The quickest route from Torrey, UT to Bryce Canyon was on Utah's scenic Route 12. Simply put, the drive was beautiful. We traveled through Dixie National Forest, on high (and incredibly steep) canyon ridges, and back down to the desert near Bryce. The road cuts through numerous cow farms, and we passed hundreds of cows grazing near or right on the road. We stopped for snacks in a small town called Escalante, and were surprised when two men walked in with cowboy hats and spurs on. This was a reminder of how huge our country is. One of my favorite parts of drive through this beautiful state was getting a glimpse into the people, places, and livelihoods between each tourist destination.
But I digress. Driving into Bryce Canyon was pretty unspectacular, until we pulled up to the actual canyon. The canyon is huge and (according to the guidebook) constantly expanding. The constant wind erodes the sandstone to form large red-rock formations nicknamed 'hoo-doos.' My descriptions won't do it justice, so I'll let the pictures explain :)
After admiring the view from the overlook, we chose to hike a combination of the Navajo and Peekaboo loops. This 5 mile path lead us from the rim down to the canyon floor and then, slowly but surely, back up again. It was pretty hot out and the hike was brutal at times, but that gave us a great excuse to stop and smell the cactus flowers, so to speak. We paused to rest at some great overlooks and admire the aggressive chipmunks that frequently beg tourists for food.
The hike left us pretty wiped, so we unwound while watching the informational film at the Visitor's Center. Then we visited the huge tourist trap right outside of the park - a string of Western themed restaurants and souvenir shops all owned by 'Ruby'. The food was your run-of-the-mill (maybe still a little frozen) fast food, but it hit the spot after a day in the hot desert sun.
But I digress. Driving into Bryce Canyon was pretty unspectacular, until we pulled up to the actual canyon. The canyon is huge and (according to the guidebook) constantly expanding. The constant wind erodes the sandstone to form large red-rock formations nicknamed 'hoo-doos.' My descriptions won't do it justice, so I'll let the pictures explain :)
After admiring the view from the overlook, we chose to hike a combination of the Navajo and Peekaboo loops. This 5 mile path lead us from the rim down to the canyon floor and then, slowly but surely, back up again. It was pretty hot out and the hike was brutal at times, but that gave us a great excuse to stop and smell the cactus flowers, so to speak. We paused to rest at some great overlooks and admire the aggressive chipmunks that frequently beg tourists for food.
The hike left us pretty wiped, so we unwound while watching the informational film at the Visitor's Center. Then we visited the huge tourist trap right outside of the park - a string of Western themed restaurants and souvenir shops all owned by 'Ruby'. The food was your run-of-the-mill (maybe still a little frozen) fast food, but it hit the spot after a day in the hot desert sun.
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