Visions of Utah - Bryce Canyon

Sunset vista, Bryce Canyon National Park

Bryce Canyon National Park
Our visit to Bryce Canyon was quick, but well timed. The two-day stays at Arches, Monument Valley/Antelope Canyon-Page, and Zion felt like they were over too soon, but our 2-hour stay at Bryce made them seem like extended sojourns. Even though Bryce is often thought of as a drive-through park, I felt like we barely scratched the surface (our party had some altitude issues that cut our stay short.) I can imagine how eerie it would be to hike into the cool stillness between the hoodoos.

At 8000-9000 feet above sea level, Bryce is one of those high, quiet places of the world, wrapped in the hush of the thin wind winding through the hoodoos. Hoodoos is a funny word. It's hard to be even marginally poetic while saying Hoodoos.  Hoodoos, Hoodoos, Hoodoos.

We got there just before the sun set over the canyon wall, creating dramatic shadows. The rows of hoodoos gave the impression of being part of massive temples of some  ancient, unknowable race. No time to worship that day. Off we went through the night and Escalante/Grand Staircase National Monument along Scenic Byway 12 to Escalante. 

Spire and Sunset, Bryce Canyon National Park

Candycorn Hoodoos, Bryce Canyon National Park

Hoodoo Castles; Colors of Bryce

Hoodoos, Bryce Canyon National Park

Converging Hoodoos panoramic, Bryce Canyon National Park

Sojourners, Bryce Canyon National Park (picture by Kate Bower)