waterpocket fold

We visited Capital Reef during a 7 NP swing in 9 days. Our first stop from Denver was Capital Reef and we saw the Waterpocket fold in the first 30 minutes. First we stopped at the visitor's center and received a really good itinerary from the Ranger working the desk. It is a short walk from the parking lot to the Waterpocket fold. You are treated with expansive views of the canyon below. This was amazing. It was only dwarfed when we saw the Grand Canyon a few days later.

Cool to think of what you are really seeing for miles! So small wide bit LONG!! Super cool to explain to the kids and learn about as you are driving the Fold!

You can see it from the road, but there is also a short hike where you can see it even better. Just one of the views one should take the time to do when at Capitol Reef. Make the loop drive through the Park, east on the Burr Trail, and north back to the highway on the Notom-Bullfrog Road; then back to the Park or wherever you are going. Interesting drive also if you head towards Hanksville, at least 1/2 way there. Or go visit Goblin State Park while in the area. (Extremely unique).

It is everything you could wish to see if you love rock formations. I can't wait till my Australian sister-in-law can see it. She is a geology lover and this place will make her ecstatic.

Southern Utah is not short on geological wonders. Capitol Reef National Park's "waterfold pocket" is one of the most amazing. If your time allows a drive down the Notom/Bullfrog Road and then through the WFP on the Burr Road is not to be missed. Any vehicle can make this drive in dry conditions. Be cautious though as services are far away. The "Upper Muley Twist" canyon hike is dramatic and really gets one into this amazing feature. The road to it is not so forgiving as the Notom Road.

Visited Captiol Reef in april '14 and found a great place to visit. Lots of hiking to do, with many options of easy to hard. I hiked Hickman's Arch and Cassidy Arch as well as some roaming around Grand Wash and other easy areas. This park is beautiful, and amazing and no one has heard of it in the Midwest. I drove the Burr Trail Road to the Waterpocket Fold. about 30 miles, and worth it. It is paved most of the way, until the last couple of miles. The drive to the Eastern side of the fold was worth it! and a bit scary to go down the 1000' to get there.Loved going thru the Gultch area to get there. Just beautiful. If you are in Southern Utah, you must stop by Captiol Reef for sure.

Hard to see, but once explained to us by the park rangers, we could envision this land formation. Interesting.

We came to Capitol Reef NP because it is a NP and near other ones. I would rank it as one of the best (Zion, Grand Canyon, Bryce, Yellowstone, Yosemite included) for the amazing geology, but maybe even better because of the lack of crowds.

This area is a must! Most travel to Moab (which is beautiful) but if you want a less busy setting Torrey and the Waterpocket Fold is the place to go. The roads are very well maintained for cars and trucks.

If you are any close to this greologic wonder you must take the opportunity to see it. It is spectacular. There is so much to see and never enough here time. We can't wait for another trip to the area to catch all we missed the first time! Even if you know nothing about geology, you will be in awe of the splendor of the Waterpocket Fold.

The Waterpocket Fold is the 100 mile (162 k) long geological feature known as a monocline that is protected by Capitol Reef National Park and is the feature that led to the “Reef” part of the park’s name as it proved to be a formidable barrier to transportation like a reef at sea (the “Capitol” part of the name is derived from the sandstone domes that look like a capitol building’s dome). This huge buckle or fold in the earth’s surface was created when a fault underlying the layers of sandstone above uplifted the western side. Subsequent erosion has lead to the exposure of the many colorful layers of sandstone as well as producing magnificent rock formations including eroded pockets that hold water in the desert environment year round giving the “fold” its name. Excellent views of the Waterpocket Fold can be seen from the park’s scenic drive, Sunset Point overlook, Notom-Bullfrog Road, Strike Valley overlook and Larb Hallow overlook on scenic UT 12.

This driver was very scenic. It was neat to see all the different geology. The road is mostly dirt but we had no problem in our minivan

The geologic features in this area are eye popping and strange. The Water pocket fold is no exception. Ask the rangers for advice for the right walk depending on your time in the area. Fabulous views.

The next day we headed back to Boulder and Escalante following the Notom back road around the Waterpocket Fold--an amazing geological landmark called a monocline which exposes many layers of different rocks and fossils. The Waterpocket fold is 100 miles long but only a few miles wide and it spans from Capitol Reef to the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. It’s quite colorful and contains some incredible narrows and slot canyons as well. Notom road is one of the only ways to see this geologic wonder, it is a dirt road but definitely passable for any car as long as it is not raining. Most of these backroads contain Bentonite Clay which becomes very slippery when wet, then they are not passable with even a 4 wheel drive. We picked up a guide to this drive (Notom and Burr Trail) at the Visitors center and this showed us how to find the reef filled with fossilized clam shells, an interesting thing to see in the middle of the USA, a thousand miles from any ocean. Thus the name Capitol Reef!

We've driven along the fold a few times, this trip we slowed down and enjoyed it immensely. The scenery is terrific and if you do a little research you'll be intrigued by the Geology. There are a couple of small canyons just past the Burr Trail intersection, we've hiked Surprise and Headquarter.