Grand Wash
I start the morning off by taking an easy hike through the Grand Wash. The trail began in a fairly broad area bordered by walls and peaks.
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| The Start of Grand Wash |
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| Huge Slabs of Rock |
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| Pinkish White Dome |
The walls slowly closed in until the canyon walls towered above me. A feeling of insignificance came over me as I stood there.
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| Approaching the Narrow Section of the Grand Wash |
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| Walls Close In, the Trail Narrows |
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| Feeling Smaller amidst the Grand Wash |
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Which Way to Turn?
(a gully is to the right; the trail went left) |
When the channel widened back out, I had a clear view of various rock formations. Due to the size and scope of the natural features in this area, I understood why they named it "Grand."
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Many Tiers
(almost like a beachfront resort) |
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| Castle in the Sky |
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| Towers |
Near the end, I came to this design on the canyon wall. It reminded of an object in outer space seen through a telescope.
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| Celestial Body |
Cassidy Arch
Before I turned back, I followed a connecting trail to go see Cassidy Arch. This was very different from the flat surface of Grand Wash as the trail steadily climbed up the side of the canyon wall. Countless steps and numerous switchbacks had been built to make the going easier.
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| Stone Steps |
It didn't take long before I was able to view below the Grand Wash and the road that leads to the trailhead for this end of the canyon.
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| Grand Wash Below |
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| The Road to the Trailhead at the End of Grand Wash |
Once I crested the top, I was able to continue over much flatter ground amid Pinyon and Juniper trees as well as interestingly shaped rock formations.
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| Trail over Red Rock and through the Trees |
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| Pepper Shaker |
I turned a corner and there was Cassidy Arch before me. After taking in the impressive view, I hiked the remaining half mile to see the arch from up close and to walk across the top of it.
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| Cassidy Arch |
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| Closer View |
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| Front Side |
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| View from the Rear |
While there, I walked around and looked across to see where I had just come from and to view the landscape that stretched far into the distance beyond the arch.
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| The Trail Wound to the Right around the Dark Red Rock |
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| The Land beyond Cassidy Arch |
Behunin Cabin
Elijah Cutler Behunin and his family built this one-room cabin in 1882. As Mormon settlers, they were some of the earliest pioneers to attempt to establish a homestead in the Capitol Reef area.
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| Behunin Cabin |
Within a year, after the Fremont River's repeated flooding had ruined their irrigation system and washed out their crops, the family moved to the higher ground of Fruita further up the canyon.
Capitol Gorge
Capitol Gorge provides a mixture of impelling natural beauty with intriguing human history. The gorge was once a pathway for travel through the area.
After leaving the trailhead, I followed the dry streambed where the gorge ranged from narrow to very wide.
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| Dry Streambed through Capitol Gorge |
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| Narrow Section of Gorge |
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| Back Entrance of Capitol Gorge |
Equally varied, the walls of many colors were sometimes low and gentle and elsewhere they towered above.
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| Steep Canyon Wall |
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| Bronze and White Rock Face |
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| Sunlit Mound atop the Gorge |
Evidence of ancient human presence in the area came in the form of petroglyphs. Unfortunately, only a couple of them remained in good physical shape.
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| The Sun? |
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| I Have No Idea |
A little further down the gorge resided proof of more recent human activity in what is called the Pioneer Register.
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| Pioneer Register |
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| M. Larson (1888) |
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| Melvin Cook (1925) |
I saw names and dates of emigrants or travelers in other sections of the gorge as well.
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These Names Were More Than Forty Feet above the Ground
(possibly the person rappelled down on a rope?) |
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These Were Almost at the Opposite End of the Gorge
(notice the additional symbols) |
At about the midway point in the gorge, I took a spur trail to go see The Tanks. After a short climb, I gained a different perspective of the gorge and saw some impressive rock formations.
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| Capitol Gorge from Above |
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| Massive Rock Structures |
Apparently, a person can view The Tanks full of water if they time it correctly.
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| One of The Tanks |
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| Mini Arch Next to a Tank |
Just before I left and returned to the main trail, I took advantage of the rising sun creating a lighted backdrop for a lone tree. While it obviously isn't a bonsai tree, the scene did make me think of Japanese art.
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| Inspired by Japanese Art |
As I often am, I was fascinated by the different textures, colors, and designs of the rocks within the gorge.
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| Wafer Thin Layers |
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| Swirled Lines |
And at least once, something within the gorge sparked my imagination.
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| Sleeping Dragon |
Scenic Drive
The road between the visitor center and the Capitol Gorge trailhead is quite scenic both in the cliffs on one side and the views.
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| Egyptian Temple |
Unfortunately, I didn't adjust my camera properly so most of the photos turned out differently than I intended. On the other hand, the resulting effect is kind of neat. So, I included some of the mistakes for their artistic style.
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| Desert Vista |
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| Rising Cliff Face |
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| Scenic Road |
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| Two of the White Domes that Give Capitol Reef its Name |
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