Spring 2022 Utah Adventure, 4.23.22 - 5.12.22, Part 7 of 12

The amount of research I put into our two night camping trip through Cathedral Valley would make your head spin. I pored over detailed maps of the valley, I searched the internet for previous reports, watched numerous YouTube videos, studied what direction the sun would be rising or setting at various places throughout the valley as well as what time the sun would rise and set. By the time we actually started our Cathedral Valley expedition I knew exactly where I wanted to be and when, yet none of this advance preparation prepared me for how unbelievably cool this place turned out to be. This was an adventure that stirred our imagination and quite simply blew our minds.

We had already packed the Jeep with all the provisions we could think of. We had food, plenty of water, tent, sleeping bags and pads, extra blankets and all kinds of clothes. We brought our backpacking stove and fuel for cooking and I made sure my cameras and lenses were clean. At 6:15AM we were on our way. We drove east through Capitol Reef about 15 miles and turned onto the Hartnet Road. At that point I zeroed out the odometer and put the Jeep into 4WD. A half mile dirt road brought us to the banks of the Fremont River. I already knew that the safest way to cross was to enter the river and hug the south bank for about twenty yards before making a sharp left straight across the current to the north bank. The ford was easy but it was a great way to amp up the adventure meter right at the beginning of our trip. Bridgit took a great video of the crossing but for some reason I can’t add movie files to the website so you will just have to use your imagination.

With the first obstacle out of the way I focused on the deep sand section. We never found it. There were a few pockets of deeper sand but nothing remotely like I had envisioned or for that matter how the ranger had described. I suppose they have to use an abundance of caution but it turned out to be a non issue.

Once we realized the sand wasn’t a problem we relaxed and whoo-hooed our way along the road. The sun was just rising at this point and to the west we could see the first rays of the sun lighting up the rocks of Capitol Reef. Bridgit must have said “This is soooo fun!!!” fifty times in the first half hour. Most of the first leg of the drive was through sage flats with rocky hills to the west of us. Our first really cool feature came soon enough when we reached the Bentonite Hills. Bentonite is a volcanic ash turned to clay. While not a problem to drive on when dry, if Bentonite is wet it expands into a slippery gel that is impossible to drive on, even with four wheel drive. Thankfully we had dry conditions as we drove up into the fairly steep Bentonite Hills. It is also an amazing color with layers of browns, whites and reds on rounded hills. When we arrived the sun had risen but hadn’t quite hit the hills yet so we had a sort of pre dawn purplish glow on the hills. I would have loved to have taken the time to wander around for an hour down in the dips between the hills but I wanted to make sure we got to the campground before the sites might possibly be taken so we didn’t linger here very long. Even the few shots I got from the road were still really cool and it is such a bizarre environment we felt like we were on another planet.

As we continued we popped into and back out of Capitol Reef National Park. At 15.2 miles from the highway we came to a side road that went back into the park and stopped after 1.2 miles at the Lower South Desert Overlook Trail. This was only a quarter mile walk across the slickrock to a spectacular overlook of the Lower South Desert. Directly in front of us was Jailhouse Rock and many other spires and odd shaped rocks stretched as far as the eye could see. It was still very early in the morning when we arrived so Jailhouse Rock and the other features were just lit up with the early morning sunlight. I was in heaven!

Another twelve miles jeeping put us at the Upper South Desert Overlook. This was another quarter mile walk to a great view looking down the length of the South Desert.

By now we were clearly climbing and the landscape was changing from desert to scrubby pinyon pine forest. Passing several rock formations we went a couple of miles further until we reached the Upper Cathedral Valley Overlook. So far we had been driving up through and past the South Desert but at this overlook we were transitioning from the western side of our journey to the eastern side which was the actual Cathedral Valley. At the Upper Cathedral Valley Overlook we saw our first person of the day who was doing the loop as a day trip from the other direction.

This overlook was stunning and it really took our breath away. We were now just a mile or so from the top of the loop and looking down into Cathedral Valley was just incredible. One of the features we could now see down in Cathedral Valley was a row of monoliths aptly called The Cathedrals.

After leaving Upper Cathedral Valley Overlook it was less than a mile to a junction in the road. One way led down a road that I believe was still closed due to snow all the way to Torrey. We took a right and in a few feet we came to the Cathedral Valley Campground. We were now roughly thirty miles from the highway where we had started that morning.

