Bryce Canyon Tour

Our campground is about 14 miles from Bryce Canyon National Park – we drove to the park and then 18 miles to the farthest viewpoint and began our tour today. Rainbow & Yovimpa Points are at 9115 feet elevation. It was 42 degrees and windy but we hiked the Bristlecone Loop Trail despite the weather – up and over snow drifts to beautiful vistas! Then we began our descent back to the Visitors Center, stopping at all the scenic overlooks.
We thought we may be “max’d out” on canyons after the Grand Canyon and Zion but they are all so distinctive that each one has been wonderful. Bryce is not really a canyon but the edge of a high plateau that has been eroded by the river and the wind. Cliffs were eroded into thin peaks called “fins” – then the fins developed holes or “arches” – then the arches eroded leaving high columns called “hoodoos.”  Many of the hoodoo groups look like fairytale, sand castles. The rock is soft and crumbles easily so there is no standing on the edge of the cliffs around here! In many areas where the rock is light in color the hills look like the sand dunes in western Michigan. We love all the tall Ponderosa Pines around here.
We stopped and bought knit headband/ear warmers on our way home – a real fashion statement but, my ears were frozen this morning and we are going hiking tomorrow!