Day 28 (7/26) Bryce Canyon National Park. (Lin) Woke up to a cool morning in the Utah highlands. The view outside our hotel room reminded us of parts of Wyoming – large sweeping valleys with mountainous terrain looming in the background. Definitely not the desert here – much cooler and not as dry. We slept in a little bit, packed up, and drove the five minutes to Bryce Canyon National Park. It’s so fascinating to think about the ways in which the different parks are experienced in terms of approaches (driving). Zion we could see for half an hour away, and it was impressive from the outside. For Bryce, we drove into the park in a pine forest, and it wasn’t until we parked and walked to the overlooks that we could see the brilliantly colored amphitheaters of the hoodoos (as the bright orange and white rock formations are called).
But once we were there, the sight was stunning. A whole field of brightly colored hoodoos – mostly orange, but with some white mixed in, all against a beautiful blue sky. We decided to do the most popular combo trail – the Queen Anne’s Garden Trail and the Navajo Loop (ending with the Wall Street). The trail is amazing – takes you down into the canyon among the hoodoos and rock formations. The middle section of the trail was less exciting – slightly more wooded. Coming up the last part of the trail (Wall Street) was stunning – a narrow slot canyon that opened up to steep switchbacks up the side of the canyon. The sunlight was bright, bathing everything in brilliant orange from the reflection off of the hoodoos.
After the hike, we had a packed lunch and drove the length of the main road in Bryce (18 miles one way). A storm moved in as we drove to the very end (Rainbow Point), and the temperature dropped to 47 F – combo of the storm and the 9,000 foot elevation. And that’s when all hail broke loose. Literally – for the second time on this trip, it began to hail! (It hailed and snowed, separately, in early July in Yellowstone when we were there.) The clouds and rain made the lookout points slightly less amazing, of course.
After a stop at the visitor center, we headed south towards the Grand Canyon (North Rim). We decided that Utah might be the most topographically diverse state we’ve been in. California is a close second, in our opinion. Salt Lake City, the Great Salt Lake, the Salt Flats (all in the north), and then all the really distinct national parks in the central and south, plus highlands, desert, etc. Amazing.
Crossing into Arizona, we had to turn our clocks back yet again, since Arizona (outside of the Navajo reservation) doesn’t observe daylight saving. We stopped for dinner an hour away from the GC and arrived at the North Rim just in time for a gorgeous sunset. The North Rim is high – 8200 ft. I was here as a 10 year old, perhaps, but I totally forgot how wooded it is as you drive in. Not what you think of Arizona at all. Beautiful woods and sprawling narrow fertile valleys. And then: the Grand Canyon. We are staying in a cute little two-room cabin a stone’s throw away from the canyon edge. Looking forward to hiking and exploring tomorrow.
(You can click on individual pictures to see larger versions.)
Fisher Family Travels 