Capitol Reef National Park is a desert park in the American Southwest that preserves the region around the geological phenomena known as the Waterpocket Fold, at 160km in length the large monocline in North America. Erosion of the sandstone formations, especially in the central part of the fold known as Capitol Reef, has created dramatic canyons, ridges, monoliths and arches. There is also evidence of human settlement including Fremont Culture petroglyphs and a Mormon orchard growing ghost town known as Fruita that now serves as the center of the park. Capitol Reef is the oft-forgotten National Park in Utah. Unlike the dramatic cliffs of Zion and the ampitheaters of hoodoos in Bryce Canyon to the Southwest and the weathered arches of Arches and of the wide desert expanse of Canyonlands to the Southeast, Capitol Reef is isolated in the middle of the state. Furthermore while it contains elements of all of the other four Utah parks, it does not have anything specifically unique that would drive people to visit. Finally, only a small portion of the park is accessible by car. Consequently it is the least visited of the 5 Utah parks.

Still it is a nice place. I have visited twice, the last time in 2017 as I was traveling from Mesa Verde back over to Bryce Canyon, I took a few hours to visit the Fruita area. The park is also known for its fruit pies, made from the fruit of the old Mormon orchards, and I got a nice cherry pie for the lunch I had skipped out on. It was raining hard (always slightly dangerous conditions in the desert) but as I was eating, the clouds suddenly parting, revealing a rainbow over Capitol Reef. It was a beautiful little touch to the visit.

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Israel Kamakawiwo'ole-Somewhere Over the Rainbow

From  theroguez!