Capitol Reef - Once more - with Gusto!

For almost as long as I can remember, we have been going on trips with the Gerbers to Southern Utah. One of our favorite haunts is Capitol Reef. (They have a campground in an orchard, flush toilets and electricity.Why wouldn't it be a favorite?) We started before many of the kids were even born, so almost every trip has a new baby along for the ride/hikes.This year was Caleb's turn and he was a good sport about the whole thing. Mom Heather was just a baby herself the first time we went.

As is always the case, the kids had a great time climbing everything they could find. Laura and Brooklyn each tried to fit into one of the holes in the rock and found that they could each still do it - the difference being that they could only do it one at a time. Time was that they could both fit in the same hole. These four found a hole they could all fit inside with ease. The only problem was ....

That hole was about fifty feet in the air. What were their parents thinking? Probably the same thing we were thinking when their parents first climbed up to that hole. Aren't those kids cute? We were hiking in Capitol Gorge with storm clouds threatening. The sign warning hikers not to enter the Gorge when storms were imminent stopped the New York tourists, but it didn't stop us. It turned out to be a good decision - this time. The weather was cool and the hike was pure pleasure.

Capitol Gorge used to be the only way through the Reef and is famous for the Pioneer Register where the names of all the old pioneers are carved into the cliff walls. A little bit upstream, the Fremont people carved and painted their own graffiti on the same walls. Now there is a sign at the entrance to the Gorge cautioning hikers that there is a $250 fine for writing on the rock walls. I figured it was worth the $250 to let all the grandkids know how much I loved Janene. All the little girls read it and went " Ahhhh." The boys? Not so much! Their comment was "What did you go and do that for? Thank goodness for hard sand in the streambed. The next rain will wash it all away, along with my big fine. We had more fun, but that will have to wait for another post.