Capitol Reef National Park Americana #56
by Mark Smith
Title
Capitol Reef National Park Americana #56
Artist
Mark Smith
Medium
Photograph
Description
The Morrell Cabin was originally built by Paul Christensen in the 1920’s on Thousand Lake Mountain. It was used as a summer logging camp. The cabin was moved to its present location in Cathedral Valley by Lesley Morrell sometime in the 1930’s. Locally known as Les’s cabin, it was used as a cowboy line camp and kept furnished and stocked, open to all who needed a bunk or a meal. This tradition ended in 1970 when the National Park Service
purchased the property. With a rugged backdrop of painted badlands and the complete isolation of Cathedral Valley, one gets the feeling of stepping back in time. Visitors to the
cabin have left mementoes, artifacts and poetry, a shrine to loneliness and solitude or maybe out of respect for a bygone era. Maybe for the dusty cowboy or weary traveler who needed shelter and a plate of beans before continuing on his way. The ghosts of days past reside here. The Morrell Cabin is located two miles north of the Hartnet Junction on the Cathedral Valley Loop. This section of Capitol Reef National Park is rarely visited, so the backcountry traveler must be prepared for any situation he or she may encounter.
Uploaded
June 30th, 2014
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