In mid-August we beat the heat of St George and went camping in Cedar Breaks National Monument and at Capitol Reef National Parks, both here in Southern Utah. We hadn’t been to either place before.
Cedar Breaks National Monument
Cedar Breaks is at 10,000+ feet of elevation, so even though this was in summer, the days were mild and the nights were cold enough to warrant an extra blanket on the bed.
We took hikes along the rim, rode bikes to the top of Brian Head (11,300 feet), listened to talks by Rangers and visited my Aunt Carol who spends summers in Brian Head village.
The campground is small (less than 30 sites) laid out in a loop and beautifully situated. We had views across meadows filled with wild flowers and stands of hardy pine trees. Most sites are for tent camping but there were several that could accommodate our 34 ft 5th wheel. A centrally located building with hot shower and flush toilets were a bonus for tent campers. We hope to return next summer.
Dark skies at night provided excellent views of the stars on cloudless nights.
Capitol Reef National Park
We then moved to Capitol Reef National Park and stayed in the Fruita Campground. Lower elevation meant warmer days and nights. We hiked several trails. The first was to the two overlook points on the Cohab Canyon trail; the second to Hickman Bridge, a large natural arch, and the third was the Freemont River Trail to the overlook. We rode bikes through the campgrounds and to the Visitor’s Center as well as a ride on the north side of the river.
Fruita is a former small Pioneer community that grew fruit. The orchards and a few buildings remain, including the Gifford House, where they now sell pies, the adjacent barn and the old one-room all-purpose schoolhouse which is along the main highway 24. The pies are made in nearby Torrey, and they are good!
The campground is in part of one of the orchards. In normal years, you can pick and eat the fruit for free, but this year a late frost destroyed the crop.
There was roadwork in progress while we were there, which closed the Scenic Drive past the campground. However on our last day, they had opened the road for part of the way so we rode our bikes out to the Great Wash.
Overall this was a great and relaxing trip, and a welcome break from the heat of St George. We continue to be grateful for our wonderful National Parks system in this country, a true national treasure!
For some of our other recent adventures in Southern Utah, click here.
Next Up, some trips to see family and friends in Northern Utah and Idaho. Not exactly world travel, but that’s OK, we love our people too!
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