Pic: Waterpocket Fold above Fruita, Capitol Reef NP, UT
Doing no homework meant I enjoyed the sights of the Scenic Drive unspoiled. Towering cliffs of red, white, and chocolatey brown drew climbers to dusty parking lots at the ends of winding flood channels. Abandoned uranium mines dotted the land. And the Gifford Homestead, preserved as an example of Fruita’s previous life as a farming community, sold cups of homemade ice cream complete with little wooden spoons for a buck — the first of my Best $1 Purchases for the trip.
The ranger at the visitor center recommended Fremont Gorge Overlook Trail as a short but worthwhile hike to finish my day. It felt longer than its 4.6 mile 1000′ round trip billing, though it’s possible I passed the named overlook in search of a more overlooky overlook. Regardless, the Gorge presented a nice view of some different geology:
Pic: Made by water, not plate tectonics. Fremont Gorge Overlook, Capitol Reef NP, UT
Danger Beyond This Point 