We thought after Zion, that Bryce NP would be “just” another canyon with great vistas, but this was not the case. It was very different and quite mesmerizing with it’s hoodoos, multi-colored cliff sides, and natural arches.
We arrived in early April thinking spring would be well in progress, but Bryce had 9 feet of snow in February alone and as you can see from the photos, there was lingering snow still in the park and in the canyon. Wearing multiple layers of clothing was the key as it was pretty chilly in the early morning (roughly 25-30 degrees) but climbed into the low 60’s by late afternoon. Winter caps and gloves in the morning and tee shirts for the hikes in later afternoon. Some of the roads and many of the trails were closed both due to the prolonged winter and a significant windstorm the week before our arrival.
In spite of this, we did get in several hikes, the favorite being the hike down into the canyon called Queens Garden. The hoodoos (tall shapely stone structures) and arches were spectacular and Bill and I managed to take hundreds of pictures just in a few days. Around every bend in the path, was another jaw dropping prospect or panoramic view. Hiking into the canyon on some slippery and somewhat muddy trails, presented it’s own challenges. Hiking out…was easier but at 8000+ feet, we did occasionally need some oxygen breaks which we carefully disguised as photo opportunities.
We camped approximately 45 minutes away in a small town outside of Bryce Canyon NP, and on our ride in we drove through Dixie National Forest and the site of “Red Canyon”. What a fantastic addition to our Bryce trip and really a hidden gem! Cool trails, picturesque hoodoos, dramatic panoramas, natural arches and as legend has it, one of Butch Cassidy’s hideouts. It was a mini-Bryce without the crowds or other people. We spent the day hiking there on a number of their trails and it was worth every minute. We have only seen a fraction of Utah, but what we have experienced has been truly memorable and look forward to a return visit. Next up is Antelope Canyon and Lake Powell in Arizona.
