Capitol Reef is a couple more hours east of Bryce Canyon. You have to go past Escalante and 20-30 miles of canyons before you hit the Dixie National Forest. It rises to 9500 feet and there was lots of snow that high in early May.
It then drops down to 5500 feet or so. I checked out my normal camping spot just outside the west entrance to the park. I then drove a couple of mile to the Chimney Rock Trailhead to use the facilities. When I saw the trail was only 3.5 miles I went ahead and did it.
Lots of big dark clouds but no rain so far. Drove 10 miles to the Grand Wash Trail head and followed it through a 900 foot canyon to Cassidy Arch trailhead. It rises 900 feet in 1.75 miles to Cassidy Arch. I was soon huffing and puffing and the legs were aching and I was stopping to rest every 100 feet or so.
Then I got a long rest. Something caught my eye and it took a second for them to focus and another second for my brain to process what I was seeing. Two desert big horn sheep blending into the the grayish Kayenta sandstone background.
What a thrill. I stopped and started fumbling with the camera and actually got it out. By the time I was ready for a picture they had climbed up onto the long, wide, red sandstone ledge on which I was standing. And then a third sheep joined them, probably an almost fully grown kid.
Dad had a radio transmitter collar and just stood and looked at me for a good 5 minutes. Mom was kinda skittish and took junior up a narrow ledge and out of sight. Dad continued staring at me and then took a few steps in my direction. I didn't know if he would be aggressive because of Mom and the kid but I just stood there snapping pictures. Finally he jumped down off the ledge and began feeding on juniper needles. He was soon joined by another male and I watched them for several more minutes before heading on up the trail.
One day I did the Golden Dome Trail plus some of the Capitol Gorge Road. Another day I did the entire Capitol Gorge Road plus all of Capitol Gorge itself. I also did the Cohab Canyon Trail and some of the Frying Pan Trail. On another day I did the 9 mile Navajo Knob Trail and on the last day at Capitol Reef I drove 30 miles of the Cathedral Valley road.