Capitol Reef National Park

After a week in Moab, we got back on the motorcycles and headed out to Capitol Reef National Park. The park protects the Waterpocket Fold, a 75 mile wrinkle in the surface of the earth. We did a couple of hikes, including one to the Hickman Bridge. We also discovered some ammonite fossils in the hike through the narrow canyon at Grand Wash. An unfortunate threating patch of clouds made us high-tail it out of there. Slot canyon + rain = flash flood. While I do want to witness a flash flood firsthand, I'd prefer to be on top of the canyon as opposed to in it. A lovely hike up the Fremont River Trail leads to a great overview of the river and surrounding park. Capitol Reef is also home to an adorable population of marmots. Unlike normal marmots, these live at a lower elevation and a non-alpine ecosystem, making their presence in the park a mystery. A park ranger theorized that someone brought them from a mountain range nearby (La Sal or Henry) as a food source or as pets.