Capitol Reef National Park By : Davis Sheppard Capitol Reef National Park By: Davis Sheppard In 1928, Ephraim Pectol was elected to the Utah State legislature. He began a campaign to try to draw attention to the Waterpocket Fold area of Capitol Reef. In 1937, President Roosevelt put aside about 37,000 acres of the Capitol Reef as a national monument. The amount of visitors in NPS areas was growing very quickly. Nearly 150,000 people were visiting Capital Reef each year. In 1970, bills were introduced into congress to see if Capitol Reef should be a national park. Officials recommended that 254,000 acres should be set aside as a national park, and that legislation was signed by President Nixon on December 18, When Did It Become a National Park? Map Of Capitol Reef George Fremont Trail Lower Muley Twist Canyon Sheer Wingate Sandstone Cliffs Mummy Cliffs Lower Muley Canyon Twist Fremont George Overlook Trail U.S. Map With Capitol Reef U.S. Map With National Parks Pollution from areas around the park, and the park itself, is greatly affecting the environment. Animals may consume trash from visitor, which can be harmful. The food chains may be in danger too, as other non-native animals are finding ways into the park. Below is a link to the species of animals that have been accounted for in Capitol Reef Mar15-2_1.jpgMar15-2_1.jpg Environmental Issues Capitol Reef is known for the Waterpocket Fold, running 100 miles throughout the park. It forms a very steep step-up, called a monocline, in an area with mostly flat layers. It was formed nearly 70 million years ago when a fault buried underneath the surface moved and created the monocline. Erosion has greatly affected this fold. It has created colorful cliffs and massive domes. The Waterpocket Fold has tilted the rock layers to the east. Older rocks are found in the western part of the park, and younger rocks are found in the east. Special Landforms There is also Capitol Reef itself, which can be found near the Gorge Fremont River. Its named for its white domes made of Navajo Sandstone and its rocky cliffs. Rocks found in this area can range from 270 million to 80 million years old. Special Landforms A boardwalk running through the park has been constructed for visitors to use when exploring Capitol Reef. The reason for this is to keep them from endangering the animals by feeding them unhealthy items, harming any plants, and protecting the park grounds. Ways Tech Is Preserving And Maintaining The Park When it gets dark in Capitol Reef, the sky shows a beautiful display. To help preserve this amazing sight, staff members have created an outdoor lighting inventory to help minimize light pollution. They have also chosen to use environmentally friendly light fixtures throughout the park. Ways Technology Is Preserving And Maintaining The Park One type of rock found here is White Rim Sandstone. These rocks are nearly 275 million years old, and they can be found at the base of the Gorge Fremont River. You can find cliffs of Sheer Wingate Sandstone towering over Utah Highway 24. These cliffs also have domes of Navajo Sandstone on the top. Types Of Rocks The Mummy Cliffs in Capitol Reef are made of dark red Moenkopi, which is around 225 million years old and were formed during the Triassic period. Types Of Rocks The Waterpocket Fold was formed somewhere between 50 and 70 million years ago. It was formed when a major mountain forming event, called the Laramide Orogeny, reactivated a fault that was buried underground. When the fault moved, the layers of rock on top formed the monocline that is now the center of attention at Capitol Reef. Erosion is the main contributor to the landscape in the park. Most of the erosion that carved the land took place after the uplift of the Colorado Plateau, which happened around 20 million years ago. How Was The Park Formed? The land inside Capitol Reef will continue to change and create new formations. Weathering and erosion will form new rocks and change the shape and size of the parks features. The rock layers of the Waterpocket Fold will slowly erode and reveal new rock layers to see at Capitol Reef. How Is The land Currently Changing United States. National Park Service. Park Founders. National Park Service. U.S. Department of the Interior, 22 Nov Web. 22 Nov Map of Capitol Reef National Park. MapsofNet. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Nov Lower Muley Twist Canyon and Hamburger Rocks (Capitol Reef National Park, UT). Live and Let Hike. N.p., 30 Mar Web. 22 Nov Fremont Gorge Overlook Trail (Capitol Reef National Park, UT). Live and Let Hike. N.p., 21 Dec Web. 22 Nov U.S. National Park Pictures: Map. U.S. National Park Pictures: Map. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Nov United States. National Park Service. Geology. National Parks Service. U.S. Department of the Interior, 27 Nov Web. 28 Nov Cloudless Conditions, Clear Air Boost Capitol Reef to International Dark Sky Park. The Salt Lake Tribune N.p., n.d. Web. 06 Dec United States. National Park Service. Frequently Asked Questions. National Parks Service. U.S. Department of the Interior, 13 Dec Web. 13 Dec Panoramic Picture/Photo: Mummy Cliffs. Capitol Reef National Park. Panoramic Picture/Photo: Mummy Cliffs. Capitol Reef National Park. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Dec Capitol reef National Park, Utah, USA North to South. N.p., 20 July Web. 24 Jan United States. National Park Service. "Photo Gallery (U.S. National Park Service)." National Parks Service. U.S. Department of the Interior, 24 Jan Web. 24 Jan "Don't Feed the Animals." Elisha Vision Commentary. N.p., 01 Mar Web. 24 Jan "Food Web and Food Chain." Food Web and Food Chain. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Jan Bibliography