One of the great things about living in southeastern Utah is having a foliage season that just keeps going - from mid-September all the way into early November. Rhonda and I love making the three-hour drive from Moab to the San Juan Mountains in Colorado for the brilliant aspen show in late September and early October. But just when that color starts to fade, the cottonwoods in southern Utah take center stage. I’ve even captured peak color around Moab as late as Veterans Day!
One of our favorite spots for late-season color - and our favorite national park, period - is Capitol Reef (also a three hour drive from Moab). The park’s washes are lined with golden cottonwoods, and the Fremont River nourishes a patchwork of historic orchards right in its heart.
Here are a few photos from our most recent visit to Capitol Reef near the end of October, when the cottonwoods were glowing at their best.
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| Fremont River |
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| Navajo Dome |
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| Caineville Mesa |
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| Navajo Sandstone |
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| Fruit Orchard |
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| Fruit Orchard |
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| Fruita |
Photography Tips
Autumn photography in Capitol Reef can be as simple as cruising through the park and keeping an eye out for flashes of color. If you’re arriving from the east, don’t overlook the stretch of Highway 24 between Hanksville and the park boundary - golden cottonwoods line the washes here, glowing against the sculpted gray mesas of Caineville. The contrast between those industrial-looking formations and the bright foliage is pure visual drama.
Once inside the park, cottonwoods take center stage - they’re by far the most common trees, and in fall, gold is the name of the game. The Fremont River winds close to the highway in several spots, and its banks are lined with cottonwoods. When you hear the sound of the river, don’t hesitate to wander a little way through the brush to find new perspectives and reflections.
Continuing along, the cream-colored Navajo Sandstone formations provide a soft, luminous backdrop for the trees. As you continue west and approach the heart of the park, red cliffs begin to dominate, offering a completely different color palette - fiery gold leaves set against deep crimson rock.
At the park’s center lies historic Fruita, where the combination of old homesteads, grazing deer, and rows of fruit orchards (apple, peach, and pear) adds a pastoral touch to the desert setting. Thanks to irrigation, the trees here often hold their color longer than elsewhere in the park, giving photographers an extended season to capture autumn’s glow.
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