Capitol Reef and Goblin Valley

We still had National Parks to visit in the fall.  We decided to go with my family to Capitol Reef National Park in September.

We had lunch at a nice park in Capitol Reef.  We picked delicious apples from the trees in the orchard there and were visited by a herd of deer.

Deer looking for a little lunch.

After lunch we went for a hike to a natural bridge.  There were lots of cool rock formations that had been carved by water along the way.

Sophie and Katrina rest in a small cave. 

Under the arch.

Maggie gets hand cuffed by the mountain.  

Our next day was a trip to Goblin Valley.  It's not a national park, but awesome none the less.  The main "hike" is just off the picnic area.  You walk down in to a basin that is full of these neat goblins.  There's no actual trail, just a lot of fun rock formations to explore.  

Resting in the shade.

Caleb and Aaron.

Katrina had so much fun climbing all over.  "Take my picture, Mom."  

This one looks like a camel. 

We found a cool cave to climb into.  

Lance and Abbot Junior Rangers.

This trip wins as the wettest.  It down poured on us the last night, leaking into our tent.  It wasn't so bad in the morning, but it was raining as we packed up.  We had to go home and dry everything out.  It also wins for the best hike.  The hike we went on in Goblin Valley was so much fun.  It was just exploring and climbing.  

And this trip wins for the most exciting ending.  As we're packing up, Aaron realizes he doesn't have the keys to his car.  (We had driven up separately.)  We look every where around camp, but can't find them.  We drove out to the town, where we had cell signal, and tried to get a locksmith to help.  It was Sunday, which lowered the number of locksmiths available, and none of the people we contacted could help.  We finally decided to drive out by way of Goblin Valley to see if maybe they got turned in there, as that was the last time Aaron remembered having them.  We finally found them at the gas station we had stopped at the night before for drinks.  They had fallen out of Aaron's pocket.  So, three hours after we started to leave, we actually did leave.  It was a long day in the car.