Mountain lions are stealthy creatures that, if seen, mostly appear at dawn and dusk when they hunt. The park warns that these animals are often spotted in and around the Fruita campground and social area. Mountain lions do populate the various landscapes of Capitol Reef, including mountains and the desert. These mammals prefer to hunt deer and are often spotted in and around the plentiful orchards of this area which house large deer populations.
Skunks, badgers, weasels and otters are numerous in Capitol Reef. The shorttail and longtail weasels prefer bushy areas close to water but are not native to extreme southern Utah. Minks prefer water areas near mountains and are prominent in Utah. The river otter has been spotted in the Colorado River but is considered extinct in this area. The badger is common to Capitol Reef and finds its home in deserts and grasslands.
The orchards are historic landmarks in Capitol Reef. They are the remaining remnants of 1880s settlers in Fruita. The orchards contain about 2,700 apricot, apples, cherry, peach, plum, pear, mulberry, walnut and almond trees. During harvest season, guests are welcome to stroll open orchards and pick and eat fruit. The trees flower and are harvested at different times of year. For example, cherry trees flower at the beginning of April and are harvested between mid-June and early July.
Rabbit Valley gilia, also known as the Wonderland Alice Flower, is a perennial herb. It is typically crimson or orange-red and has sticky leaves. This plant is native to Utah and can grow in rocky areas and sand-filled crevices. It is often mixed with mountain plants and blooms from early June to late July. In the park, this plant is restricted to the Navajo sandstone formations.
