- State: UT
- NPCA Region: Southwest
- Est. Date: 1937
Air Quality Conditions
View the Polluted Parks ReportVisibility
Unsatisfactory
Health
Unsatisfactory
Nature
Significant Concern
Climate Change Threats
This park protects a grand and colorful geologic feature known as the Waterpocket Fold, a 100-mile wrinkle in the Earth's crust known as a monocline that extends from nearby Thousand Lakes Mountain to Lake Powell. The park also preserves the unique natural and cultural history of the Fremont people who lived throughout Utah and adjacent states from 700 to 1300 AD. The park features petroglyphs, pictograms and artifacts of the Fremont people, as well as a wealth of layered sandstone rock formations, multicolored mesas and buttes, and sweeping, colorful desert views in all directions.
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Blog Post
Advocates Save 85,000 Acres in Utah from Oil and Gas Development — for Now
A coalition of elected officials, tribal leaders, business owners, outdoor enthusiasts and public land advocates successfully pressured the Bureau of Land Management to remove Moab-area…
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Blog Post
Celebrate Dark Skies at These 27 National Parks
Lay out a blanket after the sun goes down and see a clearer view of the universe at these designated dark-sky parks.
My Park Story
Greetings from Capitol Reef National Park
Bettye and I have hiked trails in most of our wonderful national parks, but our hike through beautiful Cohab Canyon to the high point overlook is particularly memorable. The weather was perfect and the views spectacular. Setting our camera on a rock and using the timer, our joy for having…
More about Capitol Reef
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Read more about Our Southwestern National Parks Deserve Cleaner Air
NPCA at Work Our Southwestern National Parks Deserve Cleaner Air Clean air is within reach for our Southwestern national parks.
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Read more about Park Service Reverses Decision to Open Utah Parks to Off-Road Vehicles
Blog Post Park Service Reverses Decision to Open Utah Parks to Off-Road Vehicles After significant public pressure, including thousands of messages from NPCA supporters, the National Park Service reversed a decision that would have allowed certain off-road vehicles on paved and dirt roads in national parks and monuments in Utah.
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Read more about Park Advocates Applaud Decision to Keep Off-Road Vehicles Out of Utah National Parks and Monuments
Press Release Park Advocates Applaud Decision to Keep Off-Road Vehicles Out of Utah National Parks and Monuments Decision maintains commonsense park resource protections and promotes visitor safety
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Read more about 10 Scenic National Park Drives
Blog Post 10 Scenic National Park Drives These 10 parks offer incredible views of some of America's most beautiful places with plenty of opportunities to get out and explore along the way.
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They are my sanctuary, places of peace where I can go to fill my heart and mind with the quiet beauty of nature, where a bubbling brook, a majestic mountain, or desert solitude can give me new strength to continue on with the journey of life! — Charity Hagen
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Read more about Fuel Your Park Adventure: 10 Great Restaurants Near National Parks
Blog Post Fuel Your Park Adventure: 10 Great Restaurants Near National Parks Restaurants just outside national parks can be destinations in their own right. Our staff recommends 10 eateries where you can enjoy local delicacies.
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Read more about Oil, Gas Leasing Threatens 7 Western National Parks
Press Release Oil, Gas Leasing Threatens 7 Western National Parks New report details dangers of development near park lands.
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Read more about Oil, Gas Leasing Threatens 7 Western National Parks
Report Oil, Gas Leasing Threatens 7 Western National Parks New report details dangers of development near park lands
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Read more about The 10 Most-Visited Parks — and Less-Visited Side Trips
Blog Post The 10 Most-Visited Parks — and Less-Visited Side Trips It's no surprise millions of people flock to America's most celebrated national parks. But did you know about these 10 lesser-known sites nearby?
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Read more about Why See Utah If You Can't See It Clearly?
Blog Post Why See Utah If You Can't See It Clearly? A new plan to clean up haze in the Southwest could help both parks and people—but without public action, Utah could be subjected to the same pollution problems it's had for years.
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Read more about Starry, Starry Nights
Magazine Article Starry, Starry Nights Capitol Reef joins an elite group of dark-sky parks.
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Read more about Generating Controversy
Magazine Article Generating Controversy The Navajo Generating Station was supposed to improve the lives of the native people living in its shadow, but its only real legacy is the polluted skies over the American Southwest.
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Read more about Power Plants in the Four Corners Region
Report Power Plants in the Four Corners Region Map of national parks and power plants in the Four Corners region
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Read more about Commercial Beef Cattle in America’s National Parks: Are You Serious?
Blog Post Commercial Beef Cattle in America’s National Parks: Are You Serious? Cattle grazing is not compatible with responsible public land management practices in most cases. Yet new legislation could double the length of time commercial ranchers can graze their animals.
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