May 25, 2021 - Day Six, Flight Two, Part Two
Capital Reef NP

I turned northwest into Hall's Creek Bay.

I'm now looking northeast across a long rock peninsula at Bullfrog Bay and Bullfrog Marina.
   
Hall's Creek dries up pretty quickly; it is the southern entrance to Capital Reef National Park.
   
Heading into Capital Reef NP.
   
Looking up at some rather large cliff walls.
   
But the left side was the scenic side.
   
 
   
Red rock turns to white rock.
   
A gigantic slab of white rock.
   
 
   
Looking back at the dirt road that goes all the way to Bullfrog Basin.
   
Following the dirt road north.
   
Capital Reef NP off to the left (west).
   
Back in 2018, Lynnette and I had driven the Notom-Bullfrog dirt road south as far as this point, then taken the Burr Trail Road -- pictured below -- west up into the Burr Canyon.   Link
   
A close-up of the switchbacks in Burr Canyon.
   
Continuing north.
   
 
   
Notom-Bullfrog Road turns from dirt to pavement.
   
Looking west.
   
Looking pretty dry out east.
   
Approaching green and civilization.
   
This is the bed and breakfast we stayed at in 2018.  Sunlit Oasis.  Very convenient to Capital Reef National Park.  Recommended!
   
Notom-Bullfrog Road runs into Utah State Route 24.
 
Below is Highway 24 -- running along the Fremont River -- heading west into Capital Reef National Park, the Visitors Center and the little town of Fruita.
   
Now looking to the north.
   
Highway 24 runs through a canyon obviously cut by the Fremont River.
   
Looking southwest at the Grand Wash trail which Lynnette and I hiked when we were here.
   
A few seconds later and the view is completely different.
   
Following Highway 24/Fremont River west.
   
Vertical canyon walls to the north.
   
Approaching the little oasis-like town of Fruita;  aptly named for its apricot orchards.
   
 This area is like an oasis in the mountains. 
   
You can see some apricot orchards in this picture.  The Visitors Center is at the center of the photo, just at the top of the top green area.
   
Over Fruita, looking south along Scenic Drive.  No, really, the road is named Scenic Drive!  And why not?
   
That's the Fremont River below, heading west, through a canyon it made.
   
A better look at the Visitors Center at lower left.
   
Looking north.
   
The area known as Goosenecks.
   
 
   
I flew west as far as the Capital Reef resort -- pictured below -- then turned back east.  The little town of Torrey is a little further west.
   
A huge red cliff blocks access to the north; however, I can, of course, go over it.
   
I wanted to explore the area north of Highway 24 which is still Capital Reef NP but seems to me completely inaccessible from the ground.
   
The northern part of Capital Reef NP is absolutely stunning.
   
For the red rock afficionado, this can't be beat.
   
 
   
Wow.
   
 
   
Because I was now flying in the afternoon, it was a little bumpy, but not too bad.
   
Now back on the east side of the park.
   
It was time to head for home (Escalante Airport).  I turned south and flew back over Fruita heading south.
   
Following Scenic Drive south again.
   
Passing by the spot where the Grand Wash Trail emerges -- if you hike its entire length.
   
Looking east at the entire panorama.
   
Capital Reef is maybe more beautiful on the west side than it is on the east.
   
Scenic Drive turns into a dirt road, becomes Capital Gorge Road, turns east and ends at the Capital Gorge trailhead.   The Gorge cuts through the Reef.
   
Further on, Pleasant Creek cuts through the Reef below.  Wouldn't it be great to live around here and hike all these great trails?
   
At this point I turned southwest and headed directly to Escalante.
   
 
   
The terrain in southern Utah is just amazing.
   
 
   
 
   
 
   
 
   
Passing over a big canyon with a creek -- Deep Creek, maybe?  -- at center.
   
 
   
Passing by a valley big enough to support agriculture.  I am probably flying directly over the little town of Boulder.
   
Looking northwest.
   
And then there is Escalante Airport at lower right, with the Escalante River  at center.
   
Looking east down the Escalante River; the path I had set out on a couple of hours ago.
   
A good look at Escalante, the town.  It pretty much has one main street -- Highway 12 -- with residential areas on each side.
   

Making a right base for runway 13 at Escalante Airport.

I took the courtesy car into town and had a nice dinner and a few beers at the 4th West Pub.  I relaxed and read a book in the pilot's pavilion until the sun went down, then retired to my tent.  What a day!
   
 
   
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