Fly Fishing
Capitol Reef, Waterpocket Fold, Land of the Sleeping Rainbow—all are colorful names to describe a park with many striking characteristics.
Waterpocket Fold, the main feature of the park, is the name of a 100-mile-long fold in the earth's surface. This uplift contains innumerable eroded basins or pockets that hold thousands of gallons of rainwater. These pockets of water have affected the history of humanity within the park and the flora and fauna of the region.
Entering the park from the west gives the most impressive view of the 1,000-foot-high stone barrier into which erosive forces have sculpted fascinating canyons, mesas, buttes and mazes. Once in the park, other astonishing panoramas await you.
Within a short distance of the visitor center, you will see Capitol Dome, Chimney Rock, the Goosenecks and the Egyptian Temple. Hickman Bridge, the Golden Throne and Capitol Gorge reward you after easy to moderate hikes. Prehistoric petroglyphs, the Fruita Schoolhouse, the Gifford Farmhouse and the Behunin Cabin speak of bygone eras and can be reached by car. The 20-mile round-trip Scenic Drive will take you past the Ripple Rock Nature Center and many of the park's features.
If you are seeking a remote wilderness experience, Capitol Reef has it. To the north of Route 24, dirt roads, which generally require high-clearance or 4-wheel-drive vehicles, lead into the park's north end through the heart of Cathedral Valley, an area of monolithic formations of Entrada and Curtis sandstones, some of which are 500 feet high. South of Route 24, graded roads, usually suitable for high-clearance vehicles, lead into some very fine hiking country. Besides good hiking opportunities, the southern part of the park also offers spectacular views of the folded strata of Capitol Reef and the Henry Mountains. Muley Twist Canyon is in the southern end of the park, as is Brimhall Bridge. Check with a park ranger before setting out for any of these more remote locations. Weather conditions may make the roads slick and impassable.
All Arizona State Parks provide accessible access to parking areas, visitor centers, restrooms, and picnic ramadas. For more information about specific facilities, special services or group access for people with disabilities, please contact the ADA Coordinator at (602) 364-0632. TTY service is available at (602) 542-4174.
More information is also available at www.AZStateParks.com.
Are the girls fans of the "Twilight" book series? If they are, they'll be excited to find out that Kalaloch is minutes away from Forks, the town where “Twilight” takes place. The nearby Kalaloch Lodge is surrounded by miles of peaceful beaches and beautiful forests that provide the ideal landscape for Twilighters to do some fantasy sightseeing.
Also consider booking a lake or rainforest tour or exploring these areas on your own!
If you're traveling in the fall, some great hotel deals are available at hotels in the region.
Some great tips from the Just for Kids section of our guide to Mount Rainier, Olympic and North Cascades are listed below:
Become a Junior Ranger.
Learn about the park’s plants and animals by picking up a Junior Ranger booklet ($1 donation requested) at any visitor center or ranger station. Complete the activities inside to earn your Junior Ranger badge.
Get your hands on a Discovery Pack.
Imagine how much better you could explore the park if you had nature guides, maps, a journal and binoculars! Borrow a Discovery Pack for a $5 donation at the Olympic National Park, Hurricane Ridge or Hoh Visitor Centers or the Storm King, Kalaloch or Quinault Information Stations.
Take a Hike.
Many short nature trails have self-guiding booklets and are great fun. Hike the 0.75-mile Hall of Mosses Trail in the Hoh Rain Forest or the one-mile Quinault Loop Trail at Lake Quinault in the Olympic National Forest.
See, Hear and Touch.
At the Children’s Discovery Room at the Olympic National Park Visitor Center in Port Angeles, you can hold a deer antler, feel a bit of animal fur or listen to a coyote howl. You can also dress as a ranger and visit a “mini” ranger station, solve giant puzzles, and more!
Walk with a Park Ranger.
Get the real scoop on nature during a guided walk. On a forest walk, see if you can find a banana slug, a salamander or maybe even a Roosevelt elk! On a tide pool walk, look for sea stars or watch an octopus turn colors.
Soldier Lakes--Patrol Ridge Loop is located 42 road miles north of Stanley, ID.
To get to the trailhead, drive northwest from Stanley on Idaho Highway 21 for 18.6 miles, and then turn left onto the gravel road. Almost immediately, you'll turn right again onto another gravel road. (From here, it's 21 miles to the trailhead at Josephus Lake.) You'll then cross over Marsh Lake on a bridge and come to a fork in the road--stay left and follow the road over Vanity Summit.
As you descend from Vanity Summit, you'll be on a graded dirt road that only has one and a half lanes, and is often steep. Be careful. Around 16 miles from ID 21, you'll reach the Float Creek Road and Rapid River junction. Stay left and follow Float Creek Road for 5 miles. There's room for about 5 cars at the Josephus Lake Trailhead parking lot.
Hike the trail for 3 miles, and you'll hit Soldier Lakes.
I hope this helps! Remember to come back to OhRanger.com to post pictures and comments about your trip to Soldier Lakes.
