Capitol Reef National Park Day 3&4

Warning: picture overload! We took over 200 pictures here are some of my favs:
First stop was the Fremont Petroglyphs~the Fremonts settled this valley, eventually the Mormons came down later and used the irrigation canals and homes that the Fremont s had built.

silk worms were all over the board walk while we looked at the petroglyphs

After the petroglphs and no they are not called hieroglyphs (those are on pyramids-even tho I kept calling them that) we went on a hike to Hickman Bridge. This time I decided to try Lilly out in the backpack. She fought it and kicked her legs so she couldn't get trapped but settled down and enjoyed the ride. She knows her colors and we were looking for wild flowers everywhere and she would point to them and say the color. Nature is beautiful.

She did fall asleep on the way up. She woke up super early this morning!!  Finally relaxed and had a little nap. 

So the bridge is hard to see but its above the boys head directly above Gage.

As we got closer the sky helped you to see the bridge. This was a more moderate hike but all the kids are troopers including 3 year old Layla who hiked the whole thing. Mack, the adventurous teenager of the group, wanted to climb on top of the arch. He got high and then said he couldn't get over to the main arch. The kids were getting restless,

I had just walked past this snake and about peed my pants passing it! We thought it was a garden snake but then someone said it was a rattler, we decided it was not a rattler which I was so grateful for! Meanwhile Mack got stuck up on the rock. We started hiking down and didn't know he was really stuck, Jake was about to call search and rescue but some how he got out. Mack and Jake ran down the mountain in about 10 minutes to catch up to us. They thought they were keeping us waiting and hauled although they made it back just as the last group did. Kids had adventures along the way. Except Lexi she hauled down because she had to go to the bathroom although when she got down she decided she didn't want to go in the outhouse and peed in nature anyway. Silly girl!

I was so ready for lunch and esp the backpack off!! It was hurting my neck, this girl fell asleep in the car with her rice krispie in hand she was so tired herself. Being carried up the mountain is hard work!!

We went to a grassy park by the visitor center and had lunch. We enjoyed lunch and then played at the park. The kids played in the river aka stream, we watched and eventually the kids joined in another families kick ball game (they were playing moms vs kids--and these moms wanted to win!), we took naps, we climbed trees, scraped ourselves sliding down the trees (maddy), ate some more treats and spent the afternoon here. 

Jack

Gage

Madison

Layla

Lexi 

Lilly

We went back to the hotel for a swim and a break. We went to Slackers burgers for dinner! OMGosh, the best burgers, sweet potato fries, curly fries and we even ordered fried green beans. They had a playground and the kids played while we ate! We wanted to go see Sunset Point so we rushed to watch the sunset and arrived just in time.

You can get a panoramic view of cliffs and domes and it is especially dramatic lighting and the day's end.

Without pollution, it has been said that you can see over 300 miles but the pollution is stopping that.

We weren't the only ones with our cameras ready for a sunset picture. These pics don't do the red justice! It was gorgeous. One of my favorite things we did!

The Wakley family

Us and the kids who decided he was going to pretend falling--gave me a heart attack but he was just pretending. There are some steep cliffs here--it wasn't very funny to me or his mother! And yes it got cooler as the sun set which is why we all have jackets on.

After the sun set the kids played on the rocks some more!

We eventually got cold and bored and left. 

We finally stopped at the sign to take a picture. Tada!!Makinzee, Lilly, Madison, Alli

And wouldn't you know it, this fish wanted to swim some more! She is not afraid of the water and swims everywhere. She is signed up for lessons in a few weeks to get more skills down.

Some kids swam, some kids played cards, we ate some more treats and laughed the night away. We checked out Monday morning, aka Memorial Day. We wanted to go hike Chimney Rock and have a picnic lunch before heading home.

 These are called twin rocks

 Our last hike was Chimney Rock. You don't hike up to it you hike around it. It's a 3.5 mile hike (one way) and a loop around the top. We hiked up to it. It is a very strenuous climb up 240 feet of switchbacks. The kids once again did great! I've decided I want to go see more National Parks now and let me kids hike because they did so great. Although, we had to tell them we were going on an adventure because they all grumbled at the word "hike."

 And of course we played along the way. 

 BUT we made it to the top of the peak. This is the top of Chimney Rock. The picture on the left is while hiking but the picture with Lexi is the top of the chimney. 

 I wanted to go up behind the chimney but no one else really wanted to. Mike and Lilly joined me. Oh and this is how Lilly hiked Chimney Rock!

 BUT we made it to the backside of the Chimney. 

 Although on the way back down, Mom was carrying her and soon enough her hands started slipping off me, yep she fell asleep like this. Mike grabbed her and he carried her down to the car.

Lexi found many treasures along the way. She wanted to take these home. I told her a picture would serve her rock collection the best. They have a lot of sparkle in the rock, 

 Maddy found a giant tooth and is holding it next to her mouth.

 After the hike we went back to the park and ate lunch. The park was much more quiet today. Oh we also stopped at Miss Griffens home, its an old home that has been restored and they sell famous pies and cinnamon rolls along with preserves and breads. We saved the treats for after lunch. The cinnamon rolls were ok but the jumble-berry pie, I'm glad Mike picked one up even tho I was secretly cursing him because it was $6 for a single serving of pie! Highway Robbery! But worth it in the end.

 The kids played some more. We walked to the Fruita Schoolhouse and saw the one room school the used. The valley is also filled with dozens and dozens of orchards. We saw two wild turkey in the orchard and a couple deer by the creek.

We left about 3 and headed back home. The kids all crashed except Lexi. She was really into her movie but was so ready for bed when we got home! We all took baths and crashed again. The funnest weekend. carefree, we did everything we wanted to, relaxed, enjoyed the pool and the local towns food. Perfect weekend. Lexi keeps asking when we are going to go back to the red sands. We all enjoyed it. I've decided we need to do more of these weekend adventures. It was so much fun! Thanks Wakely's for a fun filled weekend.