Bryce Canyon

What can I say about Bryce Canyon? It is a place that looks like it belongs on another planet! Bryce is different than Zion in that you are on the top of the canyon looking down. You take your vehicle and drive to the different points of interest.

We started with Bryce Point. It was a photographic experience! Every way we looked, there was a new photo to take. Bryce Point is 8300 feet in elevation and the vistas are spectacular. Some of the rock formations are called Hoodoos. The Indians thought these rock formations were created from the spirits of their ancestors. They were mystical!

Bryce Canyon got its name from Ebenezer Bryce, a emissary of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. The area became Bryce Canyon National Park in 1928.

Inspiration Point was the next stop on our tour. We walked a short ways because I was not happy with the narrow path along the top of the canyon with no guard rails! We did get some fantastic shots of the rock formations here.

After we ate lunch in the car, Peg walked up to a high look-out near Inspiration Point. I finished eating (and resting) and started up after her. She was coming back and I met her about half way. A picture of Hoodoos to the left! The trail was quite steep and it has a few areas of muddy, melting snow. Remember, we are at 8000' above sea level so walking uphill can get mighty tough!

On our way out of Inspiration Point, we saw a few deer feeding on the side of the road. They looked like they still had their winter coats they were trying to shed. They seemed very comfortable with us taking pictures as they ate!

Sunset Point was our next drive. Here, you can actually walk into the canyon on the Navajo Loop Trail to an area called Wall Street. I started down the walkway with Peg and, since it was a path going down the side of the canyon with no guardrails, I got part way down and my affliction with heights took over. I headed back up the path and Peg continued down. The journey took Peg over 500 feet down into the canyon. So, I enjoyed Wall Street by viewing Pegs photos! It was a wild view looking up from the canyon bottom. Pretty cool!

We took the entire day to enjoy Bryce. I must say, it is our favorite place of all the National Parks we have seen so far.

On our way back, we took the east entrance to Zion Park as a "short cut". We heard about the tunnel there and the spectacular view on the drive. Spectacular was not the word I would have used as I was white knuckled with sweaty palms as I drove the switchbacks into Zion from the top of the canyon! Yikes! Don't they have a budget for guard rails? I must admit, the view was beautiful....