Rock layers formed over millions of years and a massive bend in the Earth's crust give this desert a rare window into geologic history. This is Capitol Reef National Park in Utah, where sandstone cliffs and canyons preserve a striking record of the planet's past. December 18 marks the anniversary of its designation as a national park in 1971. Today's featured image highlights the sandstone monoliths of Cathedral Valley, including the Temple of the Sun, part of this extraordinary, protected landscape.

Capitol Reef takes its name from two defining features: rounded Navajo sandstone domes—within the Waterpocket Fold—that resemble the US Capitol building, and the Fold's ridges that form a 'reef,' which blocked early travel across the desert. Before becoming a national park, the area was designated as a national monument in 1937.

This anniversary also honors the human history linked to this region. Indigenous communities lived along the Fremont River long before pioneer orchards appeared, leaving petroglyphs carved into canyon walls.