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56-544: Maligne Canyon is a slot canyon located in the Jasper National Park near Jasper, Alberta , Canada . Eroded out of the Palliser Formation , the canyon measures over 50 metres (160 ft) deep. Popular for sightseeing and exploration, the area contains waterfalls, underground stream outlets, birds and plant life. While visually striking and unusual, slot canyons are a common occurrence within

112-552: A 180,000-acre (72,800 ha) national park and an adjunct 48,000-acre (19,400 ha) national recreation area where multiple use (including grazing ) could continue indefinitely. In the United States Senate , meanwhile, Senate bill S. 531 had already passed on July 1, 1970, and provided for a 230,000-acre (93,100 ha) national park alone. The bill called for a 25-year phase-out of grazing. In September 1970, United States Department of Interior officials told

168-856: A few more remote parts of Australia, including Karijini National Park and the Bungle Bungles in Purnululu National Park , both in Western Australia , and Carnarvon Gorge in Queensland . Southern Utah has the densest population of slot canyons in the world with over one thousand slot canyons in the desert lands south of Interstate 70 . Utah's slot canyons are found in Zion National Park at The Narrows , along Canyonlands National Park 's Joint Trail , throughout Capitol Reef National Park , within

224-675: A flash flood. On August 12, 1997, eleven tourists, seven from France, one from the United Kingdom, one from Sweden and two from the United States, were killed in Lower Antelope Canyon by a flash flood. Very little rain fell at the site that day, but an earlier thunderstorm had dumped a large amount of water into the canyon basin, seven miles upstream. The lone survivor of the flood was tour guide Francisco "Poncho" Quintana, who had prior swift-water training. At

280-427: A house subcommittee session that they preferred about 254,000 acres (103,000 ha) be set aside as a national park. They also recommended that the grazing phase-out period be 10 years, rather than 25. They did not favor the adjunct recreation area. It was not until late 1971 that Congressional action was completed. By then, the 92nd United States Congress was in session and S. 531 had languished. A new bill, S. 29,

336-527: A quasi-military expedition of Mormons in pursuit of natives penetrated the high valleys to the west. In the 1870s, settlers moved into these valleys, eventually establishing Loa , Fremont , Lyman , Bicknell , and Torrey . Mormons settled the Fremont River valley in the 1880s and established Junction (later renamed Fruita ), Caineville , and Aldridge . Fruita prospered, Caineville barely survived, and Aldridge died. In addition to farming, lime

392-493: A slot canyon in Grand Canyon National Park. She was a customer with a commercial rafting group that camped overnight about a quarter of a mile from a slot canyon. Five other people with serious injuries were airlifted from the canyon as a result of the same flash flood. [REDACTED] Media related to Slot canyons at Wikimedia Commons Capitol Reef National Park Capitol Reef National Park

448-535: A very small number of streams will form slot canyons due to a combination of the particular characteristics of the rock and regional rainfall. Slot canyons are found in many parts of the world, predominantly in areas with low rainfall. Some of the best-known slot canyons are to be found in the Southwestern United States . Other significant areas include the Sierra de Guara in northern Spain ,

504-471: A volunteer until 1950, when the NPS offered him a civil-service appointment as the first superintendent. During the 1950s Kelly was deeply troubled by NPS management acceding to demands of the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission that Capitol Reef National Monument be opened to uranium prospecting. He felt that the decision had been a mistake and destructive of the long-term national interest. It turned out that there

560-579: A warp in the Earth's crust that is 65 million years old. It is the largest exposed monocline in North America. In this fold, newer and older layers of earth folded over each other in an S-shape. This warp, probably caused by the same colliding continental plates that created the Rocky Mountains , has weathered and eroded over millennia to expose layers of rock and fossils . The park

616-515: Is a national park of the United States in south-central Utah . The park is approximately 60 miles (100 km) long on its north–south axis and just 6 miles (10 km) wide on average. The park was established in 1971 to preserve 241,904 acres (377.98 sq mi; 97,895.08 ha; 978.95 km ) of desert landscape and is open all year, with May through September being the highest visitation months. Partially in Wayne County, Utah ,

