If you’ve ever been hiking in the deserts of Southern Utah, then you’ve probably come across strange, blackish bumps in the sand, about an inch or two tall. And you may have wondered to yourself, “What the heck are these things?” Well we have the answers! Those are biological soil crusts. And they are complex colonies of bacteria, fungi, algae, and lichens. You can find biological soil crusts here in Capitol Reef National Park, in the high deserts of Southern Utah, and in arid and semi-arid regions everywhere across the world. And it probably won’t surprise you to learn that they play a vital role in these environments.

Photo by Nihonjoe via Wikimedia Commons

What Do They Do?

Biological soil crusts are very important for the health of the desert ecosystem. The help fix atmospheric carbon and nitrogen, providing essential nutrients for the sparse vegetation that does grow here. They also reduce soil erosion, and collect water, preventing the sands from being washed away during rainstorms. Most of these colonies of bacteria have large populations of cyanobacteria, which are actually capable of photosynthesis. And because they absorb some of the sun’s rays, the desert sands are less reflective in areas with established soil crusts. Which is good news for your eyeballs. (If you’re curious, the measure of reflective light off of a surface is call albedo.)

How Are They Made?

Biological soil crust begins to form when fungi spores colonize the area between desert plants. Once the fungi has stabilized, cyanobacteria and other bacteria, such as bryophytes, congregate around the fungi structures. Eventually, lichens and algae join the party. The whole process takes a long time to complete. Depending on the amount of water available in the region, it can literally thousands of years for mature soil crust to develop.

Photo by Nihonjoe via Wikimedia Commons

Look. But Don’t Touch.

Biological soil crusts are extremely fragile. (Which, considering how long they take to form, is completely understandable.) Crushing and tearing soil crusts can result in widespread colony collapse. You may permanently destroy the soil crust, or at least, impact the area for decades, if you step on it. This in turn leads to substantial soil erosion – negatively impacting desert plant life and, in turn, the animal life which depends on the plants.

Everyone who visits the national parks of Southern Utah falls in love with the area. Help do your part to keep this place as beautiful as it is. One way to do that, is to not damage the soil crusts that are so important to the life of our deserts. So when you’re hiking or riding your ATV in Southern Utah, think of the little colonies all around you, and avoid any distribution of the biological soil crusts. Stay on the designated trails and roads, or if you’re hiking where there are no trails, walk in sandy washes or on bare rock so as not to destroy the little guys. They’re our friends, after all.

You can learn more about biological soil crusts here on Wikipedia and here on the National Parks Service website.

Capitol Reef is not just a fantastic place to see the beauty of Southern Utah, it’s also a fantastic place to learn a lot of new things! Throughout the year, there are ranger-lead programs that can teach you about everything from geology to astronomy. So let’s look at what is on offer, and how you can sneak a little learning into your vacation.

Photo by iStockPhoto.com

Current Ranger Programs

So here’s the lineup for 2023! Visit this calendar page on the Capitol Reef website to see all the details about each of these events. And remember these are totally free, and you don’t need any kind of reservation. Just be at the right place when they start!

We’ve got Archeology Talks! Every day at 11am. Meet at the Petroglyph Panel boardwalk and learn about cultures that called this place home. The program lasts for 30 minutes

Geology Talks are presented every day at 3pm. Meet at the Fruita Campground Amphitheater, near the C loop of the campground and the Fremont River Trail. (It’s not difficult to find, it’s the largest structure in the campgrounds.) Discover the geologic story of Capitol Reef National Park. The program lasts for 30 minutes.

This one is our favorite! Evening Talks are available every evening at 8:45pm. Meet at the Fruita Campground Amphitheater. (Same place as above.) And explore a variety of topics in depth. Lasts about 45 – 60 minutes.

The Astronomy Program is presented every weekend on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. Meet at the Gifford House picnic tables at 10pm. The presentation lasts about an hour (sometimes a little longer). Tour the night sky with the naked eye before exploring the cosmos by telescope. Bring a red flashlight.

