Saturday September 7 and Sunday September 8 in Bryce Canyon National Park.
Saturday - our non-hiking day (Thank God). We left our hotel near Zion after breakfast and took the eastbound route out of the park. This was basically the only part of the park we hadn’t explored and it was spectacular. The views just got better and better - Zion is a marvelous place and I hope we get back here someday. Somehow, we had worn Rhonda out enough the previous two days, so we didn’t get talked into any hikes.
We then made our way to Bryce Canyon National Park - only about an hour - and did the Scenic Drive through the park and were introduced to Hoodoos! I've read all the geological explanation for how and why they exist and still have no understanding of them, but I'm intrigued nonetheless. They look like stalagmites you see in caves, except they just fill the canyons here. They are in rows, they stand alone, they’re fat-skinny-red-white-tall-short - fascinating formations. We couldn’t stop taking photos of them. I spent a lot of time trying to avoid the edges.
We then made our way to Bryce Canyon National Park - only about an hour - and did the Scenic Drive through the park and were introduced to Hoodoos! I've read all the geological explanation for how and why they exist and still have no understanding of them, but I'm intrigued nonetheless. They look like stalagmites you see in caves, except they just fill the canyons here. They are in rows, they stand alone, they’re fat-skinny-red-white-tall-short - fascinating formations. We couldn’t stop taking photos of them. I spent a lot of time trying to avoid the edges.
The weather was perfect, the skies were crystal clear and our photos reflect that.
We stayed in Panguitch, Utah, (pronounced Pan-Gwitch) at the Purple Sage Motel - the finest lodging there - it was $44 a night. It has 15 rooms. We ate at the best place in town - The Cowboy Steakhouse - ugh.......both left a lot to be desired. Hey - it’s an adventure.
We stayed in Panguitch, Utah, (pronounced Pan-Gwitch) at the Purple Sage Motel - the finest lodging there - it was $44 a night. It has 15 rooms. We ate at the best place in town - The Cowboy Steakhouse - ugh.......both left a lot to be desired. Hey - it’s an adventure.
The plan for Sunday was to hike the Bryce Canyon rim trail and perhaps venture down into the canyon. Of course, it rained and got very cold and the views disappeared! These 2 photos were taken from the same overlook - the first on Saturday and the second on Sunday. See what I mean?
I felt so bad for the people who were traveling like us, but had only this one day in Bryce. As he day wore on, the clouds burned off a bit.
We hiked the rim trail - about 5 miles - and then decided to venture down into the canyon on the Navajo Loop which was only 1.3 miles but dropped over 600 feet elevation.
VERY steep switchbacks down - a bit of flat land at the bottom then similar switchbacks to get up. Grueling, but worth it.
As soon as that hike was done it started to rain in earnest (of course, it rarely rains here) so we went back to Panguitch, checked out, and took off in the direction of Arches National Park. We spent the night in Green River, Utah, in the River Terrace Hotel - easily the nicest place we’ve been in so far and went to Ray’s Tavern and had a wonderful dinner! It’s so cool to find these middle-of-nowhere places that are such gems.
I felt so bad for the people who were traveling like us, but had only this one day in Bryce. As he day wore on, the clouds burned off a bit.
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| People always trying to get me closer to the edge. |
We hiked the rim trail - about 5 miles - and then decided to venture down into the canyon on the Navajo Loop which was only 1.3 miles but dropped over 600 feet elevation.
VERY steep switchbacks down - a bit of flat land at the bottom then similar switchbacks to get up. Grueling, but worth it.
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| To give perspective - that's me right in the middle starting down the trail. |
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| The switchbacks going down |
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| Eye level with the Hoodoos |
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| Looking down as we hiked out |
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| From the top as we climbed out |
As soon as that hike was done it started to rain in earnest (of course, it rarely rains here) so we went back to Panguitch, checked out, and took off in the direction of Arches National Park. We spent the night in Green River, Utah, in the River Terrace Hotel - easily the nicest place we’ve been in so far and went to Ray’s Tavern and had a wonderful dinner! It’s so cool to find these middle-of-nowhere places that are such gems.
That got me to thinking of all the places we have been with Ray and Rhonda. How many miles by plane, road, train, boat, foot, diving, bikes - we should have kept a log. We’ve explored Boston by foot, bike, and car (walked the freedom trail); San Francisco by foot, car, and cable car (walked across the Golden Gate Bridge); South America by cruise ship; Route 66 by car - 2800 miles; the Northwest by train and car, (climbed up Mt Ranier); explored Maine (hiked all over Acadia National Park) and the Maritime Provinces; numerous Caribbean Islands; Mt Rushmore, Custer State Park (lots of uphill hiking there!!) and The Badlands; rafted 190 miles through the Grand Canyon on the Colorado River for 6 days; and traveled all around Italy on trains, planes, and buses. Thank you Josh and Michael! It is such a gift to find friends you can travel with, argue with, laugh with, cry with, and most importantly - just be quiet with. As I think everyday when I wake up - We are SO DAMN LUCKY.
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