Capitol Reef National Park facts

While investigating facts about Capitol Reef National Park Map and Capitol Reef National Park Weather, I found out little known, but curios details like:

The word "reef" in the park's name is used because it refers to rocky land barrier.

how long to visit capitol reef national park?

The original name given to the area - Wayne Wonderland - was given by two locals in the area in the 1920s named Ephram Pectol and Joseph S. Hickman.

What to see at capitol reef national park?

In my opinion, it is useful to put together a list of the most interesting details from trusted sources that I've come across answering what is there to do at capitol reef national park. Here are 12 of the best facts about Capitol Reef National Park Camping and Capitol Reef National Park Hikes I managed to collect.

what to do at capitol reef national park?

1. There are orchards in Capitol Reef National Park that visitors can pick fruit from (after paying a fee). These orchards were planted by Mormon pioneers who settled the area.

2. The word "capitol" is used in the name because it was given to white dome formations on the line of cliffs within the park's Waterpocket Fold. It looks similar to the American State Capitol Building.

3. Although there are paved roadways in the park much of it is not accessible by road or is only accessible by unpaved roads or trails which leaves much of the park untouched by modern amenities.

4. There are a variety of different species of flora and fauna found in Capitol Reef National Park including 13 native species of fish, 5 species of amphibians, 15 species of reptiles, 71 species of mammals, 239 bird species, and 887 species of plants, of which 6 are threatened or endangered and 40 are rare and endemic (found only in this area).

5. Wildlife that can be found living in Capitol Reef National Park includes the black billed magpie, black bears, kangaroo rats, marmots, pinion jays, porcupines, pronghorn antelopes, and Utah prairie dogs.

6. Waterpocket Fold, located within Capitol Reef National Park, is a 65 million year old warp in the crust of the earth.

7. It is estimated that approximately 784,000 people visit Capitol Reef National Park each year.

8. Three popular hiking trails in the park include The Hickman Bridge Trail, the Chimney Rock Loop Trail, and Cassidy Arch Trail.

9. Visitors to Capitol Reef National Park can enjoy camping, hiking, backpacking, horseback riding, rock climbing, biking, driving tours, and fruit picking as well as site seeing and wildlife watching.

10. Highlights of Capitol Reef National Park include Capitol Dome (white sandstone formation), Chimney Rock (400 foot tall pillar of sandstone), Hickman Bridge (a natural 125 foot tall arch), Fremont Petroglyphs (1000 year old petroglyphs of the Fremont people), Behunin Cabin (red sandstone cabin built in 1882), Cathedral Valley (hundreds of feet high monoliths), and Fruita (small town in the park with over 2,500 fruit trees planted by Mormon pioneers).