Capitol Reef National Park, Utah

© Jeff Clay/Tandem Stills + Motio

Capitol Reef National Park, Utah, USA

Carved by time, wind and water, Capitol Reef National Park showcases rust-hued cliffs and the natural beauty of the American West. President Franklin D. Roosevelt recognised the park's splendour by designating it as a national monument in 1937, and later it was elevated to a national park in 1971. The park was named after a series of Navajo sandstone domes that were said to resemble the US Capitol Building, while the Waterpocket Fold was referred to as a reef since it obstructed smooth transportation. Known as 'a wrinkle in the Earth's crust,' the Waterpocket Fold was carved by eons of erosion. The 161-kilometre-long monocline—a step-like fold—was presumably formed around 50 to 70 million years ago, and is home to towering cliffs, narrow canyons and colourful rock formations.