Colorado & Utah - Episode 9 (Capitol Reef National Park - Part 2)

In May and June 2026, Sue, Willow, and I spent two months exploring Colorado and Utah, visiting nine National Parks and two National Monuments including the Great Sand Dunes, Mesa Verde, Arches, Canyonlands, Capitol Reef, Escalante National Monument, Bryce Canyon, Zion, Colorado National Monument, Black Canyon of the Gunnison, and Rocky Mountain. This video (Episode 9) is the second of two episodes highlighting our visit to Capitol Reef National Park, and Escalante National Monument. At the heart of Capitol Reef National Park lies the Waterpocket Fold stretching nearly 100 miles from the northern end of the park to the southern end of the park. The story for this remarkable geological formation began nearly 300 million years ago, as layers of sediment accumulated and eventually hardened into rock. Around 50 to 70 million years ago, powerful forces deep within the Earth lifted and bent these layers, creating a massive wrinkle in the Earth's crust. The Waterpocket Fold was further sculpted by millions of years of erosion, revealing the colorful cliffs, deep canyons, and towering rock formations we see today. Ready for a full day of adventure, Sue and I picked up a Loop the Fold Road Guide at the Visitor Center and headed out in the Jeep to explore one of Capitol Reef's most scenic backcountry routes. Known as Loop the Fold, this 125-mile drive circles the southern portion of the Waterpocket Fold, taking us through some of the park's most remote and rugged landscapes, far from the more heavily traveled areas of Capitol Reef National Park. With our Road Guide in hand, we reset the odometer at the Visitor Center and headed east on Utah Highway 24. Along the way, we stopped at several points of interest before reaching Notom-Bullfrog Road, where we turned south and began following the eastern side of the Waterpocket Fold. As we continued along this remote backcountry road, we passed numerous points of interest, stopping occasionally to take in the spectacular scenery and rugged beauty of one of the most isolated areas of southern Utah. Eventually, we reached the Burr Trail Road, where we turned west and began making our way through and over the Waterpocket Fold on the Burr Trail Switchbacks. Surrounded by incredible rock formations and sweeping desert views, we found the perfect spot to stop, enjoy our lunch, and take in the remarkable landscape around us. Thank you to the artists from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!) providing the music for this video including the following: 'Willow Grove' by The Lakes https://uppbeat.io/c/the-lakes License code: ZJDWELQZTT7QU7EI 'The Lion' by Yeti Music https://uppbeat.io/c/yeti-music License code: OG52E7WPCA4FJQSA ‘Another Lost’ Soul by Jesse Waldman https://uppbeat.io/c/jesse-waldman License code: 1RSU2E7JVRR5UKAO ‘Tumbleweed' by Christian Larssen https://uppbeat.io/c/christian-larssen License code: 5BNMCI8YNBMSGVVG 'Hills & Daffodils' by Sky Toes https://uppbeat.io/c/sky-toes License code: DTTLXZOODQENTGOT 'What A Summer' by Sky Toes https://uppbeat.io/c/sky-toes License code: FJWC9PCW2OJITEUH 'Golden Coast' by The Lakes https://uppbeat.io/c/the-lakes License code: XCSB1KNISTLYBVFV 'The Lone Marshal' by Vince McGill https://uppbeat.io/c/vince-mcgill License code: O9BWTR1KQYXEPDRI Thank you to the artists from #melodyloops providing the music for this video including: Artist Andy Littlewood with the song Gold In Them Hills #ohio #colorado #utah #capitolreef #capitolreefnationalpark #waterpocket #folding #grandstaircase #escalante #escalantenationalmonument #nationalmonument #waterpocket #waterpocketfold #loopthefold #loopingthefold #notom #bullfrog #bullfrog-notom #bullfrognotom #torrey #boulder #boulder #burrtrail #burrtrailswitchback #bouldermountain #summerville #formation #morrison #oysterreef #longcanyon #slotcanyon #mormon #mormonhistory #pioneer #pioneers #switchback #switchbacks #shelf #shelfroad #burrtrail #nationalpark #nationalparks #arch #cliff #fruit #orchard #orchards #1800s #blacksmith #nature #naturecenter #visitorcenter #fremont #river #gifford #giffordhouse #stable #stables #horse #horses #picnic #picnicspot #loopthefold #goldenthrone #ephhanks #capitolbuilding #capitoldome #canyon #sand #terrain #terrains #scenicviews #scenic #scenicbeauty #mountains #mountain #mountainpeaks #henrymountains #mountainpeaks #panorama #panoramavideo #desert #desertadventures #desertadventures #cliff #cliffs #rock #redstone #redsand #redsandstone #redrock #redrocks #bluesky #landscape #landscapephotography #hiking #hikingtrails #hikingtrail #willow #goldenretriever #goldenretreivers #goldenretrieverpuppy #goldenretrieverfemale #goldenretrieverslovex #goldenretrieverfunny #glamping #camping #campinglife #campinglifestyle #motorhome #winnebago #winnebagolife #winnebagorv #jeep #jeeplife #jeepwrangler #jeeplifestyle #offroad #offroad #4x4 #4x4offroad #jeep4x4