Bryce Canyon

We ate breakfast at the Pioneer Lodge Restaurant. I ordered a long stack of buttermilk pancakes without remembering that the servings of all meals in the US are huge. I didn't quite make it through!

We left Zion at 9.00 and drive out through the opposite side of the Park. We exited through a vey long road tunnel and on emerging in the otherwise the landscape had changed remarkably. West had left the sandstone cliffs behind and were greeted by shale like hilly formations with tree growing in the most unusual way from the cliff edges. The contrasting colours of the green and red was beautiful.

We on,y had 90 miles to Bryce Canyon and it wasn't long before the landscape changed again to more open flat country with green pastures. We saw bison in a paddock next to restaurant advertising steak on the menu. The road elevation continued to climb although it wasn't really noticeable as Joanne and I had elected to take our turn on the back seat of the mini van.

We stopped to "gas up" the van and ventured to the mini mart where Joanne night some stones. Utah, being a Mormon run state, allows polygamy and one of the local beers (25%) is called Polygamy Lager. The mini mart had T Shirts saying "Try Polygamy - it's more fun with two".

Onwards to Bryce Canyon. We arrived about 12.00 and went to Sunset Lookout and Sunset Point and although it wasn't yet sunset, it is is a very picturesque place to observe the canyon - well strictly speaking it isn't a canyon as such but an amphitheatre. The rich redness of the cliffs, with a spreading of green trees and older well rooted trees hanging precariously from the eroded edges. Towering "hoodoos', think Pinnacles, but on a much larger and colourful scale, rise up from the canyon floor and seem to sprout. Trees grow from the crevasses and the combination of the red, white and beige hoodoos, the green of the trees, the blue sky and low lying cloud all combine to make a sublime experience trying to think of new adjectives is becoming a challenge - so the words for today is "sublime"!

Hoodoos, American Indian for pinnacles tower throughout the canyon. The Indians believe the hoodoos represent their ancestors looking down at them protecting them. Many of these hoodoos take on various shapes. It is believed that through wind, rain, snow and other environmental conditions these will only last another 200 or so years.

Today the wisps of cloud add an extra magic to this beautiful place. We leave the lookout area for a picnic lunch then most of us set off for a hike into the canyon to get amongst the hoodoos. Two you British girls elect to go horse riding instead.

The rim of the canyon is at 8000 feet and I am puffing a little just getting to the beginning of the trail.

Today the wisps of cloud add an extra magic to this beautiful place.  We leave the lookout area for a picnic lunch then most of us set off for a hike into the canyon to get amongst the hoodoos.  The two  young British girls elect to go horse riding instead.

The trail is a horseshoe one descending in a winding manner, levelling out at the bottom before climbing up in a zig-zag manner to the top again.  It is only a 350 foot descent into the canyon floor but judging by the descent, the climb out will be a challenge - especially at this altitude; well for me anyway. 

The shapes and sizes of the hoodoos combined with the closeness that the trail takes you, present an amazing vista.  I just love the colours, shapes and striking natural landscapes.  Joanne is clicking away taking wonderful photos.  I share her fascination with the way that the trees grow out of the sides and on the tops of the hoodoos.  Overtime, seeds dropped by birds germinate with the help of the rain and their roots take a very strong foothold in the well drained soil.  All around is evidence of the erosion continually taking place.  You can see piles of crumbled sandstone hoodoos, I will call it dust like, where a pinnacle has finally given up to the effects of time and collapsed.  

At the bottom we entered Queens Gardens a relatively flat area with trees, a dry river bed and a great place to look upon the hoodoos toeing above.  There is Queen Victoria, Thor's Hammer and other imaginative hoodoos to see from within this peaceful area. Well peaceful until another group of about 20 noisy tourists arrived.

Time to begin the hike out of the canyon.  A series of steep challenging switch backs, and puffing a little mean a few rest stops.  Always important to look up as you struggle for breath and look at the changing perspectives in the awe inspiring landscapes.  Just over 2 hours later and we are back at the rim and boarding he bus for the 15 minute rode to our hotel. Another fantastic day hiking and admiring the wonderful scenery.

Dinner tonight is at Ebbenezer's Barn and Grill.  Rib eye steak, salmon and chicken on the offering and we have to pre-order.  Dinner also includes a cowboy western show of whip cracking, rope twirling and great music from a group of five musicians.  It was a good night and after visiting Ruby's Bar and Grill opposite for a look through the large shopping centre it was time to turn in.

So; Bryce or Zion?  Two very different and stunningly beautiful areas of Utah.  It would be unfair to have to choose.

Bryce!