The park was established in 1971 to preserve and protect the cultural history and rugged geological wonders of the area. Originally called “Wayne Wonderland”, the name Capitol Reef came from two impressions: The first impression came from early settlers who thought the large white sandstone domes resembled the U.S. Capitol building. The second impression also came from early travelers who faced the formidable barrier “reef” created by the sheer cliffs of the Waterpocket Fold (a long ridge in the Earth’s crust).
We spend the night in Hanksville. In the morning, we drive UT-24 to Capitol Reef
National Park
The first historic building we see is the Behunin
Cabin (built 1882). The only thing here
is the cabin and its history. Elijah
Behunin, his wife Tabitha, and 11 of their 13 children lived here in the
1890s. We walk around this slightly
larger than a postage-stamp size structure and wonder how so many people could
live in this tiny cabin. A little
research reveals the answer.
Behunin Cabin
