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TEACHER INFORMATION
PLANNING A FIELD TRIP TO CAPITOL REEF
The following suggestions will help you to plan a safe and rewarding
educational experience at Capitol Reef. Please review the following
with your group. You can schedule a short Ranger Orientation Program
and slide show viewing for your students at the visitor center
by contacting the park's education outreach specialist, Park Ranger
Cindy Micheli, by phone at 435-425-3791 x112 or by e-mail at
cindy_micheli@nps.gov.
Enjoy your visit!
PRESERVATION
Capitol Reef National park has been set aside by congress to
be preserved for future generations because of its valuable
resources. Inform your students that everything in the national
park is protected, from rocks to wildflowers to wild animals.
Respect wildlife. Stay on designated trails only. Dispose of
trash properly. Leave no trace.
VISITOR CENTER
The park visitor center has museum exhibits and a ten-minute
slide show. Your group can be scheduled for ranger-led orientation
presentation.
SPECIAL RESOURCE CONCERNS
Cryptobiotic soil is vital to the health
of desert ecosystems, and one misstep kills decades of growth.
Take time to read the display in the visitor center and keep
your students single-file on the trails.
Mule Deer offer students an exciting opportunity
to see large wild animals up close. Help them to maintain
a healthy respect for people; keep a 30-foot distance and
do not feed or touch any animal in the park.
Collecting of any kind is prohibited in the park.
Pretty rocks, wildflowers or objects are not souvenirs, but
treasures for the next person to enjoy and learn from. Leave
the park in the same or better condition that you found it.
CULTURAL RESOURCES
Be sure to visit the one-room Historic
Fruita Schoolhouse, the Behunin Cabin, and the Fremont
Culture Petroglyphs, located along Utah Highway 24. The
Historic Gifford Homestead, located
on the Scenic Drive, is open seasonally. Arrangements may be
made for a guided tour of the farmhouse or the schoolhouse for
your group. A pioneer Blacksmith Shop exhibit, located
on the Scenic Drive near the picnic area, is also open to the
public.
RESTROOMS
Facilities are located at the visitor center, picnic area, some
trailheads, at the park's east entrance along Utah Highway 24,
and in the campground (please do not trespass through campsites).
There are no facilities on the trails, so use the restrooms
before you hike.
PICNIC AREA
The picnic area, located on the Scenic Drive south of the visitor
center, is open to all visitors. Picnic tables, metal grills,
a drinking fountain, and shaded grassy areas are available.
Parking is generally adequate for busses.
FEE WAIVERS
Educational Group Fee Waivers are available to groups travelling
the Scenic Drive for educational purposes. Requests must be
submitted two weeks prior to your visit to the Fees Collection Office,
Capitol Reef National Park, HC 70 Box 15,
Torrey UT 84775.
ADDITIONAL ASSISTANCE
Please feel free to contact the park's education outreach specialist,
Park Ranger Cindy Micheli, to arrange for educational presentations,
or for additional information or assistance in planning your
field trip. Call 435-425-3791 x112 or send an e-mail to cindy_micheli@nps.gov.
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