After a most excellent day off in Moab, which included rafting on the Colorado river (yay!), horse riding (Em, her horses name was Chism) and excessive drink (Tris and Jonny), we left at 6am (much to the boys dismay). Heading out of Moab and starting our long journey of 266 miles to Bryce Canyon National Park, we stopped off at Capitol Reef National Park.

Capitol Reef National Park

On arrival here, we headed straight to the the visitor centre to pick up our junior ranger programs and attend the "Watermark" orientation video, all about the formation of Capitol Reef.

Physical Geography

The video was very informative on the formation and continuing development of Capitol Reef. The waterpocket fold defines what the national park is. It has been 519 million years since the uplift of the colorado plateau, caused by the destructive plate boundary between the North American plate and the Overlying Pacific plate. This caused a monocline, "step" in the rock formation, with rocks overhanging lower levels, creating a fold.

The Waterpocket fold however formed around 50-70 million years ago, and is so named for the continuous erosion of the different layers (stratifications) of rock. It forms when water erodes away rock forming a basin.

In Capitol Reef, these basins are very common in the fold, giving it the name Waterpocket Fold.

(http://www.nps.gov/care/naturescience/index.htm)

One of the most famous parts of Capitol Reef are the Fremont Petroglyphs found on the rock face walls. The Fremont Culture lived there from about 700 until 1250.

Tourism

Capitol Reef National Park presents huge domes, spires, monoliths, twisting canyons and arches. All these scenic natural features attract tourists all year round. Capital Reef National Park has a visitor centre which has a gift shop selling souvenirs, a museum for people to learn about the history and wildlife of Capitol Reef. Also there is a theatre which provides a vital resource for teaching tourists about Capitol Reef, how it was formed, what there is to see such as pictographs and mazes etc.

Capitol Reef is open all year round there is a campground and sources such as food stores, gas stations nearby. A Junior Ranger badge can be achieved by tourists by learning about the area and completing a workbook full of tasks. Guided trails are offered and you can pick fruit from the orchids to eat there or pay to take some away. There are scenic drives available, lots of hiking trails, bicycle routes and scenic views all round available to tourists.

Resource Management

Capital Reef National Park integrates, like most national parks the use of all natural, historical and cultural elements whilst being as sustainable and economical as possible. Part of this is the Junior Rangers Guide, within the guide it tries to educate the Junior Ranger on how to keep the park clean, giving information on how dangerous cigarette butts and rubbish is to both the animals and environment within the park.

Also Capitol Reef only waters one section of its park, the rest is down the natural movement of the elements, this watering occurs at the Orchards, the Orchards are part of Capitol Reefs history and heritage, with settlers starting to grow fruits there over 100 years ago.

Federal Law decides that all natural, historical, archeological and cultural resources are protected and that there is a hefty punishment if this law is broken.

Other resources within the park are picnic areas, restrooms, drinking water and specified grills cutting any hazard of excess waste and fires, with extra fees for the Orchards and camping the Park makes money to keep its maintenance at a high standard looking after all the features within its boundaries.

Bryce Canyon National Park

Then it was on the final leg to Bryce Canyon National Park. This park was the highest one we visited, at 9600 ft.

Physical Geography

Most of the Canyon is made up of landforms called "hoodoo's". These were formed from fins which developed during the process of uplift of the Colorado plateau and the fracturing of crust. The "hoodoos" are made up primarily of Claron Formation which is a silty and sandy limestone. from the uplift, vertical cracks (joints) were made. These joints were block fins, and were weathered first, forming cracks in the fins. The more resistant layers of rock protected the softer rock from weathering. The harder Wasatch limestone formation left horizontal ledges as the fins eroded. The fins disintegrated due to excessive erosion, which left behind slender remnants of the original block of limestones. These remnants are testimonies to the work of water in the arid landscape that is Bryce Canyon National Park (display at Bryce Canyon National Park visitor centre museum).

Tourism

Bryce canyon National Park offers visitors grand views from the eastern edge of the Pausaygunt Plateau in Southern Utah. The visitor centre is open all year round, with a natural history museum and gift store. A video program is shown daily in the auditorium teaching people about how it was formed and information about the area. There is a rustic style dinner open from april to october. There is a general store, guided and self guiding tours and horseback tours available. There are a variety of hiking trails and lodging available. Camping grounds are available and Bryce Canyon Spectacular scenery to keep attracting tourists.

Resource Management

Bryce Canyon adopts the same attitudes towards its natural, historical and cultural features just like any other national park and just like Capitol Reef it does everything within its power to provide a good, safe and sustainable environment for its visitors, this includes among others a shuttle bus run. Using a shuttle bus run can cut down on fuel consumption, pollution and the building of anymore unnecessary car parks.

Other resources at Bryce include trails for cycling, hiking and walking to really open up the experience for its visitors whilst being as environmentally friendly as possible to stop any damage being done to its features. Also covering religious services due to the historical Mormon heritage and holds services at Bryce Canyon Lodge.

There is an RV park so visitors can stay on their own accord and shower and laundry areas which also provide a useful yet sustainable service for anyone involved.

Personal Reflections

I thought that it would have been nice to actually have seen more of Capitol Reef as we did not really walk around or see much of the National park, although we had the debate there which was interesting. Bryce Canyon was the best part of the day with amazing views and a nice walk down into the canyon and back up. Although we did miss the chance to get a Junior Ranger badge due to someone messing up the times Greg.

Although we did not have a lot of time at Capitol Reef we were able to have a debate on the effects of tourism on nearby town Moab, this was educational and fairly fluent for most involved becoming heated at times with both opinions and facts having its fair share. At this point I had removed the pen from my face, after Kate the ranger had seen it.

Bryce Canyon like everything else that has been seen on the trip was amazing to see and had interesting history and geological facts, although there probably could have been a little more to be learnt there.