceeded to the Fruita Campground to begin our 3 night stay. What a pleasant surprise we had upon arriving. The campground was beautiful with the Fremont River flowing through it. The spaces were very large with trees throughout. A meadow and fruit orchards surrounded the campground. There were clean bathrooms with flush toilets and running water. In addition, it is at the base of a fantastic red rock mountain with access to several hiking trails that start at the mountain’s foot. It is the nicest National Park campground we have stayed at on the trip.
We enjoyed a relaxing evening before calling it a day. Beth had talked with the very helpful rangers at the visitor center on our way in, so we knew what trails we were going to hike. The overnight low was to be in the 60s. For the first time in about a month, we slept with only a single layer of pajamas. What a nice change.
Monday dawned mild and sunny. The sky was a beautiful blue color, the birds were chirping, and we were excited about the nine mile hike we had planned. We would be on two trails, the Cohab Canyon and the Frying Pan trails. We should have thought twice about hiking a trail named Frying Pan in the desert in late June. Oh well, live and learn.
The hike began at the Cohab Canyon trailhead at the base of the mountain across the street from the campground. It proceeded up through a series of switchbacks for about three quarters of a mile, gaining about 500 feet in elevation. Talk about a tough way to start the morning! Eventually, the trail leveled out and we proceeded through some marvelous rock formations and mountains that ringed the trail. As we have found with past hikes, the scenery sure had a way of taking your mind off of the strenuous climb.
After about a mile and a half, the trail intersected with the Frying Pan trail. This trail took us three miles deeper into Captiol Reef’s canyons and ravines, and right to a prominent feature in the park, Cassidy’s Arch. This impressive arch in the middle of the desert is named after Butch Cassidy, who allegedly spent some time hiding out in the park when he was fleeing the authorities. It took us about 3 hours and 45 minutes to make the mostly uphill 4.5 miles to the arch. Much of it was under quite warm conditions. We met a German woman at the arch who snapped a picture of Beth and me standing on Cassidy’s Arch, and then it was time to begin the trek back to the campground.
We were four and a half miles from the campground. It was nearing noon, and the skies overhead began to darken ominously. Thunder could be heard overhead, and the threat of rain looked imminent. We had no choice, so onward we went.
The temperature as we began the return trip through the Frying Pan was in the low 90s. I was hoping we weren’t going from the Frying Pan into the fire (sorry, I have been waiting for this whole post to use that corny line). I didn’t mention that the trail has a significant elevation gain, almost 700 feet over it’s 3 mile distance. Fortunately, we would be going downhill for most of the trip back, until we reached the intersection with the Cohab Canyon trail, when it would be uphill before the final steep descent to the campground.
With each step, the skies were getting darker and the wind was picking up. Our pace picked up as well. We remembered that we had failed to zip up the inner door to our tent, only closing the front screen zipper, so we were concerned that if it did storm, our bedding and mattress could get a good soaking. Beth was also worried that if it did rain hard, it could make it difficult to follow the dirt trail, as the footprints in it would be washed away.
It was now 12:30 and we hadn’t eaten lunch yet. We stopped at a flat rock along the trail and took a lunch break. Just as we started eating, it began to rain. Not hard, but hard enough to make us think twice about a leisurely lunch stop. We would eat and walk to hasten our return to the campground. Fortunately, the rain lasted only about 5 minutes. It lasted long enough, however, to make the trail pretty slippery so that slowed our pace. The sound of thunder continued, along with an occasional lightning bolt to add to the ambiance. Beth said she was praying that she didn’t lose the trail, while I was praying that the tent and our belongings remained dry. I am happy to say both of our prayers were answered. We never lost the trail, and while it apparently rained some at the campground, everything inside was dry. Thank God for answered prayers.
It took us only two hours and forty five minutes to complete the return trip. We shaved 45 minutes off of our trip to the arch. It was clearly a combination of a mostly downhill walk and the adrenaline racing through our bodies as a result of hiking high on a mountain in a thunderstorm. It was great to be back at our tent.
Later in the day, it did rain, forcing us to retreat into the car for sanctuary. It was only the second time it had rained on us while at a campground in 54 days, pretty amazing. We both had good books to read, so we were content to sit there and enjoy them. The weather cleared up in time for supper, and remained dry the rest of the day and overnight. We again slept in single layers, as the low was predicted at a balmy 69 degrees.
We spent Tuesday hiking two shorter trails, the Hickman Bridge and the Great Wash. Each is about 2 miles in length and we completed them both before noon. In between the hikes, we stopped by the Gifford House, an historic three room building that was once a gathering place for a small Mormon community that farmed the land that the Fruita campground sits on. Today, it houses a museum and a business that sells homemade pies daily. For only $8.50, you can choose from apple, cherry, peach, or strawberry rhubarb. I say $8.50 tongue-in-cheek, of course, because they are personal pies, about five inches in diameter, but I have to admit, they are very, very tasty. I chose the cherry and Beth the strawberry rhubarb. Beth will still be enjoying some of hers for dessert after dinner tonight. Not me, I consumed the whole pie as a second breakfast, and will have to settle for some cookies for my dessert.
We have been really pleased with our stay at Capitol Reef. I had been here with my son Matt and his friend Patrick Scordato as part of our Utah Mighty Five national parks tour in 2017. We only had a few hours in the park then, so we didn’t get to see as much of it as we would have liked to. This trip was much different. Two full days and 3 nights allowed Beth and I to immerse ourselves here and get the most of our stay. The campground alone would have made our stay memorable. The park itself, made it even moreso.
We’re off to Canyonlands in the morning as the adventure continues east and our time in Utah draws to a close.