Most national park fans don’t really know much about Capitol Reef National Park. For that matter, many travelers don’t even know it exists until they hear about the Mighty Five and find they can only name four.
That’s okay, these unfortunate souls cannot love in the true sense of the word. Nevertheless, they won’t forget this park after a visit.
Guide to Capitol Reef
Capitol Reef Fun Facts
fact #1 – The “Capitol” in Capitol Reef refers to the Capitol Dome in Washington D.C.
Often misspelled, this name may be confusing until one gazes upon the massive, white Navajo Sandstone domes that rise skyward throughout the park. These giant domes appear similar to the dome atop the US Capitol Building, thus the name…
fact #2 – Capitol Reef was originally promoted as Wayne Wonderland.
Early promoters of the area included Mormon Bishop Ephraim Pectol, who operated a small museum that showcased numerous Fremont artifact and his brother-in-law, Joseph S. Hickman, who was the principal of the nearby Wayne County High School.
The two men began to advocate a state park in the Waterpocket Fold as early as 1921. This park was to be called Wayne Wonderland, and with the admission of nearby Bryce Canyon into the national park fold in 1925, these guys hoped to piggyback on the local park popularity.
Hickman was elected to the Utah state legislature in 1924, where he quickly worked to create a state parks commission which he hoped would name the Wayne Wonderland as the first Utah State Park. Unfortunately, Hickman was soon killed in a fishing accident, when his boat capsized, and he could not swim.
After Hickman’s passing, Pectol too pursued political office, and with his election to the state legislature in 1933, he was able to gain the ear of President Franklin D. Roosevelt. While FDR did not go so far as to name it a national “wonderland”, he did provide it the name of Capitol Reef National Monument in 1937.
fact #3 – Capitol Reef’s name suggests it was formed underwater…
Nope. While this area was indeed submerged at times during the Earth’s history, its time under the sea had little to do with the “reef” that its name references. Early locals in the area referred to the Waterpocket Fold as a reef in order to describe its rugged nature and impassible terrain.
Capitol Reef Stat Sheet
established: December 18, 1971 as Capitol Reef National Park
monument: August 2, 1937 as Capitol Reef National Monument
rank of admission: 35
size: 241,904 acres
rank in size: 33
annual visitation: 2018 – 1,227,627
rank in visitation: 22
time zone: Mountain Time
park phone: 435 425 3791 ext-111
Guide to Capitol Reef
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