The Golden Throne

Saturday August 30, 2014
Fruita Campground
Capitol Reef National Park, Utah

 

Thank you all so much for your friendship, kind thoughts and wishes on the last post.  There is nothing we can do about any of this other than turn around and go back to the doctors.  So we are carrying on crossing our fingers that injections are not the only possible next step since that will bring our travels to a halt.  Multiple Myeloma is a vicious disease and a sneaky one.

 

 

In order to reach the Golden Throne trailhead you have to take the scenic drive all the way to the end and then drive 2.5 miles down a dirt road.  The trail head is actually called Capitol Gorge since it is the trailhead for both the Capitol Gorge and the Golden Throne trails. 

We arrive just as the color is coming into the sky. We are the only car in the parking lot. The map is somewhat worn but we can see that the trail is winding and goes UP. It’s a round trip of 4 miles.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We are going to the base of the Golden Throne.  Sounds pretty exciting doesn’t it?  A golden throne! 

 

 

 

 

The trail becomes narrow and and winds around the edge of the cliffs above the dirt road which brought us in.  When the rains come, this road is a wash and impassible.  They suggest you check the weather before coming on either of these hikes as people have gotten stranded in here unable to get out.

 

 

 

 

When it’s on the flat, the trail widens out and is often marked with cairns or what I call the stone highway.    That really helps since these rock faces are large and you might think you should turn to the right rather than the left. 

Someone asked in a previous comment what cairns were. They are a stack of rocks that tells you where the trail goes if there is no path. They sometimes also mark special places.

 

 

Much of the trail is very rocky and often narrow.  Yes go right up that narrow little thing and between those rocks.

 

 

It isn’t long before we are high above the road.  The view is enough to take your breath away.

 

This rock was right off the path to the left and seemed to be just about ready to fall into the deep ravine we were walking around.

 

 

Pause for a rest at a flat spot before more up hill.

 

 

Another stone highway, thank you!

 

 

 

After about a mile of up, we get our first sight of what we think is the Golden Throne.  Looks more like a dome to me and I kept calling it the Golden Dome rather than the Golden Throne.

 

 

I zoom in.  It’s definitely golden.  Does it look like a throne to you?  

 

The trail winds around and gives us several different views of the throne.

 

 

 

In addition to the tricky trail and the fabulous views there are wonderful things right along beside us and just below us.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sometimes you have to get down really close to take a good look.  Here the trail goes out beyond that slanting rock just on the edge of the canyon.

 

 

 

The dead tree art is really striking.

 

 

The red line just below those gorgeous red rocks is the trail.  I’m zooming back from around the bend and up the other side.

 

 

 

 

Be sure to wear good boots for these rocky up hills.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We’re moving in on it.

 

 

The golden throne has a beauty of a top knob.

 

 

 

I’ve made it to the end of the trail and watch David coming up with the Golden Dome in the background.

 

 

 

The sign ‘End of Trail’ really does make you laugh when you get there.   I’m sure glad they didn’t take us up on top of the Golden Throne.  To the base is enough climbing for me.

 

 

We spend perhaps an hour up here enjoying the stunning views in every direction.  We find a super picnic spot with a throne view and enjoy our for snacks.   I lay down on this big rock and just breathe in the beauty.

 

 

 

What an amphitheater!

 

 

 

We’ve had this gorgeous spot all to ourselves for a very long time now when we hear voices coming up the trail and decide it’s time to head back.  People seem to always give themselves away.  I wonder if they ever see any wildlife with so much talking, and so loudly too.

Back down we go.

 

 

 

 

 

The colors of the dirt and the rocks are so spectacular that I can’t help but want to show you just how amazing they are.  These shots were taken from a variety of spots along the trail.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lizards are our only wildlife today but we see numerous ones and they really are beautiful.   Look at his colors.

 

 

 

 

 

We come around to where we can see the road again but it still looks very far away.

 

 

 

Well look at the parking lot now.  I’m sure glad we are coming back rather than going up.  I can’t even see Ruby.

 

 

The hike is over but the fun isn’t.  I couldn’t get any pictures of the absolutely fantastic road in here this morning because we were driving right into the sun and didn’t want to delay our start on the trail.  But now take a look at this.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We turn around so I cam get a picture of the warning sign coming in.  You sure wouldn’t want to be on this road in a flash flood.

 

 

These shots were taken on the paved scenic drive which begins at the campground and goes to the dirt road.  They aren’t kidding about scenic.

 

 

 

That’s what we did for the morning and here’s what we did for the afternoon.   And by the way, the peach pie was absolutely superb!!   Pictures of it on another day.   We tried the cherry first because David makes the best cherry pie in the world and we wanted to compare.  His only rival is Grand Traverse Pie Company.