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672-1066: Is a spectacular slot canyon in the Teplice Mountains called Little Siberia due to the microclimate, which is several degrees colder than the surrounding area. The canyons in Teplice are surrounded by pillar-like rock formations which resemble various animals and were the site where The Chronicles of Narnia were filmed. Slot canyons can have hazards such as falling rocks, unsteady terrain, narrow slots, slippery surfaces, blockages, steep descents and ascents, potholes, whirlpools (siphons), cold water, duckunders, long swims, fast flowing water, and flash floods. The consequences of falling victim to these hazards can be exacerbated by difficulties or dangers for rescue teams accessing canyons or canyon regions. Notable incidents have occurred in slot canyons due to hazardous water conditions, particularly dangerous flash flooding caused by local as well as distant storms. Hikers should not enter slot canyons if there

728-572: Is any sign of rain in the surrounding area. In many slot canyons, it can be miles before a safe exit or rescue is possible. Fatalities have occurred in Australia's Blue Mountains due to flash flooding or hazardous water conditions. Drowning deaths have been recorded in Claustral Canyon, Bowen Creek North Canyon, Empress Canyon, Arethusa Canyon and Wollangambe Canyon. On the 31st of January 1982, three people died in Claustral Canyon due to

784-648: Is filled with brilliantly colored sandstone cliffs, gleaming white domes, and contrasting layers of stone and earth. The area was named for a line of white domes and cliffs of Navajo Sandstone, each of which looks somewhat like the United States Capitol building, that run from the Fremont River to Pleasant Creek on the Waterpocket Fold. The fold forms a north-to-south barrier that has barely been breached by roads. Early settlers referred to parallel impassable ridges as "reefs", from which

840-488: Is growing in popularity in the park. It is a recreational sport that takes one through slot canyons. It involves rappelling and may require swimming and other technical rope work. Day-pass permits are required for canyoneering in the park and can be obtained for free from the visitor's center or through email. It's key to know that each route requires its own permit. If one is planning on canyoneering for multiple days, passes are required for each day. Overnight camping as part of

896-626: The Colorado River . The action was controversial locally, and NPS staffing at the monument was inadequate to properly manage the additional land. The vast enlargement of the monument and diversification of the scenic resources soon raised another issue: whether Capitol Reef should be a national park , rather than a monument . Two bills were introduced into the United States Congress . A House bill (H.R. 17152) introduced by Utah Congressman Laurence J. Burton called for

952-900: The Cretaceous , similar nonmarine sediments were laid down and became the Dakota Sandstone. Eventually, the Cretaceous Seaway covered the Dakota, depositing the Mancos Shale. Only small remnants of the Mesaverde Group are found, capping a few mesas in the park's eastern section. Near the end of the Cretaceous period, a mountain-building event called the Laramide orogeny started to compact and uplift

1008-688: The Paria Canyon-Vermilion Cliffs Wilderness . Northern Arizona also has a high concentration of slot canyons including Antelope Canyon and Secret Canyon, which are two of the most famous slot canyons located near Page on land owned by the Navajo Nation . Slot canyons are also located in the valley between U.S. Route 89 and the Vermilion Cliffs in Arizona, and can be seen as one descends into

1064-616: The Pyrenees on the border of France and Spain, and the Blue Mountains in New South Wales , Australia . The largest known area of slot canyons in Australia (containing over 900) is in the Blue Mountains , west of Sydney . They occur in a narrow band of sandstone that runs roughly 30 kilometres (19 mi) from east to west, and about 100 kilometres (62 mi) from south to north. The majority of these canyons are in

1120-735: The San Rafael Swell and the Grand Staircase–Escalante National Monument , especially along the Escalante River drainage including Coyote Gulch . Many more slot canyons are located on public Bureau of Land Management and state-owned lands in southern Utah, in areas surrounding the aforementioned parks and monuments. Buckskin Gulch —one of the longest slot canyons in the world—begins in southern Utah and continues into northern Arizona within

1176-524: The Wollemi Wilderness , and are difficult to access. Many canyons within the Wollemi Wilderness have yet to be explored by humans. A small number are regularly visited by canyoners on weekends in summer with those closest to Katoomba being the most frequently visited. The Grand Canyon, near Blackheath, has a tourist track along its rim, but requires abseiling (rappelling) or swimming to visit fully. Sandstone slot canyons can also be found in

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1232-557: The uranium -containing Chinle Formation. The members of the Glen Canyon Group were all laid down in the middle- to late-Triassic during a time of increasing aridity. They include: The San Rafael Group consists of four Jurassic-period formations, from oldest to youngest: Streams once again laid down mud and sand in their channels, on lakebeds, and in swampy plains, creating the Morrison Formation . Early in

