Today we planned to go to Capitol Reef National Park, and possibly Goblin Valley State Park. We got started in the usual way and headed west on I-70 to the Hanksville exit. From there, we headed south on Utah 24. When we reached the sign for Goblin Valley State Park, we turned west and drove towards the San Rafael Reef.
For our first hike, Andrew directed us towards a slot canyon. We travelled about a mile down a very sandy road. The road was clearly not maintained. At one point, the water eroded the road so badly that we had to bypass around the washout. And then we reached the point of no continue. The road dropped about four feet down into a dry wash and I had no doubt we’d not be able to get back out if we went forward. I backed the car about 200 feet until I found a spot to turn around.
Not deterred, Andrew found us another hike to try. This time, the road was maintained, and we parked with a few others at the trailhead. The hike took us along a dry wash up into a small canyon. As we climbed out of the canyon, we could see a large cave in the distance. We decided we had gone far enough, so we headed back to the car.
Next, we backtracked to Goblin Valley State Park. We soon reached the end of a line of vehicles waiting to enter. A ranger walked along the line, talking to each driver. When he reached me, he told me that the park was filled to capacity, and they were letting cars in only as cars left. We decided not to wait.
By now, it was getting close to lunch time. From Andrew’s investigation, we knew that Hanksville has three highly rated food joints. This was pretty surprising, considering the population of Hanksville is around 200. We pulled into Stan’s Burger Shak. When we walked in, we were surprised by the number of people inside; the place was bustling with activity. The staff appeared to be comprised of half the teenagers in the town. That said, they were quite well organized. We ordered burgers and shakes, then waited for our number to be called. Our shakes came up first. I’ve never seen shakes quite like these. They were so thick that the shake extended a few inches above the top of the cup. Oh, and they tasted great, too. We could see chunks of fruit mixed in. And don’t even think about using a straw; these shakes require a spoon.
| Blackberry milkshake at Stan's Burger Shak |
Our next destination was Capitol Reef National Park. After driving for many miles across the desert, it was nice to see the Fremont River appear along the side of the road. We pulled off the road just to enjoy the sounds and sights of running water.
| Fremont River |
Once at the park, we stopped at Visitor Center, picked up the park map, and continued along Scenic Drive. The first branch road was to Grand Wash, but we decided not to hike. Then we stopped at Slick Rock divide before continuing to Capitol Gorge. From here, we drove to the end of the road and hiked the Capitol Gorge Trail up to The Tanks.
| David standing outside the Capitol Reef Visitor Center |
Andrew and I did this hike ourselves. The gorge was narrow with steep walls. This gorge was used by settlers and at one point, we passed a wall with names engraved in the stone. At the end, we reached The Tanks. The Tanks are a series of potholes eroded into the sandstone. Each tank overflowed into the tank below in what would be a series of waterfalls if there was enough rain to support it. Today, there was very little water in only a couple of the holes.
| View down from The Tanks |
Above The Tanks, the view was amazing. The mountains and cliffs are stunning in a full 360 degrees.
| David ponders the awesomeness of Capitol Reef NP |
On our way back out of the park, we entered Fruita Historic District. I had to stop when I saw an old barn with a horse, lit up beautifully by the late afternoon light.
| Horse in old barn in Fruita Historic District |
A quarter mile further down the road, we stopped at the picnic area when we saw a small herd of deer chewing on the grass. The views of the surrounding cliffs, the trees, and the lush grass reminded me of a similar setting in Zion National Park.
| Picnic area in Fruita Historic District |
| Bridge in Fruita Historic District |
Our final stop of the day was at Gooseneck Overlook and Sunset Point. From here, we watched the cliffs light up in the magic light.
| View from Sunset Point |
By now, I knew I’d be driving home in the dark. This was a new experience for this trip, since it doesn’t really get dark until after 9:00. I figured I didn’t need to worry about wildlife on the highway, since the desert doesn’t support it. That said, we saw a Jackrabbit hop across the road and a Pronghorn near the side of the road.
Click the image below to see all pictures from the trip.
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