RV Travels: Weekly Wanderings #12 – Capitol Reef
Wow, Utah.
There is nothing like gorgeous, massive, captivating chunks of nature to make you feel insignificant and that the world is full of artistry.
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There are no words to describe the beauty in the disparate colors and layers of time that you can see everywhere in Southern Utah.
It is a world of its own. Empty and available for you to explore deeply. Endless miles of vastness, an amazing playground.
And now I know why the people of Utah are so healthy, they've got this in their backyard. Hiking, biking, camping, skiing, boating, there is no reason to be inside.
I could live here except that there is zero food culture, southern Utah is where foodies go to die!
I used to get so excited when we'd see a roadside panel for a town, but after driving through a couple of them, I know better. These are not towns, more like villages. And they usually have the following: a gas station, an inn, a diner or grill, a post office or BLM office and a church.
Every once in a great while you come to a place like the Escalante Mercantile and Natural Grocery in Escalante and you want to fall on your knees in front of it! This oasis of fresh, healthy, organic food in a smartly designed store with an adorable dog named Jack. I keep trying to come up with ways to drive back over there, but we are nowhere near it!
But I digress.
Of course, I think the emptiness comes from being here before high season. This past week in the Capitol Reef area has been filled with fantastically long days of off-road driving. Unlike Bryce Canyon which had an orientation suited for sunrise, this area is better served in the late afternoon and sunsets – yay sleep!
We did the Waterfold Pocket in the southern part of the park eventually meeting up to the point on the Burr Trail we stopped at last week when we drove in this area from Bryce Canyon on Highway 12.
Then we did the Cathedral Valley in the northern part of Capitol Reef which is my favorite part. It takes six hours to drive the whole thing, but the sites will take your breathe away.
To take a break we visited the Goblin Valley State Park. If there are weird rock formations anywhere in the world, Mr. Misadventures is on it. We hiked among these fun strange goblins for a couple of hours.
We also ventured to Glen Canyon National Recreation Area (another National Park Service site) and had a picnic lunch overlooking Lake Powell, it was nice to see some water! Afterward, we cut through to the Burr Trail, officially finishing every part of that route.
For the entirety of the week, we've had little to no wifi and no cell service. I get it. We are out in nature, in the back-country and we should be on a digital detox. That works for me when I am out and about, but when I am back at the RV there is sh@t to do and I need internet!
But I am surprised at how much writing I get done without all the distractions of the internet. While Mr. Misadventures is climbing up a hill or down some rocks scouting or setting up a shot I can craft whole blog posts, notes, emails to people all in my iPhone notepad!
Rain is coming tonight so we will be grounded as the dirt roads are dangerous once it starts raining. But that's okay, it's been a jam-packed week.
There will be detailed blog posts with photos from Mr. Misadventures about all our adventures coming soon!
Trip details and expenses on this leg of our trip:
> Bryce Canyon to Capitol Reef: 157 miles
> Panguitch KB Express diesel fuel 12.791 gallons X $2.179 = $27.87
> Sinclair propane 15.3 gallons X $1.79 = $29.57
> TOTAL Expenses: $57.44
RV misadventures this week:
> After weeks and weeks in the super dry Southwest we couldn't take it anymore, we had to buy a humidifier for the RV.
Current location:
Wonderland RV Park in Torrey Utah, near Capitol Reef National Park.
That’s it for this week! Happy escaping! What have you been up to?
I’ve only driven through Utah a few times, never stopped. But it’s soooo beautiful! Actually one of my favorite states for ‘scenery’. Your post makes me want to go back and check out this place!