The campground was the perfect place for us and we absolutely loved the setting. Nestled in a forest of dwarf pinyon pines, there was one small loop that circled around a modern outhouse. Each site had a fire ring and a picnic table. Of the six sites one was occupied and it wasn’t even in the loop but at the entrance so they were far away. We picked a site with a great flat spot for our tent surrounded on three sides by pinyon pines for shelter from the wind that was a bit stronger than we would have liked but not too bad. The campground sat at around seven thousand feet so it was chilly enough for down jackets but the sun was out and it felt warm sitting around in our camp chairs. All this and it was only eleven in the morning. So far the day had gone perfectly.

Oddly enough, way out there in the middle of nowhere my phone pings. It’s a text from Mike saying “10:30AM Tuesday from the top of the Henrys”! Almost at the same time we had arrived at our campground he had reached the highest summit in the Henry Mountains, 11,523” Mt Ellen. We had a clear view of the Henry Mountains from the campground which are located southeast of Capitol Reef. The Henrys have the distinction of being the last mountain range to be added to the map of the lower 48 states in 1872.

From our campsite a short walk to the edge of the hill gave us a commanding view of Cathedral Valley. During the day a few people drove in, one was a single Jeep tour that the customers paid a hundred dollars for a day trip through the entire loop. A couple of other people ended up staying but the campground never filled up and each site was separated by lots of pinyon pines so we had plenty of privacy.

Being so early we took a nap for a couple of hours before our evening plans. After dinner around five-thirty we hopped in the Jeep for my next planned adventure. From the campground we turned towards Cathedral Valley. Almost immediately the road began to drop steeply down several switchbacks. This was the roughest stretch of road on the entire loop but the Jeep handled it just fine.

**View of The Cathedrals and the ridge we walked**

Two miles from the campground we found a tiny sign by the side of the road that said “Cathedrals Trail”. There was no parking lot and barely a space to pull out across the road from the sign. I would guess that almost no one goes on this hike. Oh and what a hike! This turned out to be one of the absolute highlights of our entire vacation. I had discovered this trail through my research. It was only 1.3 miles long, and the beauty of the trail is that once you climb a small hill you are on the rim of a ridge directly across from The Cathedrals. The trail is flat for over a mile and the Cathedrals are positioned perfectly for the late afternoon sun to hit them and light them up as the sun sets.

Of course we were the only ones there. We climbed up the little hill and almost immediately we were greeted with an in your face view of The Cathedrals. From there we walked - you couldn’t call it hiking - along the rim of the ridge and just marveled at how utterly beautiful the view in front of us was. I’ve seen lots of amazing places in my life and this was right up there with the most incredible scenery I’d ever laid my eyes on.

**First view of The Cathedrals from the Cathedrals Trail**

**Looking back along the ridge we walked from the end of the trail**

The entire walk along the ridge was just heavenly. The evening light was magical and the breeze had died down. From the promontory at the end of the trail, a cloud drifted across the sun, muting our great light. and just like that, it started snowing! It was weird snow, so dry it was more like dandruff wafting in the breeze. It was too dry to stick to anything but we figured the magic evening light was done so we started heading back as it snowed. But less than halfway back along the ridge the snow stopped, the cloud disappeared and not only did we have more evening light but the amazing kind of light with dark storm clouds behind it. It was so perfect it almost brought a tear to me eye!

**The switchbacks heading back up to our campground**

Just as we got back to camp it started snowing again, only this time it lasted about an hour. At times when the wind picked up it would be heavily snowing straight sideways. Still, we embraced the snow as just another fun part of the adventure and it was so dry it never accumulated, it just sort of dehydrated into nothingness. The temperature got down below freezing that night but we had extra blankets and our down bags so we were fine. Once the sun rose it warmed up quickly. We broke camp and began our journey through Cathedral Valley, looking for the elusive free dispersed campsite near The Temple of the Sun.

As we passed The Cathedrals I told Bridgit I was so glad I had done my research and had elected to do the hike in the evening. In the morning the sun wasn’t on the Cathedrals, but we did get a fine view of them from the back as we drove by.

