Capitol Reef National Park Orchards

"Family Memory Maker"

I took a perfect picture: Daddy and 3 year old hand-in-hand walking through an orchard in a National Park after picking a bushel of apples.  All families have those days that just bring you together.  One of my family’s days was picking apples in Capitol Reef National Park.

Maybe it’s my 3 year olds obsession with the Wonder Pets theme song, but I kept thinking “when we work together we got the right stuff!”  We did work together.  11 year old reached; Daddy directed; Mommy took pictures; 3 year old gathered; and 7 year old ate!  Before long we had a bushel of apples and requests for a homemade apple pie.

Capitol Reef National Park has a small area called the “Fruita district”.  This is the place that early settlers planted orchards along the towering red rock cliffs.  The park service has continued to care for the orchards and allows visitors to pick their own fresh fruit in this amazing setting.  We arrived later in the harvest when only pears and apples were available.  Earlier visitors can pick apricots, cherries and peaches.  Ladders and hand-held fruit pickers are provided.   The apples were sold at $1/pound with the option to eat what you want while in the orchard.  We all agreed that the apples we picked were the best apples we had ever eaten!  

I would highly recommend visiting Capital Reef National Park during harvest.  This activity was a ton of fun with kids.  We made some great family memories; and I guess I’ll make a great apple pie!