圆顶礁国家公园，犹他州，美国 Capitol Reef National Park, Utah (© Jeff Clay/Tandem Stills + Motion)

圆顶礁国家公园，犹他州，美国 Capitol Reef National Park, Utah (© Jeff Clay/Tandem Stills + Motion)

山峦积雪 Snow, snow on the range

圆顶礁国家公园，犹他州

经过时间、风和水的雕琢，圆顶礁国家公园形成了色彩斑斓的峡谷、山脊，在这里可以一览美国西部的自然之美。富兰克林·罗斯福总统于1937年将该公园指定为国家纪念碑，并于1971年将其升级为国家公园。该公园因其巨大的岩石圆顶而得名，其外形与华盛顿特区著名的圆形大厅颇为相似。而水袋褶皱宛如海洋中的珊瑚礁，是旅行者穿越该地区的主要障碍。水袋褶皱被称为“地壳的皱纹”，是经过漫长岁月侵蚀而形成。这条长达100英里的单斜褶皱，形似阶梯，大约形成于5000万至7000万年前，由高耸的悬崖、狭窄的峡谷和色彩斑斓的岩层组成。

Capitol Reef National Park, Utah

Carved by time, wind, and water, Capitol Reef National Park showcases rust-hued cliffs and the natural beauty of the American West. The park was named after a series of Navajo sandstone domes said to resemble the US Capitol Building and the Waterpocket Fold, a huge ridge in the Earth's crust, which was referred to as a reef by prospectors. This 100-mile-long monocline—a step-like fold—is thought to have formed around 50 to 70 million years ago, and is home to towering cliffs, narrow canyons, and colorful rock formations. Capitol Reef was established as a national monument in 1937 and was designated a national park on December 18, 1971.