You are here

Popular Swimming Area At Capitol Reef National Park Closed Due To Dangerous Conditions

Share

Capitol Reef officials have closed the Fremont Falls area to swimming due to the dangerous conditions created by this year's tumultuous runoff. Julie Trevelyan photo.

A popular swimming hole in Capitol Reef National Park has been closed for the rest of the summer due to torrential runoff that has created extremely dangerous conditions for swimmers.

Fremont Falls, located about six miles east of the park's visitor center on Highway 24, has witnessed three-near fatalities already this summer, according to park officials. As a result, several area agencies, as well as the Capitol Reef superintendent and the Wayne County (Utah) sheriff, have deemed the falls and their pool too great of a risk to public safety to remain open to swimming.

Created in 1962 by diverting the Fremont River from its natural bed, the original Fremont Falls stretched out approximately 100 feet wide as a thin skiff of water flowing over an underlying sandstone rock formation.

But after decades of erosion caused by natural water action, the Fremont Falls of today channels rapidly through a markedly narrower crevice. As with many waterfalls, the sections immediately above and below the fall itself pose serious threats to swimmers due to the strength of the water's pull.

Three recent near drownings -- on June 20 and July 15 -- prompted the official closure of the falls. Two of the victims were children, and one an adult who jumped in to save one of the children. None of three was breathing, nor did they have a pulse, upon being removed from the water. They were flown to hospitals in northern Utah and, somehow, all three survived with no apparent lasting effects.

“While we certainly want to provide an enjoyable visitor experience in the park, our highest responsibility is to ensure a safe visitor experience," says Capitol Reef Superintendent Al Hendricks. "The three recent near-drownings make it clear that there are serious, life-threatening conditions present at the waterfall for even strong swimmers.”

The extended closure will be lifted when the weather is too cold for swimming. Looking down the road, park officials are looking to reroute the river back to its original streambed next year.

Comments

Rachel:
And Lee, you are so very right. People seem to love suing the NPS because they ignored signs and got hurt.

   The families of the three who waded in the Merced River above Vernal Fall hired a "consultant" to determine if the NPS employed adequate warnings and safeguards. I mean - this sign isn't clear enough on its meaning?

Of course they were somewhat out of touch with reality, given that their kin just fell down over 200 feet onto jagged rocks. They even criticized the NPS for not continuing the search efforts in case one of them might have survived.

This (I heard it was raging even more than this that day) should be a pretty good indicator of the inherent dangers:


Well, I am not afraid to use my full name, nor am I a conspiracy theorist.  (Did I spell that correctly?)  I asked RangerLady about the "authority" as it seemed a strange word to use in the context she was using.  In her second response, she was more clear about not having the "authority" to look up old records, and that makes sense.  However, those types of injuries, accidents, etc. are usually in the local newspaper or in the NPS Digest, etc., made accessible to the general public with everything being online these days.  So how someone could jump to "conspiracy theory" from talking about accidents in parks eludes me. 


Would someone provide a link to the letter to the editor that spawned this discussion?
(Someone indicated this discussion was the result of a letter to the editor... I'm going off of that.)  Thanks


There is no link for that article. The local paper here is not online. I'm going to type it out...it's long...sorry!
I have made many phone calls written many letters and emails this last month. I am very concerned about the Capitol Reef National Park closing it's waterfall. This waterfall is the most enjoyed spot in the Capitol Reef National Park in June, July, August, and September. To fix the waterfall would cost several thousands of dollars to put in a cement dam so the waterfall will cascade over the sandstone. We could have safety devices, like they have in swimming pools and other public recreation areas so if someone is struggling in the water someone can extend help and pull them to safety. Signs that say DANGER, SWIM AT OUR OWN RISK, THE PARK IS NOT RESPONSIBLE IF YOU ARE INJURED OR DIE. Put in a register at the waterfall for comments I'm sure we would have some awesome comments. My family has been swimming here for 50 years. I think if we had a meeting and put all our heads together we could fix the waterfall so it would be safer. However, you know in the past fifty years we have never had anyone die at the waterfall. I would say that is a pretty good record.
 
It seems that Al's (the Park's superintendent) only solution to fixing the waterfall is to get rid of it by putting in two bridges. They would be very dangerous in the winter because everyone knows bridges get icy in the winter. In 2005 the cost was approximately $10,000,000.00. Six years later I'm sure that would be closer to $15,000,000.00 to $20,000,000.00. TO me as a tax payer, I say let's fix the waterfall. If we put this to a vote to the people that come to the park in the summer, when the temperature is 80-100 I'm sure they would agree with me. Al tried to have the two bridges put in in 2005 but the Senators, Congressman, and the State Road were able to stop the project.
 
 


The letter...Part 2...
 
I recently talked to Al and he willing told me that his annual salary was $120,000.00 plus government benefits, so I guess after spending $3,000,000.00 plus on the Scenic Drive, perhaps the amount for the two bridges does not seem to be very much to him, but it sure seems like a lot to me.
You need to know that if the bridges were to be built the jobs would not go to local people but rather to out of county, out of state, or even out of country, like the Hanksville dam, and the Scenic Drive.
 
