Capitol Dome (Utah)

Capitol Dome is a summit located in Capitol Reef National Park, in Wayne County, Utah, United States. This iconic landmark is situated east of the park's visitor center, and southeast of Navajo Dome. Precipitation runoff from this feature is drained by tributaries of the Fremont River, which in turn is within the Colorado River drainage basin. It towers above the Fremont River and State Route 24. This geological feature's dome-like shape reminded early explorers and settlers of the dome of the United States Capitol in Washington D.C., and lent the park its name.

Geology

Capitol Dome is composed of Navajo Sandstone, which is believed to have formed about 180 million years ago as a giant
sand sea, the largest in Earth's history. In a hot, dry climate, wind blew over sand dunes, creating large, sweeping crossbeds which date to the Jurassic. Long after the sedimentary rocks were deposited, the Colorado Plateau was uplifted relatively evenly, keeping the layers roughly horizontal, but Capitol Reef is an exception because of the Waterpocket Fold, a classic monocline, which formed between 50 and 70 million years ago during the Laramide Orogeny.

Climate

Spring and fall are the most favorable seasons to visit Capitol Dome. According to the Köppen climate classification system, it is located in a Cold semi-arid climate zone, which is defined by the coldest month having an average mean temperature below 32 °F, and at least 50% of the total annual precipitation being received during the spring and summer. This desert climate receives less than of annual rainfall, and snowfall is generally light during the winter.