**One of many fine walls as we drove through Cathedral Valley**

I knew it was about sixteen miles to the turnoff for The Temples so we started looking in earnest along the side of the road for a sign of any dispersed sites. We did find one and it wasn’t bad but still a bit farther than I anticipated so we kept driving towards the Temples. We spotted a little side road and turned off to see if it had any potential. It wasn’t a road but just a short spur that curved around a small hill to a perfectly flat spot in a depression between two small hills with a fire ring. This had to be the spot! I knew we couldn’t be far from the Temples at this point so we set up our tent by the fire ring. It was a great spot. Just far enough off the road and around the corner so that any cars driving by couldn’t see us and we wouldn’t be affected by any dust stirred up as they drove past. Not that there were very many people on the road anyway.

Just in front of the site was a dry wash and off in the distance was a beautifully colored wall of rock. Another bonus was that from the top of the small hill next to the camp we had a clear view of the Temples in one direction and Factory Butte near Goblin Valley in the other direction.

**Our dispersed camp with the Temple of the Sun in the background**

After setting up camp we headed out to see the Temples so I could scout out spots for shooting the sunset and sunrise. Incredibly, we were only a half mile from the turnoff!

The Temples were amazing. They are huge! Bridgit and I walked all the way around both of them and they took on various shapes as we went around. I also walked up a couple of hills to see them from a slight distance. While we were at The Temple of the Moon I met up with a Scottish guy who had been here before. I picked his brain about his favorite spots and we walked up a small hill just a bit southeast of The Temple of the Moon. From this vantage point the Temples were close enough together that there was very little gap between them, The Temple of the Moon being closer but The Temple of the Sun the larger of the two temples.

Before we headed back we also stopped by an odd mound called Glass Mountain. It was a small hill made up entirely of gypsum crystals all glopped together in a puzzle of angles. It is the only one of its kind anywhere in the park.

**Temple of the Sun (right), Temple of the Moon (left)**

**Glass Mountain and Temple of the Sun (Bridgit pic)**

We then went back to our camp for awhile to kill some time. After dinner we drove back to the Temples so I could shoot the setting sun. There were a few people there at this hour, mostly on the final leg of day trips around the entire loop. As I was shooting the sun setting on the Temples I came across a couple just sitting out in the middle of the desert. They had set up a bridge table with a tablecloth and were drinking wine with crystal glasses as they watched the sun set on The Temple of the Moon. Loved it!

**Evening light on The Temple of the Sun**

After the sun set we went back to our camp. I was wondering how many photographers would be there in the morning and if I would get my spot for sunrise shots. I reminded myself that a year ago at Bryce Canyon I got there three hours before sunrise and only one other photographer ended up showing up!

I knew the sun would rise at 6:23AM so we left camp at 5:45. Not one other car was there when we arrived and for that matter, not even a single car arrived the entire morning while I was shooting the sun coming up! I climbed up the little hill and set up my tripod to wait. It wasn’t very cold and I shed my down puffy for a fleece jacket while I waited.

At precisely 6:23AM the sun broke the horizon and the first thing to light up were the walls of the valley in the background. In barely a minute the entire back wall was a brilliant blazing orange. Seconds later the sun began to kiss the very top of The Temple of the Sun. It worked its way down the face before lighting up the Temple of the Moon. It was a gorgeous sunrise. Bridgit and I have seen some amazing sunrises. We can now add The Temples to our resume which already includes The Jungfrau Massif, The Sawtooth Mountains above Stanley, Idaho and of course, The best one of all, The Matterhorn.

Once the sunrise shoot was over we went back and packed up our camp and continued down the valley. It was another fifteen miles to the highway with no need to cross the river on this side. We drove straight to the Gifford House only this time we bought one of their huge cinnamon rolls (and a couple of pies for later!). Our Cathedral Valley Adventure had been perfect. It was everything I had planned for and so much more. Bridgit and I both agreed it will go down as one of our most epic trips and we’ve been on some doozys in our day!

Spring 2022 Utah Adventure, 4.23.22 - 5.12.22, Part 7 of 12

Spring 2022 Utah Adventure, 4.23.22 - 5.12.22, Part 6 of 12

Spring 2022 Utah Adventure, 4.23.22 - 5.12.22, Part 8 of 12