Clockwise: Thrilling views in Capitol Reef National Park encourage you to get out of your vehicle, stand, and take it all in.
crust called the Waterpocket Fold. The tiny community of Fruita is at the heart of this area. Mormons settled there in the late1800s, and by 1917 had built a lively village filled with orchards. Cherries, apricots, peaches, pears, and apples are still grown in Fruita, but on our visit we were a little too early to take advantage of the harvests. Driving the scenic road through the park, we saw remnants of Fruita’s past, including an old plow standing in a field and an old pioneer schoolhouse. This area was extremely difficult for the Mormon pioneers to reach, due to the rugged terrain of the Waterpocket Fold. However, there was one route into town via Capitol Gorge that ran along the bottom of a wash. Between 1871 and the early 1940s, Mormons arrived via this route, first by horse and buggy and then by car. We hopped out of our truck to stretch our legs, and hiked partway into this wash, following the tall stone cliffs on either side. High up on the flat rock sur-
face to one side, we spotted the etched names, initials and dates that had been carved by the arriving pioneers long ago. This antique graffiti is called the “Pioneer Register” today, and we saw names and dates from the late 1800s all the way up to 1942. This hike was the first of many glori-
For More Information * Visit www.visitutah.com/plan-your-trip/ getting-around-utah/scenic-byways of pioneers arriving in Fruita, we had been treated to a dazzling array of sights. If you are planning a trip through Utah’s more notable regions, consider a detour that includes these two awe-inspiring scenic byways in the southeastern part of the state. *Utah’s scenic byways are a system of 27 routes statewide that offer outstanding beauty and are clearly designated with colorful highway signs. The byways are also indicated with dotted lines on the official Utah highway map. driving tour across southeastern Utah. Utah’s Bicentennial Highway and Capitol Reef Scenic Byway gave us a road trip we will never forget. From the unique stone arches of Natural Bridges National Monument to the jaw-dropping scenic vistas along the highways to the dramatic system of waterways and gorges in Glen Canyon to the Mormon register
ous hikes, bike rides and scenic drives we took through Capitol Reef National Monument during our week-long stay and was the perfect cap to our wonderful
14 COAST TO COAST SUMMER 2015
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