September 2019 – We enjoyed several trips into the backcountry area near Capitol Reef National Park during our Utah RV trip.

View from one of the many backcountry roads in Utah.
On each excursion we just loved the sudden transition that came after riding our Polaris RZR through the woods of Fish Lake National Forest when the thick trees cleared and the red rock views of Capitol Reef National Park far below began to come into view.

A backcountry road crosses a meadow in Fish Lake National Forest
Near the top of the woodsy mountains it was very cold, and we all bundled up in winter jackets, even our pup Buddy!

It’s coooold up here. But between shivers, what a view!
While we drove in our side-by-side behind him, Buddy zoomed down the twisting road ahead of us as the incredible views grew ever larger all around.

The descent had some fabulous views.

View from an overlook.
Storm clouds were brewing overhead, giving the astonishing views a really dramatic flair. As we descended towards the valley floor, we hoped the clouds would clear once we got free of the mountains and out into the red rock desert.

An exhilarating run — with views!

A new view with every turn.

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Light and shadow.
By the time we got to the bottom, though, the sun had come out and the air had warmed up at least 20 degrees. Buddy shed his jacket but Mark and I hadn’t been running like he had, so we kept our hats, jackets and gloves on a while longer!

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The backcountry roads in and around this area go on forever with lots of little off-shoots and detours and diversions along the way. There were signs pointing out different destinations, but we just followed the roads that looked intriguing without a particular destination in mind.

There are dozens of roads and just as many great destinations.
Lots of rain all summer long had left the valley unusually green. The lush verdant carpet of vegetation around the base of the red rock pinnacles and cliff walls was just wonderful. One especially prominent pinnacle was Solomon’s Temple.

First glimpse of Solomon’s Temple.

Solomon’s Temple.
As we walked around taking photos, the storm on the horizon seemed to intensify.

This whole area was wonderful for taking photos, especially as the storm rolled in!

Rain was falling in the distance.
The backcountry road weaved and twisted and turned as it ran between the pink sandstone hills.

The gravel road was very squiggly!

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There were storm clouds in every direction by now, and we began to feel droplets of rain here and there. We wanted to keep going, but the clouds were becoming really threatening.

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Hmmm… those clouds were getting very dark.

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We began to head back towards the mountain we’d come over hours earlier, but we noticed that a huge storm was pelting the very place where our road went. Yikes!
As we watched the thick rain cloud gathering steam over the distant hills, we realized it was headed our way.

A particularly threatening storm cloud hung over the mountain we were returning to.
We looked around and noticed a group of ranch buildings and barns nearby. We ducked into a three sided barn for quick shelter. Luckily, the three walls around and behind us protected us from the approaching tempest.

We hid out for cover for a few minutes
While we huddled inside waiting for the storm to blow over, Buddy noticed some rabbits zipping around. He could hear and smell them on the other side of the barn wall. Gosh, did he go crazy over that!

Buddy passed the time eavesdropping on the rabbits on the other side of the wall
A bunch of old, used horseshoes had been hung on a half wall that formed a pen for smaller animals. How cool!

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Fortunately, the worst of the storm missed us, and before long the sun had come out again. We made our way back up the switchbacks and over the mountain just in time to see a rainbow crossing our fifth wheel.

A beautiful rainbow filled the sky after the storm passed.
The network of backcountry roads around the outside Capitol Reef National Park and in Fish Lake National Forest surrounding the Park is immense, and there are all kinds of interesting things to be seen, whether by 4×4 vehicle, side-by-side, mountain bike or horse!
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More info about Capitol Reef National Park:
- Capitol Reef National Park – Official Website
- Interactive NPS Map of Capitol Reef National Park
- RV Camping in the area
- Location of Solomon’s Temple
More from Capitol Reef National Park:
- Utah Scenic Byway 24 RV Trip – Capitol Reef National Park 04/16/18
- Capitol Reef National Park Utah – Awe-inspiring! 06/25/12
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