Hanksville to Capital Reef National Park, Utah

Wed - July 8th
We left the Red Rock Campground after spending a couple of nights resting up. We drove southwest on UT24 which is a scenic mountain drive. The drive takes you from the desert to the mountains and the views are spectacular.

There are 3 more National Parks in Utah that we will be visiting and normally you would enter them from the southwest. We will be entering them from the northeast and there will be some surprises I'm sure. First on our list today will be the Capital Reef National Park.

Sharon and I are always amazed at the workings of Mother Nature as we look at the large rocks along the way. Some of them look like they could have been sculptured by someone. All in all, the shapes and colors are incredibly beautiful.

Please enjoy the pictures below and just click on them to view full size.


Scenery on the way to Capital Reef NP.









These mountains of rock just keep getting bigger & bigger.









Look at the unusual shapes that the rocks take on.







We stopped at a viewing area that stated there were Petroglyths on the face of the rock. It took several minutes to locate them. Here's a close up of the next picture.






The Petroglyths were on this wall in the center of the picture.







After several viewing stops and winding mountain roads we finally arrived at the Visitor Center.

Sharon is a little cold this early in the morning but she will be very warm this afternoon when the temps climb to the 100s.




We stopped at the Historical Gifford Homestead and I'm glad we did. Homemade bread, pies, ice cream, & candy. Yum Yum! All my belly stretching favorites.






This is an old wood burning cook stove found in the house.










A beautifully preserved Singer pedal-power sewing machine in an oak cabinet.






I stepped outside to take a picture of two does and a spotted fawn. Before I could get the lens cap off the camera, the fawn made a break for the brush. The two does acted like I wasn't even there.





This is one of the roads thru the Park. The view changes with every curve.






The sun is extremely hot out here causing the temperatures to get in the low 100s by 3 pm everyday. Here the horses are using some of their horse-sense to get in the shade.






Another picture while moving thru the Park.










Rock formations are surprisingly amazing as you go from one area to another.





We continued our slow drive, stopping and taking pictures every few minutes. The MH sure has been getting a workout with all the stop & go.






This is the barn at the Gifford homestead.









With the wipers in the picture, Sharon tried to get a picture of the homestead as we left the Park.





One mile south of the Visitor Center is the campground. It was very nice with plenty of room for the campers. Naturally it look as if it was full like most of them have been.

We are off to Bryce Canyon National Park.