Capital Reef National Park

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We left Moab this morning and drove 160 miles or so to the next national park, Capital Reef. This park is situated along a certain geological feature, a long ridge of uplifted rock. The roads wind through the features of this uplift. We are camping within the national park in an area called Fruita. There was a pioneer Mormon settlement here and some of the buildings and the orchards are preserved. In fact, park visitors can pick the fruit in season, and we picked some peaches. The little store by the campground sells pies made from the fruit, and there is no sense even trying to resist that.
We haven't been seeing much wildlife in this desert landscape but we have seen several mule deer here in Fruita. There is a silty stream that runs through here and makes the orchards, and the deer, possible. We've also seen some desert cottontails and white tailed antelope ground squirrels, basically a chipmunk with a white tail.
Tomorrow we will move on again.

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Photos

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Where we started the morning

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Desert landscape on the way to Capital Reef

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Pasture in Fruita section of Capital Reef

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Fruita area

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Hiking the trail to Hickman bridge

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Hickman bridge

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In Capital Reef

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In Capital Reef National Park

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In Capital Reef National Park

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Mule deer

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Mule deer