1288-565: The Capitol Reef area. This comprised an area extending about two miles (3 km) north of present State Route 24 and about 10 mi (16 km) south, just past Capitol Gorge. The Great Depression years were lean ones for the National Park Service (NPS), the new administering agency. Funds for the administration of Capitol Reef were nonexistent; it was a long time before the first rangers arrived. Administration of

1344-528: The Fremont River. The park was named for its whitish Navajo Sandstone cliffs with dome formations—similar to the white domes often placed on capitol buildings—that run from the Fremont River to Pleasant Creek on the Waterpocket Fold. Locally, reef refers to any rocky barrier to land travel, just as ocean reefs are barriers to sea travel. Capitol Reef encompasses the Waterpocket Fold ,

1400-520: The National Park Service. From early March to mid-October, various fruit—cherries, apricots, peaches, pears, or apples—can be harvested by visitors for a fee. A hiking trail guide is available at the visitor center for both day hikes and backcountry hiking. Backcountry access requires a free permit. Numerous trails are available for hiking and backpacking in the park, with fifteen in the Fruita District alone. The following trails are some of

1456-600: The Native American cultures in this area underwent sudden change, likely due to a long drought. The Fremont settlements and fields were abandoned. Many years after the Fremont left, Paiutes moved into the area. These Numic -speaking people named the Fremont granaries moki huts and thought they were the homes of a race of tiny people or moki . In 1872 Almon H. Thompson , a geographer attached to United States Army Major John Wesley Powell 's expedition, crossed

1512-680: The Senate was not in agreement with the House amendment, differences were worked out in Conference Committee . The Conference Committee issued its report on November 30, 1971, and the bill passed both houses of Congress. The legislation—'An Act to Establish The Capitol Reef National Park in the State of Utah'—became Public Law 92-207 when it was signed by President Richard Nixon on December 18, 1971. In April 2015, Capitol Reef National Park

1568-673: The Waterpocket Fold while exploring the area. Geologist Clarence Dutton later spent several summers studying the area's geology. None of these expeditions explored the Waterpocket Fold to any great extent. Following the American Civil War , officials of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Salt Lake City sought to establish missions in the remotest niches of the Intermountain West . In 1866,

1624-494: The Waterpocket Fold, but most of the park is arid desert. Fremont -culture Native Americans lived near the perennial Fremont River in the northern part of the Capitol Reef Waterpocket Fold around the year 1000. They irrigated crops of maize and squash and stored their grain in stone granaries (in part made from the numerous black basalt boulders that litter the area). In the 13th century, all of

1680-483: The Wayne Wonderland Club. The club raised U.S. $ 150 (equivalent to $ 3,531 in 2023) to interest a Salt Lake City photographer in taking a series of promotional photographs. For several years, the photographer, J. E. Broaddus, traveled and lectured on "Wayne Wonderland". In 1933, Pectol was elected to the legislature and almost immediately contacted President Franklin D. Roosevelt and asked for

1736-405: The area was originally named "Wayne Wonderland" in the 1920s by local boosters Ephraim P. Pectol and Joseph S. Hickman. Capitol Reef National Park was designated a national monument on August 2, 1937, by President Franklin D. Roosevelt to protect the area's colorful canyons, ridges, buttes , and monoliths ; however, it was not until 1950 that the area officially opened to the public. Road access

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1792-472: The area was rearranged and steepened, causing streams to downcut faster and sometimes change course. Wetter times during the ice ages of the Pleistocene increased the rate of erosion. There are more than 840 species of plants that are found in the park and over 40 of those species are classified as rare and endemic. The closest town to Capitol Reef is Torrey , about 11 mi (18 km) west of

1848-453: The canyoneering trip is permitted, but a free backcountry pass must be requested from the visitor center. It is imperative to plan canyoneering trips around the weather. The Colorado Plateau is susceptible to flash flooding during prime rainy months. Because canyoneering takes place through slot canyons, getting caught in a flash flood could be lethal. Visitors are advised to consult reliable weather sources. The Weather Atlas shows charts with

1904-476: The concept of an adjunct Capitol Reef National Recreation Area and adopted the Senate concept of a 25-year limit on continued grazing. The Department of Interior was still recommending a national park of 254,368 acres (102,939 ha) and a 10-year limit for grazing phase-out. S. 29 passed the Senate in June and was sent to the House, which dropped its own bill and passed the Senate version with an amendment. Because

