Fruita is a historic area in the park. Early settlers planted all types of fruit and nut trees.

When trees are ripe they mark them and you can pick and eat them. Whatever you eat while you are there is free and anything you take out is $1 a pound.

After we ate our pies we watched a deer eat apples that had fallen. She didn't mind us taking pictures and watching her at all. (I didn't use my phone-whoops)

When we went to pick at an orchard we found several hanging out under trees.

We found the nasty "tank". No, I would not let them even put a finger tip in. I have no desire to discover some flesh eating bacteria on this trip.

After our hikes and the start of rain, we headed to this cute little house in the park for pie and ice cream for the girls.

Dessert first it is!

Our next hike was Capitol Gorge. This was another hike through a canyon's wash.

The girls learned about flash floods in canyons at the aquarium in Denver and were nervous to hike in canyons. We hiked this morning and happened to be pulling out just as raindrops fell. They were happy with that.

There was a hike up to see "tanks" which held water. Imagine standing water...ew. But on we went.

Grand Wash Trail heading back. What a scene.

We have gone without injury most of the trip. Mainly a few shoe rubs for the youngest. Today, she stepped on a rock that was loose. She scrapped her shin good. No tears but something to whine about.

For a distraction, we ended up playing a game where someone would name a first name and someone else would use the last name of a famous person. If you named someone first you got to throw out the next first name. Some examples were:

Jimmy - Fallon!
George - Washington!
Jackson - Heath! (Totally famous to the girls!)
Jackson - Abraham Lincoln!
David - Bumgarner... 😍
Philip - (Kevin yells Rivers and the girls yell Brown!) I told them Phillip Brown is not famous and Embree Claire quickly noted, "He probably thinks he is." 🤣

This made the hike go by without fuss. Of course it took us our last park to figure it out.

It also gives you insight to what your kids know and think.

At one point I said "Big" thinking Bird and Sidney Kate popped up with "Biggie Smalls." Wait-what?

Our first hike was Grand Wash Trail. This was neat and similar to The Narrows at Zion but without water. It was also wider. The girls enjoyed the climbing opportunities.

Today was Capitol Reef (pretty sure I spelled it wrong earlier-meh)

We flew by the visitors center, I blame lack of appropriate signage; Kevin blames me. Side note: the hotel was el yucko last night, so I blame lack of sleep.

Anyway, this allowed us to see petroglyphs before hiking.

So they have open ranges out here. Cows be roaming.

Also-yes to this shirt.

Tomorrow is Capital Reef. Our last National Park.

I'm now in love. 53 Parks. 5 down...time to plan the next ones!

The terrain changes in an instant out here. It's so refreshing and keeps things interesting. Temperature rises and lowers over mountains-just wild in my opinion.

We went from sandy white with no trees to a forest with aspen trees.

The second picture is Hwy 12. Holy cow y'all. I'm not even kidding. We were driving on the top ridge of a mountain with nothing but cliffs on both sides.

The last picture is where I tried to capture it all. In the far off you see the red rocks, white sandstone and forest we were in. God is amazing. His creation is something to be in awe over.

After doing the trail we went back and got our car. Then drove to the top and stopped at overlooks in the way down.

We were beat.

The walk back up wasn't as fun for all, but it had more amazing creations.

The walk back up wasn't as fun for all, but it had more amazing creations.