There are five National Parks in Utah aka “The Mighty Five,” and I’m going to hit all of them in my weeklong road trip (aka “the best week of your life” according to the Visit Utah website). The least-visited of the five is Capitol Reef, conveniently located in between the Zion/Bryce Canyon area and Moab. So that’s where I spent the day today!
I expected it to be super hot and sunny here, because I am an idiot who never checks the weather. So imagine my surprise when the rangers at the visitor’s station warned of the risk lightning storms and flash flooding. This meant any hikes in a canyon or exposed would be too dangerous. They recommended a couple where I would probably not die of a natural disaster, and I set out to explore them.
It might look sunny in the photo- but look at those rainclouds in the background!
But then it started raining. So, I took cover and ate my sandwich. But then it started POURING. So, instead of the hike, I turned to Plan B: the scenic drive. What could go wrong on a lovely scenic drive, right?
It really is quite scenic.
Well, what can go wrong on a lovely scenic drive is that the rain can create flash floods, which create mini rivers that block the road and that you have drive through, like in the Oregon Trail days but with more risk of wrecking your rental car!
So, that was kind of scary. But I remembered that I have this great HDR photo app on my iPhone and, since I wasn’t in a hurry to get anywhere, this seemed like the great opportunity to try it out. As a result of the app, and the awesome light from the clouds and sun, I got some great photos.
Don't you love my attempt at an artsy photo, featuring all those people down below gawking at the mud river in the road?
It finally stopped raining, and I REALLY wanted to get out of the car, so I hit the Colob Canyon trail. It starts out with a short climb, where you can get amazing views of the area, and then goes into the canyon, where there are all kinds of interesting rock formations.
View from the top of Colob Canyon trail
More rocks inside the canyon
I made it about halfway as far as I wanted to go, and then heard the sound of thunder in the distance. Not wanting to hike in the rain, or worse, hike on a flooded and muddy dangerous trail, I decided to turn around. Just as I reached my car it started raining again, so I think I made the right choice!
After chilling at my motel for a little while, I ended up going back to the park to try one more hike, the Fremont Gorge Overlook. But then it started getting kind of cold, and the trail was a little boring, so I turned around about half way, opting to get dinner instead of seeing what the viewpoint had to offer. Very adventurous, I know!
Despite the bad weather and stressful driving, I really enjoyed Capitol Reef. It was blissfully un-crowded, and the views were spectacular- even from the road! Next stop on The Mighty Five: Canyonlands!