1960-538: The creation of "Wayne Wonderland National Monument" out of the federal lands comprising the bulk of the Capitol Reef area. Federal agencies began a feasibility study and boundary assessment. Meanwhile, Pectol guided the government investigators on numerous trips and escorted an increasing number of visitors. The lectures of Broaddus were having an effect. Roosevelt signed a proclamation creating Capitol Reef National Monument on August 2, 1937. In Proclamation 2246, President Roosevelt set aside 37,711 acres (15,261 ha) of

2016-416: The demand of mushrooming park visitation. At Capitol Reef, a 53-site campground at Fruita, staff rental housing, and a new visitor center were built, the latter opening in 1966. Visitation climbed dramatically after the paved, all-weather State Route 24 was built in 1962 through the Fremont River canyon near Fruita. State Route 24 replaced the narrow Capitol Gorge wagon road about 10 mi (16 km) to

2072-412: The lake for most of the year. The smaller streams that feed the valley below that point rebuild the river by the time it reaches the top of the canyon. The river drops down the canyon and intersects the bedrock layers where the underground river flows. Also at this point numerous large underground streams join and greatly amplify the flow. The canyon is constantly being eroded by the churning and swirling of

2128-462: The most popular in the park: Visitors may explore several of the main areas of the park by private vehicle: The primary camping location is the Fruita campground, with 71 campsites (no water, electrical, or sewer hookups), and restrooms without bathing facilities. The campground also has group sites with picnic areas and restrooms. Two primitive free camping areas are also available. Canyoneering

2184-673: The new monument was placed under the control of Zion National Park . A stone ranger cabin and the Sulphur Creek bridge were built and some road work was performed by the Civilian Conservation Corps and the Works Progress Administration . Historian and printer Charles Kelly came to know NPS officials at Zion well and volunteered to watchdog the park for the NPS. Kelly was officially appointed custodian-without-pay in 1943. He worked as

2240-468: The northern Rocky Mountains . These canyons show the characteristics of karst topography and are common in this region due to the easily soluble nature of the limestone. Flowing out of Medicine Lake , the Maligne River flows about 15 kilometers upstream as a full size river, but as a losing stream , quickly disappears into seeps in the ground and completely vanishes from the surface not far from

2296-414: The park gets the second half of its name. The first paved road was constructed through the area in 1962. State Route 24 cuts through the park traveling east and west between Canyonlands National Park and Bryce Canyon National Park , but few other paved roads invade the rugged landscape. The park is filled with canyons, cliffs, towers, domes, and arches. The Fremont River has cut canyons through parts of

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2352-465: The region, forming the Rocky Mountains and creating monoclines such as the Waterpocket Fold in the park. Ten to fifteen million years ago, the entire region was uplifted much further by the creation of the Colorado Plateau . This uplift was very even. Igneous activity in the form of volcanism and dike and sill intrusion also occurred during this time. The drainage system in

2408-751: The south that frequently washed out. The old road has since been open only to foot traffic. In 1967, 146,598 persons visited the park. The staff was also growing. During the 1960s, the NPS purchased private land parcels at Fruita and Pleasant Creek. Almost all private property passed into public ownership on a "willing buyer-willing seller" basis. Preservationists convinced President Lyndon B. Johnson to set aside an enormous area of public lands in 1968, just before he left office. In Presidential Proclamation 3888 an additional 215,056 acres (87,030 ha) were placed under NPS control. By 1970, Capitol Reef National Monument comprised 254,251 acres (102,892 ha) and sprawled southeast from Thousand Lake Mountain almost to

2464-489: The time, the ladder system consisted of amateur-built wood ladders that were swept away by the flash flood. Today, ladder systems have been bolted in place, and deployable cargo nets are installed at the top of the canyon. A NOAA Weather Radio from the National Weather Service and an alarm horn are stationed at the fee booth. On July 15, 2021, a Michigan woman died in a flash flood that swept through

2520-624: The valley on U.S. 89, but these are on the Navajo reservation and are closed to the public. In New Mexico , Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument 's Slot Canyon Trail is unique as it was carved into tuff (volcanic ash). Many more can be found elsewhere on the Pajarito Plateau in the tuff cliffs between the potreros . There are also large concentrations in the basalt mesas surrounding Mt. Taylor , northwest of Grants , and also near Brimhall Nizhoni . The Plaza Blanca Slot Canyon in