It’s worth double-checking with the Visitor Center if these events are still scheduled for when you are planning on being in Capitol Reef. Sometimes there are unforeseen events – like severe weather, or an absent ranger – that cause the talks or programs to be cancelled. So check here, and just call the day of to confirm. Here’s the Visitor Center’s number: 435–425–3791

Photo by iStockPhoto.com

More Ways to Learn

Speaking of the Visitors Center, there a couple of great additional ways you can learn about Capitol Reef and all its complexities. And first is at the Visitor Center! The whole Visitor Center has recently been renovated, and the exhibits have been updated and expanded. This is a great way to get an overview of the history and timeline of Capitol Reef, from the eons of time in which it was formed, to the native inhabitants, to the recent events that lead to its inception as a national park. You can even grab the NPS Audio Description Tours mobile app and have all the exhibits narrated to you! So be sure to stop by the Visitor Center!

Second is the Ripple Rock Nature Center. This building is located just a minute or two south of the Visitor Center, and is used to host outdoor activities for kids of all ages. The programs are usually hosted by Utah Valley University and are a great way for your children to discover a range of topics. Check the calendar for schedules (and filter by “Children’s Programs”) to see what is available when you are visiting.

Last one! Stop by the Gifford House! It’s a very cute, little, pioneer home that has been remarkably well preserved. It functions as a sort of museum/baked-goods shop today, and it’s a great way to see how the Mormon settlers of the region lived in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. There are original and era-appropriate furnishings inside and lots of information about the Giffords. So check it out! And don’t forget to by some ice-cream while you’re there!

We’ve made so many advances in our modern world, and made so many gains. But we’ve lost a few things too. If you live in a city or other heavily developed area, then you probably don’t get much of a chance to see the stars. Which is a shame. Stargazing is (to us at the Lodge, at least) one of the great joys of life. But in an urban area, there is just too much light pollution to see what’s going on up there. Luckily, there are plenty of places that you can travel to for a chance to see the night sky in all its splendor.

Photo by Aaron Roth via unsplash.com

Meet the IDA

The International Dark-Sky Association is a non-profit organization that helps protect places from light pollution. If a location – say, a national park – meets certain requirements to promote dark skies, then it can be certified by the IDA. And there’s nowhere like Southern Utah to see the night sky. It has the largest concentration of official Dark Sky Places in the world. (And it’s also where the first location was designated, at Natural Bridges.) So if you want to reconnect with the stars, then we can’t think of a better place.

Photo by Septumia Jacobson via unsplash.com

Here’s the List

You’ll be able to experience truly dark skies at all of these locations in Southern Utah. If you want to know more about any of the locations, just click on the link. We’ve written about most of these places before.

• Arches National Park
• Canyonlands National Park
• Dead Horse Point State Park
• Natural Bridges National Monument (First in the World!)
• Hovenweep National Monument
• Rainbow Bridge National Monument
• Capitol Reef National Park (Hey! That’s by us!)
• Bryce Canyon National Park
• Goblin Valley State Park
• Cedar Breaks National Monument
• The Town of Torrey (Also us!)

Also, if you want to hear from the experts at visitutah.com, then check out their info on the amazing Dark Sky Places of Utah here.

We at the Lodge love discovering little gems in Southern Utah – the places that most people drive right past, or that are a little tricky to get to. And we love suggesting these gems on our blog, so that you can discover a Southern Utah that’s off-the-beaten path. So, with that in mind, here’s a little state park that nobody seems to know about – the Fremont Indian State Park and Museum.

Photo by The Dye Clan via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0

What You’ll Find

As the name suggests, this state park focuses on preserving the history of the Fremont Native American tribe that dwelt in this region. (And also some of the other tribes in the more distant past.) It’s got a pretty impressive little museum, with lots of artifacts – pottery, arrowhead, textiles, tools – from the area. The park also has outdoor exhibits. There are several re-created dwellings that let you see how the Fremont people lived.

But you can’t leave the Fremont Indian State Park until you’ve explored some of its trails. Because the trails lead you to the coolest part of the park – all the rock art. There are tons of petroglyphs and pictographs everywhere. And, as you hike around, you’ll get to see plenty of it. (One of the canyons that you can explore is actually designated as an outdoor museum.)

Photo by James St. John via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0

More Details

The Fremont Indian State Park is located just outside of Richfield Utah, on Interstate–70. Google Maps location here. It was actually during the construction of the Interstate that crews came across the artifacts currently stored at the park. According to its website, it was the largest known Fremont Indian Village to be uncovered. And so the state park was created to preserve its history.

