As you drive down and off of Bolder mountain you enter Capitol Reef National Park. The Reef is a large block of rock tipped at an angle and standing way up into the air for many miles. The Reef is cut by several rivers and washes. When the rain falls these can be very dangerous places because no rain will seep into the ground — it all runs off eastward through a few cuts penetrating the Reef.

Here is a canyon cut through the reef. Many of the 'Capitol' features can be seen along this cut. The Capitol Dome is the light coloured dome in the centre of the frame. You can also see the Fremont river flowing at the bottom of the frame.The colours of the reef vary from sandstone and desert varnish through the silt-stone with red, magenta and pink colours common also in the Painted DesertThis is a view north from the southern extent of the road along the reef.

 

Escalante Grand Staircase National Monument 2001
Glen Canyon National Recreation Area 2001