12 months of national parks — No. 2, Capitol Reef: 'People shouldn't be here'

This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

I once took a friend from back east to Capitol Reef. It was her first trip to any desert.

We stopped at a scenic pullout and gazed over the beautiful, rocky loneliness. My friend's eyes got big, and she whispered:

"People shouldn't be here."

I had forgotten that the seemingly-barren otherworldliness of Capitol Reef could feel hostile, especially to someone rooted in a green place with plenty of water. But when I took my 2-year-old daughter there in October, the second of our 12 months of national parks, I started to feel the vulnerability.

On the happy side: October is one of the best months to visit. The weather is still warm during the day but not overwhelmingly hot. The nights are cool but not freezing.

And you mostly have the place to yourself. Whether that is a comfort depends on your personality and experience.

As my car rumbled down the dusty Notom-Bullfrog Road, I wondered how long I might have to wait alone in the desert with my toddler for help if I were to have car trouble. A little thread in my mind started to tighten. After we pulled over and hiked into Surprise Canyon, an oncoming jogger reached the parking lot behind us and drove away in the only car that was there, other than ours.

We were completely alone.

I could feel another mental string tightening. Maybe this is an extrovert's lizard-brain reaction to solitude. My daughter Saskia and I shuffled quietly through the sand into the beautiful, shaded canyon. I was inspired. Not relaxed — but inspired.

The canyons of Capitol Reef channel what water is available to a rich palette of plants, fascinating in its textural and colorful diversity. The spears of yucca intersect the rubbery blobs of Buffaloberry. The billowing, buttered-popcorn fall display of Shadscale gives way to the prickly, chilly blue of Utah Holly. Through the silence we heard every leaf in every breeze. Even if people shouldn't be here, life should be.

When Saskia got tired and needed to be carried out, I stepped back into the glaring sun with her in my arms and hoped to see another hiker. Not a thing was wrong; I just like to know someone else is there. But no one was.

We drove to the visitors center and found a crowd at Fruita. It was the annual Harvest Festival! I felt myself starting to unwind as we chatted with tourists and folks from Torrey. Saskia and I munched on fruit and ice cream and twirled each other to a band called the Capitol Reefers.

As we headed back to our tent down at the remote Cedar Mesa campground, I felt ready for another trip into solitude. But I'll admit, I needed a little break from it.

Lots of people feel the opposite way: They crave solitude and feel disappointed to find themselves with other humans in nature. Much has been made lately of crowds at the national parks. I can't say I've had that problem, but I've been in a good position to avoid the masses, visiting mostly during the quiet seasons and checking out some parks that don't get as much traffic.

If you aren't tied to a school year schedule, off-season travel is the way to go. Just take a friend if you need a reassurance that you're in a place where people should be.

National Park Hike: Surprise Canyon in Capitol Reef

This is a great hike for young children, but the approach may be a bit hot during the summer months. Go in clear weather to avoid flash floods. You can find trail details in our Hike of the Week. A trail map is available on Google Maps.

12 Months of National Parks — No. 1, Acadia: Small children love nature, but on their own level

— Erin Alberty

Twitter: @erinalberty