Spectacular Flooding In Southern Utah; Timpanogos Cave Hosts Birthday Party

Heavy rain caused flooding in Capitol Reef National Park today and caused the Scenic Drive to be closed temporarily. Officials hope to be able to reopen the drive tomorrow (Saturday) morning.

An employe posed a photo on Twitter that shows a rain-soaked park.

Moab also received heavy rain and saw some brief street flooding. KSL has this report with video. The rain produced spectacular waterfalls and the video shows the power of the torrents. It is worth watching.

Timp Cave Season Closing Party

Timpanogos Cave National Monument is celebrating its 90th birthday with cake at the Visitor Center on Sunday. There will also be a card for visitors to sign.

Also Sunday will mark the final cave tours of the 2012 season. The trail to the cave is steep and it receives heavy snow during winter. The cave season usually runs from mid-May through mid-October.

Additional birthday activities will be held as the cave reopens next spring.

The Provo Herald has this article about the cave closing. Below are excerpts.

The cave's actual 90th birthday is on Sunday, he said. At 1 p.m. staffers will join with the public at the visitors center to cut a cake decorated with the famous Heart of Timpanogos -- the likeness of a huge heart-shaped natural feature in the cave.

Cave staffer Mike Gosse told the Daily Herald on Thursday that tickets are still available for the final cave tours of the year.

Additional activities to celebrate the parks 90th year will be held in 2013.