2576-765: The visitor center on Highway 24, slightly west of its intersection with Highway 12 . Its 2020 population was less than 300. Torrey has a few motels and restaurants and functions as a gateway town to the park. Highway 12 and a partially unpaved scenic backway named the Burr Trail provide access from the west through the Grand Staircase–Escalante National Monument and the town of Boulder . A variety of activities are available to tourists, both ranger-led and self-guided, including auto touring, hiking, backpacking, camping, bicycling (on paved and unpaved roads only; no trails), horseback riding, canyoneering, and rock climbing. The orchards planted by Mormon pioneers are maintained by

2632-494: The water. The effect of this has made the width 2 metres (6.6 ft) across at some points and a depth of 50 metres (160 ft). Limestone is one of the most dominant minerals within the canyon. It was deposited in a shallow tropical sea by plankton which secrete limestone. Slot canyon Many slot canyons are formed in sandstone and limestone rock, although slot canyons in other rock types such as granite and basalt are possible. Even in sandstone and limestone, only

2688-752: The white cliffs of the Abiquiu Formation near the town of Abiquiu was the inspiration of some of Georgia O'Keeffe 's paintings. In California , several slot canyons are located within Death Valley National Park . There are a number of slot canyons in Spain, especially in the arid foothills of the Pyrenees, such as on the Balcez river. There is an extensive tourism industry built around canyoning in this region. In Czechia, there

2744-872: The youngest member of the Cutler Formation, the White Rim, is exposed in the park. The deepening sea left carbonate deposits, forming the limestone of the Kaibab Limestone , the same formation that rims the Grand Canyon to the southwest. During the Triassic , streams deposited reddish-brown silt that later became the siltstone of the Moenkopi Formation . Uplift and erosion followed. Conglomerate , followed by logs, sand, mud, and wind-transported volcanic ash , then formed

2800-657: Was designated a "Gold Tier" Dark Sky Park due to its remote location and minimal use of artificial lighting. According to the Köppen climate classification system, the Capitol Reef Visitor Center has a cold semi-arid climate ( BSk ). The area including the park was once the edge of a shallow sea that invaded the land in the Permian , creating the Cutler Formation . Only the sandstone of

2856-479: Was extracted from local limestone , and uranium was extracted early in the 20th century. In 1904 the first claim to a uranium mine in the area was staked. The resulting Oyler Mine in Grand Wash produced uranium ore. By 1920 no more than ten families at one time were sustained by the fertile flood plain of the Fremont River and the land changed ownership over the years. The area remained isolated. The community

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2912-471: Was improved in 1962 with the construction of State Route 24 through the Fremont River Canyon. The majority of the nearly 100 mi (160 km) long up-thrust formation called the Waterpocket Fold —a rocky spine extending from Thousand Lake Mountain to Lake Powell —is preserved within the park. Capitol Reef is an especially rugged and spectacular segment of the Waterpocket Fold by

2968-648: Was increasingly aided by his brother-in-law, Joseph S. Hickman, who was the Wayne County High School principal. In 1924, Hickman extended community involvement in the promotional effort by organizing a Wayne County-wide Wayne Wonderland Club. That same year, Hickman was elected to the Utah State Legislature . In 1933, Pectol was elected to the presidency of the Associated Civics Club of Southern Utah, successor to

3024-402: Was introduced in the Senate by Senator Frank E. Moss of Utah and was essentially the same as the defunct S. 531 except that it called for an additional 10,834 acres (4,384 ha) of public lands for a Capitol Reef National Park. In the House, Utah Representative K. Gunn McKay (with Representative Lloyd) had introduced H.R. 9053 to replace the dead H.R. 17152. This time, the House bill dropped

3080-525: Was later abandoned and later still some buildings were restored by the National Park Service . Kilns once used to produce lime are still in Sulphur Creek and near the campgrounds on Scenic Drive. Local Ephraim Portman Pectol organized a " booster club " in Torrey in 1921. Pectol pressed a promotional campaign, furnishing stories to be sent to periodicals and newspapers. In his efforts, he

3136-434: Was not enough ore in the monument to be worth mining. In 1958 Kelly got additional permanent help in protecting the monument and enforcing regulations; Park Ranger Grant Clark transferred from Zion. The year Clark arrived, fifty-six thousand visitors came to the park, and Charlie Kelly retired for the last time. During the 1960s (under the program name Mission 66 ), NPS areas nationwide received new facilities to meet

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