Bryce Canyon

Have I said before “what a beautiful place”! We have seen lots and lots of photos of Bryce Canyon but nothing is like seeing it for real. Bear didn’t begin to catch the beautiful nuances in the colors. We did the tour as recommended: drive to the end and then work your way back up. The brochure says it is so that you can make right hand turns into the lookouts (perhaps an issue in the summer but not now), I think it is so that you come upon the fantastic terrain gradually rather than being dropped into it and then going away. The formations are called hoodoos. In the early photos don’t focus just on them but be sure to notice the stuff in the distance. We could see FOREVER.

We went on two hikes. The first was the Bristlecone Pine trail on top of the mesa down at the south end. The second was down into the hoodoos to Queen’s Garden. They were both completely different. The Bristlecone Pine trail was through the woods (Doug fir, white fir, blue spruce, pinon pine, white pine) to the edge of the mesa. I spent much of my time in the woods rubbing my hands on the white fir needles – they smelled so good! The whole forest smelled good, like home. The Queen’s Garden trail went down the side of the mesa into the canyon full of hoodoos so we got to walk around in them. It was fantastic! But over 300’ down and then back up.
Bristlecone Pine Trail & Rainbow Overlook
Views from the Rim Road south to north

Queen's Garden Trail


Dollars saved on this trip with Park Pass: $153.00 + 25 = $178.00