Utah – Bryce Canyon “Hoodoo you love”

 

After five days at Zion we headed 149 miles Tuesday, 4/29 to Ruby’s RV Park & Campground, just outside Bryce Canyon. Bryce is the opposite of Zion, we are camping on the top of the mountains, not in the canyon. We are surrounded by pine trees with just a few views of mountains. The elevation at Watchman Campground in Zion is approximately 4,000’, while the elevation at Ruby’s is nearly 8,000’. Bryce is also much smaller than Zion, it's a quarter of the size, 56.2 square miles, while Zion is 229 square miles. Another big difference is the temperature; it’s about 20 degrees cooler at Bryce than Zion. The other thing we learned is that Bryce Canyon isn’t really a canyon because it doesn’t have a river in it.

As with Zion, Bryce has free shuttles that pick you up at several locations outside the park. Once inside the park, they have 9 stops where you can get off/on and view the different points of interest. The shuttles take you within the first 4 miles of the park, if you want to view the entire park (18 miles north - south) you need to drive it yourself. The bus drivers are very knowledgeable and everyone we have encountered is so friendly. They also have a great shared-use paved path that we took our e-bikes on, going about 6 miles from Ruby’s to Inspiration Point. There were also rangers at most of the trail heads and in the parking lots directing traffic.

We started at the visitor center to get maps, see the exhibits and find out what hikes they recommend for people afraid of heights. The ranger could not have been nicer and pointed us in the right direction. With this new knowledge we headed to sunrise point to look at what they call the Bryce Amphitheater and the hoodoos. If you want to be wowed, Bryce Canyon will do it for you. All I can say is the first look is amazing, walk 50 feet to another vantage point and it looks completely different.

So, what is a hoodoo? They are thin, spire-like rock formations that rise from the canyon floor. They are formed by a combination of erosion processes: frost wedging, which is when water seeps into cracks in the rock and freezes, expanding and breaking the rock. Chemical weathering, where slightly acidic rainwater dissolves limestone, weakening the rock. Wind erosion, carrying sand and dust which erodes the softer rocks. Bryce has the highest concentration of hoodoos in the world!

You get a completely different vibe at Bryce Canyon. There are definitely serious hikers and some strenuous trails, but the majority of the people come here to view the hoodoos.   There is bus load after bus load of people from all different countries here to see its beauty. We actually feel like the minority as we estimate about 70% or better speak a foreign language. They print the visitor guide in 8 languages. Then there are a bunch of people like us, the casual hiker. I think that’s why they say some trails are 1 mile roundtrip but take an hour to complete.

Welcome to Bryce Canyon and the Hoodoos.

This is what is known as the amphitheater. 

The temperatures ranged from lows in the 20's to highs

in the mid 60's.

The hoodoos looked like castles in the distance.

Bristlecone Loop is an easy hike. 200' ascent located

at the end of the park. One of the highest in elevation at the park.

Natural Bridge

Views at different viewpoints on the way back 

from the 18-mile drive.

The people are standing on Sunset Point

Mossy Cave is an easy hike, .8 miles, 150' ascent,

where you walk up to a grotto that fills with icicles in the winter

and dripping moss in summer. This hike is located at the north end

of the park and is the only one started on the floor of the canyon.

Hiking by the stream, heading to the waterfall.

It was very cool, high of 50 when we headed out

on our bikes for the 12-mile roundtrip ride to inspiration point.

This has to be one of my favorite pictures - it was STUNNING!

Thor's Hammer

The Queen's Garden is a moderate trail, 1.8 miles roundtrip,

450' ascent. I was so excited I made it 2/3 of the way before

finding a log to sit on. 

Looking up to where we started on the Queen's Trail.

It was great being at the Hoodoo level.

"Hoodoo you think you are, Mister Big stuff"

How these trees survive is beyond comprehension.

We could see these horses from the Queen's Garden Trail.

Mark had to walk through several tunnels

to get to the Queen's Garden.

The Queen in her robes.

More Hoodoos on the walk back to the top.

The trails were wide with packed soil, which made

hiking easier on the ascent back to the top.

The park has a proactive forest management program,

dedicated to thinning and pile-burning overcrowded,

diseased, and dead trees. They have found if they leave

the piles for a while the pine bark beetles are attracted to the piles,

therefore, they can kill two birds with one stone.

You can still see the damage from a fire that took place in 2018.

This is at the south end of the park near the Bristlecone trail.

We went to Ebenezer's Barn and Grill Dinner Show.

It featured Country music and a BBQ. 

Most everything in the town of Bryce Canyon City is

owned by the 5th & 6th generation of the Syrett Family.

This has to be the most interesting, modified shipping

container we have ever seen. They put bunks and windows in 

it and it is used for sleeping only. The guests arrive by

charter bus, use the amenities at the campground.

We had to google Rotel tours to get a glimpse of the 

sleeping quarters. You can get a single, double or

triple bunk. The back has a kitchen but no bathroom facilities.