Bryce Canyon National Park, UT

Our next stop is Bryce National Park, about 125 miles northeast of Hurricane, UT, our last stop. Bryce is also at an elevation of 8000 to 9000 ft, so it's much colder than St. George. It's definitely a good time of year to find a camping spot at the first come, first serve North

campground in the park.

The most popular section of the park is called the Amphitheater because the canyon is a bowl shape that opens into a valley below. My first views of the vast Bryce amphitheater as we hike up to the rim are breathtaking. The colors and the hoodoos remind me of the formations in the Badlands National Park in South Dakota, but, here, to be able to stand on a high viewpoint and look down on the landscape is humbling.

We do a ranger hike along the rim of the canyon from Sunset to Sunrise points. During the hike, the ranger talks about the formation of the amphitheater, the wildlife and the plant life here. While we are doing this, I look down and see the hikers on the trails winding into the hoodoos and want to be down there with them!

So the next day, we start down the Queen's Garden trail. This trail descends down into the hoodoos for a little less than a mile then returns back up the same trail.

The Queen

I thought this looked like a castle.

After reaching the bottom of the trail and seeing the Queen, we decide that we want to see more and continue on to Navajo Loop.

Almost to the top, looking back down at the switchbacks

 The hike was, in my mind, one of the best ever and ended with an amazing climb to the top!

Victory!