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Capitol Reef National Park Is Turning 50

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By NPT Staff - December 13th, 2021

Capitol Reef National Turns 50

Capitol Reef National Turns 50/NPS

Capitol Reef National Park, an oft-overlooked wonder in Utah, will celebrate its 50th year as a national park on December 18, with the celebration continuing throughout 2022.

Over the next year the park will share stories, historic events, visitor experiences, and visions of the future through social media posts, community events, and ranger-led programs. Special 50th anniversary items are for sale in the Capitol Reef Natural History Association store located in the park visitor center.

Today, more than 1.2 million people visit the park each year. For 50 years, Capitol Reef visitors have been learning, recreating, and forming connections with nature, the past, and each other. Use the hashtag #CapitolReef50 to share personal stories and memories of your time visiting the park.

After years of local advocacy by Ephraim Pectol and Joseph Hickman among others, Capitol Reef was established as a national monument by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1937. An Act of Congress designated Capitol Reef National Park in 1971 to preserve the striking geologic landscape including the Waterpocket Fold, Cathedral Valley, and their associated ecosystems, as well as magnificent scenery, rich human history, scientific value, and wilderness character.

You can learn more about the park’s last 50 years and how to participate in the celebration by visiting the park website.

For additional information on the park, dive into the Traveler's archives:

A History Of Apples At Capitol Reef

Capitol Reef National Park: Winter Solitude & Silence

National Parks Traveler Episode 111: Reviving Capitol Reef's Orchards

The Capitol Reef Reader

National Parks Traveler Episode 22: What Do You Know About Capitol Reef National Park?

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