The waterfall is not the real issue here. It has been Al Hendricks goal since he arrived here in Wayne Co. I believe his goal is to have the two bridges as his personal legacy. His words to Keither Durfey before his death was that he would not retire until the two bridges were completed.
I have contacted Congreeman Jim Matheson, Utah Department of Transportation, State Road over highway 24, Senator Orrin Hatch. Senator Mike Lee, Congressman Jason Chaffetz, Utah Governor Gary Herbert, Utah State Representative Mike Noel, Utah State Senator Nathan Lee, AOG 6 county Association, Russ Cowley, Utah Senator Ralph Okerlan, Fremon River Soil Conservation District, David Pace, and Wayne County Commisioners. All of the above are against these two bridges being built and for fixing the waterfall and keeping the waterfall open.


And finally...part 3...
 
If you would like to help save the waterfall and stop the bridges from being built, call, or write Al Hendricks, Superintendent of Capitol Reef National Park, 52 Scenic Dr. Torrey, UT 84775 or 435-425-3791 ext. 2. If you think this will land on deaf ears, contact his boss Laura joss 1-303-969-2856, email [email protected]. I have called her and she will listen to you. You could also call the same people I have. Call me if you want a number I can find it for you. Al told me that I was the only one that had called him and was against the two bridges and the waterfall being closed. It is time to stand up and be counted. I know I'm not the only one!
 
One your computer go to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uBXf--B1h01 and see how much fun they are having. The go to /2011/07/popular-swimming-area-capitol-reef-national-park-closed-due-dangerous-conditions8482 See in his own workds that park officials are looking to reroute the river to its original streambed next year.
 
Roma D. Roderick
Notom, UT


Just to clarify some of the things Roma mentioned in her letter to the editor:
The park does want to reroute the river to its original route. It used to swing to the south and then back north in an oxbow. When hwy24 was built, instead of building bridges to go over the river, they simply moved the river. This led to the loss of that oxbow and several plant and animal species that lived in that area. The park is not planning on doing this next year as it takes a lot longer than a year to do soemthing this major. Or at least I think so...I've never moved a river so I don't know. It owuld also be up to the state (since they own the highway) to build the bridges.
 
The park did recently redo the Scenic Drive. It did cost a lot, but it came out of federal highway funds, not the park's budget. Local help was also used. I talked to several of the guys and they came from just the next county. Wayne County doens't have a lot of people skilled in road construction (heck..it doens't have a lot of people period) so workers from Sevier County were used.
 
And techinically, three people died last summer. They were without pulses or breath for several minutes, but were revived. I know that's splitting hairs, but does someone have to stay dead for people to realize this waterfall isn't safe? I've been there often, drive past it almost daily, but I will never ever go in. I would much rather go into Sulphur Creek and enjoy the 3 safer waterfalls there.


You don't read very well!!! Where did you get the idea that was the only place I have fun? I have fun every day.  I'm  glad you don't go swimming at the falls if that in what you do in water!!! but let the rest of us have fun!!! I drive through the park 4 or 5 times a week I used to travel up the old highway 24 when people owned the land and lived in Fruita. That was before the goverment made them sell their houses and land. I rode my horse all over the park. I knew the people that lived in Fruita. That was when the fruit trees looked like someone cared for the fruit trees, because they had to make a living.  There was a lodge there, motel between the Gifford house and the barn and a cafe/store I shopped at them all.
To get rid of the waterfall you would have to put in two bridges that in the wintertime would be very dangerous. They would cost Millions of dollare IF YOU DON'T KNOW WE ARE OUT OF MONEY!!!  BUT PEOPLE IN THE GOVERMENT JUST THINK WE CAN JUST KEEP SPENDING!!!  My brother died on highway 24 Dec.22, 2009 on slick road just about one mile from the waterfall. I'm sure you know that bridges are slicker than pavement. His family didn't sue the Park, and they didn't close the road because someone died. I would like to know how many people have broken bones on the man made trails in the park. Has anyone ever sued the Park? I do know that Clair Bird did because he was so mad when the goverment made him move.  I went to the court house and he lived in the Park until Dec. 1977 that is when the goverment won the law case against him. I will be finding this out if anyone else has sued the park and lost or won. 
I thought parks were for the people to enjoy all of it like Paradise Flates????? I have seen more of the park than you have I'm sure.  However I don't know who you are????  


Add comment

CAPTCHA

This question is for testing whether or not you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions.

Image CAPTCHA
Enter the characters shown in the image.

The Essential RVing Guide

The Essential RVing Guide to the National Parks

The National Parks RVing Guide, aka the Essential RVing Guide To The National Parks, is the definitive guide for RVers seeking information on campgrounds in the National Park System where they can park their rigs. It's available for free for both iPhones and Android models.

This app is packed with RVing specific details on more than 250 campgrounds in more than 70 parks.

You'll also find stories about RVing in the parks, some tips if you've just recently turned into an RVer, and some planning suggestions. A bonus that wasn't in the previous eBook or PDF versions of this guide are feeds of Traveler content: you'll find our latest stories as well as our most recent podcasts just a click away.

So whether you have an iPhone or an Android, download this app and start exploring the campgrounds in the National Park System where you can park your rig.