It was a travel day today although we only went about 80 miles. We departed Temple Hill RV Park behind the Manti Tavernacle and struck out going south on UT-89 until we got to Gunnison where we turned off on UT-24. As soon as we got on 24, the road conditions changed from straight roads through farmland to twisting, climbing and descending roads through mountain passes. I think the highest pass was around 8500′ but eventually the road corkscrewed itself down into Torrey, UT, elevation about 6500′. Torrey is located about 5 miles from the western edge of Capitol Reef National Park. The weather cooperated all the way.
We pulled into the Thousand Lakes RV Park which is just a few hundred feet off UT-24. The park has both pull-thru and back-in spaces that are fairly close together, full hookups, wi-fi of dubious value, a pool, a few laundries, a really great camp store, an onsite restaurant with pre-order custom barbecue, a playground, hot showers, a pavilion, cabins for rent and a spectacular view of the multi-colored strata of enormous sandstone cliffs to the north. They even have home baked muffins in the store and scones with honey butter at the restaurant.
Since we had such a short distance to travel, we got to Torrey right about check-out time for the park and we set up very quickly in our pull-thru, shaded site. In less than an hour, we were set up for camping minus the satellite antenna. Since TV viewing takes the seat at the very back of the bus, we decided to take a preliminary spin through Capitol Reef National Park.
According to the Park Service interpretive sign, many former sailors came west and explored this country for the first time by white men. I’m sure the Native Americans already knew their way around. Anyway, the white former sailors allegedly called things to be avoided “reefs” and also thought many of the geologic formations within the park resembled capitol domes, hence the name “Capitol Reef,” Sounds pretty thin to me.
The name they selected is okay with me probably because “A World-Class Testament to the Amazing Forces of Geology and Erosion National Park” may have been deemed insufficiently catchy. Nevertheless, this place is an absolutely awe-inspiring array of some of the most colorful and majestic natural art extant in the world. Peggy and I have been to many fantastic places in the U.S.A during our last 23 months but no place, so far. has shown us the raw, almost terrifying results of geology and erosion in fierce competition like this treasure. Gigantic cliffs loom up from small river and creek slashes through the terrain exposing not less than fifteen easily identifiable strata being chiseled and scrubbed by wind and water erosion. The results are magnificent and might not be equaled anywhere in the world. This park is an E ticket ride. We made one pass each way through the park on UT-24 before returning home, eager to start some serious exploration tomorrow.
We took some pix on our pass through the park and they can be seen if you click here