As is typical of the US Government, young people get screwed again at the National Parks. If you're 25 years old and struggling to raise a family, the National Park Service says it will cost you $25 to enter each National Park. If you can afford to drive around in a $100,000 RV or live a life of leisure collecting pension checks (like we do) the government says you can buy a pass for $10 that is good for life and will let you in any National Park free. What's the logic of this system? I say let the young people in free and soak the old geezers $25 per park. I try not to be political but this defies reason. That said, we bought our $10 for life old geezers pass.
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| US Government issued National Parks Old Geezer pass |
Whether driving into the park in a private vehicle or hopping on the Park Service shuttle in front of the hotel, everyone must either have an entry ticket or pass. We flashed our passes at the driver and took a seat on the comfortable air conditioned bus.
After passing through the Bryce Canyon entry gate the road holds no clue about what's ahead. Tall trees and an occasional meadow are on both sides of the road. The park is at an altitude of 8,000 to 9,000 feet so the July summer air is not very hot but it's still in the eighties. The sun is still very bright and strong, sunburn is easy to get at these altitudes. We wore hats, a rarity for me. The first stop is the Visitors Center but we stay on the bus and continue to Bryce Point. Bryce Point is a spectacular view into the Bryce amphitheater. Erosion has carved colorful Claron limestones into thousands of spires, fins, arches and mazes. Collectively these are known as HooDoos. HooDoos are located throughout the canyon. We see red, white and purple HooDoos. The reds are in various shades from deep red to orange. Libbie said it looks like a sand castle you would build on the beach.
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| Bryce Amphitheater from Bryce Point |
There are various overlooks into the amphitheater on the 18 mile road that winds around the horseshoe shaped canyon. Our next stop after Bryce Point was Inspiration Point. Once again we were rewarded with a spectacular overlook into a multi color display of HooDoos.
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| Libbie enjoys Inspiration Point |
Our next stop is Sunset Point. The plan is to walk down a trail to the bottom of Bryce Canyon at Sunset Point then take another trail to the rim where we should come out at Sunrise Point. I was excited about the trail. Libbie, not so excited. Thank goodness Christa told us she started a journey to the bottom here at sunset Point with her Mother and came back up at Sunrise.
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| The trail winds down the canyon wall in a series of switchbacks |
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| Photographing the Bryce Amphitheater |
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| Looking down at HooDoos thousands of feet tall |
From above the HooDoos don't like very big but once you descend into the canyon you get an appreciation for how tall they really are.
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| The giant Redwood at the canyon bottom looks like a miniature |
A series of switchbacks winds down the canyon walls below the HooDoos.
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| Switchbacks |
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| Below the rim looking up. Still going downhill |
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| Up close with a HooDoo |
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| Wall Street |
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| Red glow from sunlight on the red sandstone |
When we were on the rim looking down, we could see little tiny trees down at the bottom. These "little" trees are giant redwoods. Their size becomes more apparent as we reach the canyon floor and look up at the Redwoods. Wow, tall trees!!! It puts the whole canyon in perspective for me.
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| Redwoods now appear taller as we descend |
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Log and dry stream bed at the bottom |
The canyon bottom is a relatively short distance down from the rim. This can easily be reached in under an hour. The real trick now is to climb back up to the rim. My Grand Canyon hiking experiences tell me that the climb out is not nearly as easy as the climb down.
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| Trail marker and tunnel in HooDoo |
A few trails intersect here. We want the trail back up to the rim. We had some trouble interpreting the sign here although we also were carrying a park supplied trail map. We helped some French tourists find their way who were also having trouble interpreting the signs compounded by the fact English was a second language for them.
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| Libbie looks up at the lone HooDoo. The rim is higher than this HooDoo, meaning we have ways to climb yet |
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| The trail goes through the HooDoos in a few spots |
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| It looks like sand but it's colored wind worn rocks. |
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| A lone HooDoo stands guard over the trail |
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| Multi Colors revealed by erosion on the HooDoos |
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| View between HooDoos near rim |
After our exhausting day hiking in Bryce, the National Park Service shuttle bus dropped us off at the roadside curb in front of the hotel. As we walked up the hotel driveway to our building, Libbie spotted a pair of Bluebirds in the field next to the Driveway. Only Libbie could do this.
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| Bluebird on corrugated pipe |
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| Bluebird in flight |
