# 3: Capitol Reef and Arches - shapes and colours!
Capitol Reef was Jeremy's favourite national park: a 100 mile long ridge of exposed rock with layers of colours jutting into the sunset... no wonder the Navajo called it 'the landed of the painted rainbow'. But it takes some good light, and a love for rocks to appreciate its beauty (otherwise, it just looks like a rocky desert...)
The big surprise of Capitol Reef is that there is a river confluence in the center, and early Mormon settlers planted orchards there - so to this day there is an OASIS of lush green in the middle of the dry, red rocks. We camped on watered grass under shady trees, and yet the desert and this massive 'waterpocket fold' were a stones' throw away. At night, we grazed the orchards with the mule deer and picked ripe apricots for dessert.... yummy!
Here's our green campsite, with big red rocks just behind:
Some RV owners next to us put a humming bird feeder (did you know they had to be red to attract the birds?) on their BBQ - and I got to do my first ever serious hummingbird observation! I am told they need to consume 13 000 calories a day to sustain their frenetic flying activity!
A hike up to Hickman natural bridge:
The land of the painted rainbow at sunset:
More cool rock details: sometimes the natural erosion patterns look like people....
After 2 days in Capitol Reef, we kept heading east for the tourist city of Moab. After a night in a hotel (Yay! showers!) and a delicious gourmet meal - we headed the next morning for the surreal land of Arches National Park, with its bright orange rocks and incredible formations eroded out of the 'fins' of rock....
First stop was a morning hike (in the rain!) to landscape arch. The guidebook says it is "possibly the longest free standing arch in the world"... the photo doesn't capture the breadth of it - you could fit a rugby field length ways under it!
A Juniper Pine tree. Apparently the ancient peoples used to make diapers/nappies out of the bark of this tree.... OUCH!
The Garden of Eden from a distance...
Arch support:
A hike in the mid afternoon heat (oh my! It must have been well over 100F/43C!) to the end of the world...
But the famous delicate arch was the reward!!!
Balancing rock...
Some more rock people bid us a final farewell as we left the park.
The big surprise of Capitol Reef is that there is a river confluence in the center, and early Mormon settlers planted orchards there - so to this day there is an OASIS of lush green in the middle of the dry, red rocks. We camped on watered grass under shady trees, and yet the desert and this massive 'waterpocket fold' were a stones' throw away. At night, we grazed the orchards with the mule deer and picked ripe apricots for dessert.... yummy!
Here's our green campsite, with big red rocks just behind:
Some RV owners next to us put a humming bird feeder (did you know they had to be red to attract the birds?) on their BBQ - and I got to do my first ever serious hummingbird observation! I am told they need to consume 13 000 calories a day to sustain their frenetic flying activity!
A hike up to Hickman natural bridge:
The land of the painted rainbow at sunset:
More cool rock details: sometimes the natural erosion patterns look like people....
After 2 days in Capitol Reef, we kept heading east for the tourist city of Moab. After a night in a hotel (Yay! showers!) and a delicious gourmet meal - we headed the next morning for the surreal land of Arches National Park, with its bright orange rocks and incredible formations eroded out of the 'fins' of rock....
First stop was a morning hike (in the rain!) to landscape arch. The guidebook says it is "possibly the longest free standing arch in the world"... the photo doesn't capture the breadth of it - you could fit a rugby field length ways under it!
A Juniper Pine tree. Apparently the ancient peoples used to make diapers/nappies out of the bark of this tree.... OUCH!
The Garden of Eden from a distance...
Arch support:
A hike in the mid afternoon heat (oh my! It must have been well over 100F/43C!) to the end of the world...
But the famous delicate arch was the reward!!!
Balancing rock...
Some more rock people bid us a final farewell as we left the park.
posted by Bronwyn at 8:45 am
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