On the east side of Capitol Reef stands Navajo Dome. This kind of feature abounds in the park and is what earned the park its name. Early visitors thought the domes looked like capitol buildings. Many of the first navigators, who crossed this terrain looking for routes for pioneers, hailed from maritime backgrounds. When they found unnavigable land, they often dubbed it a "reef," much as a barrier reef is impassable by ship.
Six hundred to a thousand years before frontiersman came through this area, it was inhabited by the Fremonts. We visited an ancient granary constructed by them, which was cemented together with mud. Stone doors covered the entrance, which were then cemented with mud, as well. This kept out rodents.
The park is beautiful today beneath the blue sky, ice thick along the banks of the Fremont River as it meanders through the park.