There is are two campgrounds at the park, the Castle Rock Campground and the Sam Stowe Campground. You can reserve spots at reserveamerica.com.

There’s more to learn and discover about the Fremont Indian State Park and Museum. You can read a more in-depth version of its history and mission here. And, of course, you can always stop by for a visit and see it all for yourself.

We at the Lodge get asked a lot of questions about Capitol Reef. And sometimes those questions have interesting answers. Here’s a couple of common ones that you might have had yourself about the park and its history. And just remember you can always find more answers over here at the official site for Capitol Reef.

Capitol Reef exists today because of early conservation efforts. Photo by Glen Rushton via unsplash.com

When was Capitol Reef Formed?

Well, the area was dedicated a national park in 1971, but it was actually a national monument before that, and before that, it was a couple of brothers-in-law passion project. Starting in 1921, a Torrey local named Ephraim Portman Pectol founded a “booster club” that helped promote the idea of creating a protected area in Wayne County to preserve the natural wonders of the region. His brother-in-law Joseph S. Hickman (for whom Hickman Bridge is named) liked the idea enough to create the Wayne Wonderland Club – the suggested name for the protected area in question. When Hickman was elected to the state legislature in 1924 he pushed for his idea, but sadly, just as he was getting the ball rolling, he drowned in a boating accident.

But Pectol didn’t give up. In the coming years he raised enough funds to hire a photographer to record images of the proposed “Wayne Wonderland National Monument.” Then, when Pectol himself was elected to the legislature in 1933, he lobbied president Franklin D. Roosevelt to make the Wayne Wonderland dream a reality. And Roosevelt was on board. Over the next few years federal survey of the area was commissioned and completed. Then in 1937 Roosevelt signed a proclamation creating the Capitol Reef National Monument.

A large, impassable sandstone formation. Named, fittingly enough, Pectol’s Pyramid. Photo by Luke Richardson via unsplash.com

Why is it Called “Capitol Reef”?

“Capitol Reef” is kind of an odd name, when you stop to think about it. Other parks are named after people – Bryce Canyon, for instance – or for ideals – Zion – or for their prominent geological features – you know what to expect from Arches and Canyonlands by their names. But what does Capitol Reef mean? Well actually, it turns out that Capitol Reef is also named for its geology. The many white, sandstone domes in the park are reminiscent of the domes that appear on most capitol buildings. So that solves the “capitol” part of the name. And a “reef” is just a now-out-of-use term that denotes a rocky barrier, something impassable during the time of the 19th-century explorers and settlers. So “Capitol Reef” is just a collection of domed rocks that you can’t travel across.

Of course our road building capabilities have improved since the area was named, so that now you can travel through Capitol Reef National Park. And we highly recommend that you do.

You’re ready to get outside. Like, really ready. Ready to hike and play in sunny Southern Utah! With Memorial Day Weekend only a few days away, it’s basically summer here in Southern Utah. And, as you no doubt know, summer here in the desert can be hot. Really hot. So it’s important to be safe when playing outdoors, and it’s important to learn how to spot some of the most common heat related problems – namely heat exhaustion and heat stroke.

Of the two, heat stroke is by far the more dangerous, requiring immediate medical attention. Here’s how to tell heat exhaustion and heat stroke apart – and what to do next. Let’s talk about them and what you can do to be prepared.

Photo by MK via unsplash.com.

Heat Exhaustion

Symptoms
Faint and/or dizzy
Excessive sweating
Cool or clammy skin
Nausea or vomiting
Rapid, fluttery, and weak pulse
Muscle cramps

What to do?
If you, or someone in your party, is displaying signs of heat exhaustion, take action to cool down. If possible, get to an air-conditioned place. If that’s not possible, find shade on the trail. Drink plenty of water and take a long break. And be ready to turn back. It’s not worth trying to “finish” the hike if someone isn’t feeling well.

Of course, the best cure is prevention. Don’t hike when the sun is strong, but instead plan your adventures for the mornings and evenings.

Heat Stroke

Symptoms
Strong, persistent headache
Not sweating
Hot skin, usually dry
Nausea or vomiting
Rapid, over-strong pulse
May lose consciousness

What to do?
Call 911. Then take immediate action to bring the body’s temperature down. If you have access to ice, make an ice bath, or place ice compresses under the armpits and between the thighs. If you’re on the trail, move into deep shade and use wet-cloth compresses in those same spots. Do everything you can to cool the person down, and wait for emergency services to arrive.

