When I came to visit Utah and its national parks, I was under the impression that this will be about visiting rocks of different shades of red. It is true that most of the rock has been various types of red, pink, or orange. What I didn’t know what that there is white sandstone, there is a particular mixture of minerals which turned the sandstone white or at least close to it. These white sandstone is also called Navajo sandstone because it can be found in this area. Navajo sandstone can be quite prominent especially here in Capitol Reef National Park.

There are peaks here which are capped with Navajo sandstone which makes them quite prominent. These prominent white peaks were likened to the domes of capitol buildings. This is where the name of the park came from. The “reef” part of the name comes from the reef that can be seen in the sea. A reef is something that can obstruct travel as in a reef on a sea. I think the reef part is a little pushing it but that’s the story behind the name. Majority of my visit here in Capitol Reef National Park has been from the road but I was still able to see some Navajo Sandstone peaks. I think it is really that plentiful here for me to see it from the road. The most prominent one that I saw is given the name Ferns Nipple.

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