Bryce Canyon was cool. Even driving to Bryce Canyon was cool. The highway went right by some neat rocks and beautiful scenery. Southern Utah is geologically very strange.
There are many national parks to visit in southern Utah, but with a limited amount of time (read: money), I had to choose just a couple. My first was Bryce Canyon, so highly recommended by Uncle Mark and a random traveler I met at a hostel. The park consists of an 18 mile-long road that dead-ends at a look-out. All the look-outs and parking areas are on the left-hand side going in, so I went all the way to the end first.
For my hike, I chose the Navajo Trail, which is a convenient loop. First it goes down through “Wall Street”, which is way more impressive than can be captured in any of my puny photos.
Then you come out at the bottom of the valley and can see trees and more than a sliver of sunlight again. I took pictures like crazy through the whole thing. The trail went up and up again, going by two natural bridges and “Thor’s Hammer”, which is just a big sliver of rock poking up at the sky.
Going back through the rest of the park, I believe I hit my highest point of the trip, 9,115 feet at Rainbow Point, as well as many other viewpoints. From a distance, the rock formations kind of look like a castle city. After leaving the park, I drove back over and up to the interstate in the direction of my next destination, Arches. I stopped in Richfield at the Apple Tree Inn, which I just have to mention because they had the fluffiest pillows on which it has ever been my head’s privilege to lay. I slept really well that night, and was tempted to stay there another day just so I could enjoy those pillows again. Alas, a cold front was coming in and I didn’t want my journey mired in snow. I walked to the Tomato Vine for dinner and ordered a chicken sandwich that had a strange sauce – but I actually really liked it!
I loved Bryce Canyon. I wish I had been able to take a hike when we were there, but I couldn’t because dogs were not permitted on the trails. I’m anxious to hear about Arches. I wanted to stop there but did not have time. We decided to stop at Zion, Bryce, and Capital Reef. Utah has too many beautiful parks. It’s a bit overwhelming.