Sunday, March 16, 2014, Day Trip to Bryce Canyon National Park in Bryce, UT

A day trip to Bryce Canyon National Park in Bryce, UT, was the plan for the day and since it was 80 miles away from our site in Watchman Campground in Zion National Park in Springdale, NV, it meant early rising. It was still cold and dark as we headed out.  

The road passes the Canyon Overlook Trail on the way out of Zion which was worth a quick stop to see the sunrise in the canyon. Unfortunately, the bright sun and deep shadows did not translate well into pictures. A really strong wind prevented us from taking any HDR shots. There were still plenty of great shots along the trail and only the prospect of seeing Bryce hurried us along.

This is a comfortable climb, 200 ft. elevation change in a half mile.  I was glad I remembered my earmuffs!

We met a couple from Florida at the overlook and had a nice conversation while we watched the sun spill onto the mountain across the valley.

The half-mile hike back to the car was all downhill. Woohoo!

Over a hundred people would have easily fit in this overhang if it started raining. But today, no rain and hardly any other people!

This picture is intended to show how narrow the trail is, but occasional rails make it very comfortable.

Still 20 miles from Bryce, the landscape started to change dramatically. This was just a little warm-up for what you see in Bryce National Park, but it seemed like pretty much everyone traveling the road stopped for a picture or two. 

We passed through the Dixie National Forest's Red Canyon to get to Bryce.

Bryce Canyon National Park is small compared to Yellowstone or Olympic, but that just meant the beauty was condensed into an easily traveled 18 miles. The views below were just a short walk from the parking area at Sunset Point, less than a mile into the park.  

At more than 8,000 feet altitude, there was no surprise seeing snow and it contrasted nicely with the red sandstone Hoodoos.

A closer inspection will reveal hikers on the trail through the Hoodoos.

Looking down at Thor's Hammer from the rim.

This formation must have a name, but I can't find it. I'll ask a ranger when we go back. Much smaller than the Hammer, but just as amazing.

We hiked down just far enough to see Thor's Hammer against the sky.

We will do this hike when we come back with Katie in late April. A 3-mile loop that takes you through all the Hoodoos.

Below is the overlook at Bryce Point. I was torn between close-ups of the intricate detail in the developing spires and the grandeur of the panoramic views. Luckily, I could have both - just don't make me choose one as my favorite!

The progression of erosion is, first "Fins" and then "Arches" and then "Hoodoos."

Much of this wall is still in the "Arches" stage of erosion.

Every scenic point along the park road beckoned us to stop and, being in no hurry, we obliged. The highest stop was at Rainbow Point (9,115 ft) where we had our picnic lunch at a nice sunny table surrounded by snow. A raven landed nearby to see if we might share our lunch, but all he got was one accidentally dropped Frito chip.

You might guess the view below is from the pull-out named "Natural Bridge".

The teeming metropolis in the picture below is either the town of Tropic, UT, or Cannonville, UT.  We will explore the surrounding area when we come back.   

The scenery along Highway 89 was beautiful, even if it was a bit distant. There was a river that followed the highway at times that added some nice foreground interest. I stopped for one quick picture, but it really didn't capture how pretty this countryside is.