USA 2019: Capitol Reef National Park

Another day, another National Park. Today it was the turn of Capitol Reef National Park and a very enjoyable and varied day was had. It was only 10 miles from our hotel in Torrey so we were able to do enought to get a good feel for the place. Different again to Bryce, Zion and Kodachrome Basin. What did we do?

• Take a stated 4,4 mile hike down the Narrows at the Grand Wash. It turned out to be 5.5 miles. This came after a fairly adventurous and bumpy 2 mile drive down a gravel road.
• 'Do' the scenic drive that took us way into the desert area.
• Take a 2 mile hike down the Capitol Gorge, this time after a 3 mile drive down a gravel road.
• Have a quick stop at the hamlet of Fruita (famous for guess what) for one of their famous fruit pies.
• Then we had a soak in the hot tub at the hotel. Whilst enjoying myself, I read the list of "if you have this, you are FORBIDDEN to use the hot tub". I had five of them but didn't get out. Ooooh, what a rebel!
• And to finish the day off, a meal at Cafe Diablo. Rattlesnake cakes and Bison Ragu for me and Lamb Shanks for Mrs P.

And here are a few photographs to prove that we did all that and survived. We now move on further east to spend 4 nights in Moab.

Chimney Rock from the angle where it doesn't really look much like a chimney. But it does from the 'right' side when in sun. We were there when it was in shade.

Descending into the canyon carved by the Grand Wash.

Claret Cup Cactus in flower. The only cactus at this stage.

And this is where the canyon walls get closer and closer and we enter the 'Narrows'.

The weather changes rapidly at these altitudes and we were soon walking in sleet back to the car - rapidly.

And while we were driving to our next stop we had blue skies.

On our way down Capitol Gorge. Not so narrow this one but with other things of interest.

At various places on the walls were some native pterographs - carvings dating somewhere between 30 and 1300 AD, The dates are uncertain but the carvers were pre-Pueblans.

Mrs P taking a photograph of some more moden pterographs - carvings done by the original Mormon settlers. Some of these date from the late 1800s.

This was an exciting find - holes formed by the pecking of the Rock-boring Martin. The same family as our native Sand Martins but with much stronger beaks.

Rattlesnake Cakes as prepared at the Cafe Diablo. How did they taste? Actually very nice but there was nothing there that hit you with "oooh, that's rattlesnake". Apart, that is, the after effects of me rattling my way out of the restaurant. Would I eat it again? No reason not to except for the price!

The original settlers (forgetting the various tribes who were there first and have been largely written out of the story) of this area were Mormons who were impressed by the temperate conditions. They took advantage of this and planted many orchards which still bear fruit. The name of their hamlet? Fruita. Famous for its fruit pies, one of which I had to sample. An Apple one. Good but not as good as mam's. I like pastry top and bottom.