Heat stroke is serious. But there are plenty of observable warning signs before a person develops heat stroke. Be smart when hiking in the summer months. Don’t attempt activities beyond your abilities. And always, always carry plenty of water. Plan ahead and you’ll be perfectly fine playing outside this summer.

It’s almost National Park Week! A special week to celebrate our national parks and public lands. The week kicks off this Saturday the 17th on what’s being called Park Prescription Day (each day of National Park Week has a theme) and it’s just what the doctor ordered! Entrance fees are waived at all national parks on that day. So if you were looking for an excuse to get to your favorite park, now you have one!

Photo by Library of Congress via unsplash.com

Themed Days

So, as we mentioned, each of the days of National Park Week has a special theme. And despite the name, the whole “week” is actually nine days of celebration. Here’s the line up:

• Park Rx Day (April 17): #ParkRx, #HealthyParksHealthyPeople
• Volunteer Sunday (April 18): #NPSVolunteer
• Military Monday (April 19): #MilitaryMonday
• Transformation Tuesday (April 20): #TransformationTuesday, #NPSOnTheMove
• Wayback Wednesday (April 21): #WaybackWednesday
• Earth Day (April 22): #EarthDay
• Friendship Friday (April 23): #FriendshipFriday, #NPSFriends
• National Junior Ranger Day (April 24): #JuniorRangerDay
• BARK Ranger Day (April 25): #BARKRanger

As you can see there is a lot going on, and a lot of cool activities and projects in which you can participate . But that’s not all, because…

National Park Week is also Virtual

Each of the national parks has a dedicated social media team, and this coming week, they will be working overtime to bring you plenty of content. So if you can’t be in the parks in person, you can at least be there in spirit. The parks are on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, all the big ones. (Notice all those hashtags up there?) You can Find Your Virtual Park on this official directory on nps.gov.

Photo by Francess Gunn via unsplash.com

Consider Giving Back

In addition to all the fun stuff happening this coming week, the parks use National Park Week to help bring awareness to the importance of our public lands. They join with the National Park Foundation to raise funds for the parks. While the national parks do get federal support, sometimes they need a little extra. So if you want to lend a hand, you’ll have the option to give to the national parks.

Go Play!

Now is the perfect time to appreciate, explore, and support the national parks. And it’s also the perfect time to go outside and play!

Photo by Library of Congress via unsplash.com

Did you know that there is a dinosaur-themed adventure park in Southern Utah? Located just outside of the town of Moab, the Moab Giants Dinosaur Park and Track Museum is the perfect place to have some fun and learn about dinos. Utah is famous – in certain circles – for the various species of dinosaurs that lived here, and Moab Giants has done a great job replicating the environment in which they lived.

Illustration by Fausto Garcia Menendez via unsplash.com

Dinosaur Trail

One of the first things you’ll want to do when visiting Moab Giants is check out its Outdoor Dinosaur Trail. It’s about a half-mile hike with life-sized replicas of the dinosaur species that used to live in this part of the world. You can really get a sense of the size and scope of these creatures (not all of which were big) when you can see them in the wild. So to speak. Also, as a bonus you get to enjoy the scenery of Moab, with views of desert splendor all around.

Photo by Markus Spiske via unsplash.com

Lots of Educational Fun

There are a number of other exciting educational venues at the park as well. In the Paleo Camp kids can learn the methods and techniques of a working dig-site. They can practice on some buried plastic “fossils”. The Tracks Museum has some very cool interactive exhibits, which help teach you all about track fossils – fossils formed from the footprints of ancient dinosaurs. You get to learn about how they’re made, and why they’re so important to paleontologists. And don’t forget to stop by the theatre for a beautifully-shot infotainment film, in 3D, of course.

But, for us, the biggest showstopper at the Moab Giants Park is the 5D Paleoaquarium. Because, as Moab Giants will tell you, not all giants were on land. The interactive tour is like being submerged in the ancient waters of the past. And it’s pretty fantastic. Just watch out for that Megalodon!

Go Have Fun With Dinos!

For more information, including ticket prices, driving directions and special events, you can visit Moab Giant’s official site. If you’re planning a trip to Moab, and you’re looking for fun things to do while in town, give this a try.

Southern Utah is mostly desert. Which is spectacular to look at, but it can be a hard place to live. Before the conveniences of modern life, several communities in Utah fell victim to the harsh environment. In fact, Utah boasts of having more than a hundred “ghost towns.” (Although, most of these aren’t much to look at, just a single building marking a failed community.) Perhaps the most famous – and certainly the best preserved – of these ghost towns is Grafton, Utah.

The remains of Grafton can be found in Washington County, a little ways south of Zion National Park.

Photo by Nathan Atkinson via unsplash.com

A Brief History

In 1859 and 1860 Mormon pioneers attempted to grow cotton in the desert area near present day Saint George. They founded a town called Wheeler along the Virgin River. But in 1862, a massive weeks-long flood washed the town of Wheeler away. Literally. The residents relocated about a mile upriver, and started a new town – Grafton. Attempts to cultivate cotton were met with continuous disaster. More flooding, then irrigation problems, then internal discord made life in the Grafton community difficult. When the Black Hawk War began, residents began to flee to less-isolated towns, most notably Rockville. After an end to hostilities, some residents returned. But by 1890 only four families remained in Grafton. Surprisingly, the last residents didn’t fully abandon the town until 1944.

Grafton Today

Grafton has benefited from preservation efforts of the Grafton Historical Partnership, which receives funds from a variety of private and public sources. As such, it remains in excellent condition. Which is one of the reasons that Grafton has been photographed so extensively. (You’ve probably seen it in the film Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.) If you want to visit the town for yourself, you totally can. And you should, it’s a pretty surreal experience. Just remember that a lot of effort goes into keeping Grafton looking good. Be careful and respectful of the existing buildings and the history they represent. It’s the right thing to do. Plus… the site is under 24-hour surveillance.

You’ve probably seen all the news articles this month about the “Great Conjunction.” But in case you’ve missed it, on the 21st of December, Jupiter and Saturn will appear to form one bright, new star in the night sky. This conjunction of the planets only happens ever 800 years or so, so naturally everyone is talking about it. And since it will be happening on the winter solstice, it’s being dubbed the “Christmas Star.” And all this talk about the conjunction of the planets got us thinking about where is the best place in Southern Utah to observe this Christmas Star, and for that matter, any and all celestial phenomenon.

Photo by Robert Hill via unsplash.com

Dark Skies for Everyone

Luckily for us, there is an organization that helps promote and protect the best places in the world to stargaze. Enter the International Dark-Sky Association. They strive to prevent light pollution from ruining our chances at seeing stars, meteor showers, Great Conjunctions and anything else going on up there. They work with local communities and municipalities, national and state parks, and with areas under development to make sure there are places where we can all go to stargaze. And, it turns out, a lot of those International Dark-Sky Places are located here in Southern Utah. Which means that we might just have the best locations for viewing the Christmas Star. Here’s a brief list of some of the places that you might consider visiting this 21st of December, and also any other time that you want to see the night sky in all its glory. (You can also go here to see the complete list of Dark-Sky Places, because not everyone can be in Southern Utah this solstice.)

• Arches National Park
• Bryce Canyon National Park
• Dead Horse Point State Park
• Capitol Reef National Park
• Goblin Valley State Park
• The Town of Torrey, Utah
• Bryce Canyon National Park
• Cedar Breaks National Monument
• Natural Bridges National Monument
• Rainbow Bridge National Monument

Photo by Brooke Lark via unsplash.com

Where to Look For the Great Conjunction

Okay so if you can make it to one of these International Dark-Sky Place on Monday the 21st, where should you look to see the Great Conjunction? It will be occurring in the the southwestern sky near the horizon line, so make sure you have an un-obstructed view to the southwest (no trees, no mountains, etc.). You should be able to see the two planets coming together shortly after sunset. But the Great Conjunction won’t last long. Jupiter and Saturn will have set approximately two-and-a-half hours after the sun goes down.

So grab your telescopes, binoculars, blankets, coats, and provisions. Maybe grab a star chart, or download a stargazing app. Then find a good location in a Dark-Sky Place, and enjoy a few hours with the new Christmas Star!