^TM

Bryce Canyon

Spires of Beauty

By Alexandra Gnaedig

For over one hundred years, visitors have flocked to this natural wonder of vibrant colors and unusual formations. Bryce Canyon National Park received its name in 1928 but tourists began noticing the wonderful terrain as early as 1900. With over 1.5 million visitors experiencing the beauty of this park, each year I needed to see what everyone was talking about.

Driving into the park is amazing on its own. I drove through natural tunnels that nature carved into the existing form millions of years ago. After paying my entrance fee, I stopped for a quick briefing at the visitor center; this would help in organizing my time in the park. With over 50 miles of hiking trails, I wanted to make the most of my short time here.

My first hike was the Navajo trail that leads down into the canyon. The trail is 1.3 miles in length; I went through countless switchbacks while I descended the trail.

With each new turn, I was delighted with views of the canyon below, at times; I stood in awe over the spectacular colors that were present. As I continued along, I noticed the wonderful Douglas fir trees that seemed larger than life. The vibrant green of the trees and the orange of the rocks presented a wonderful contrast in colors.

After continuing along the trail for some time, I had the option to continue on to a different trail or follow the loop back up to the introduction of the Navajo trail. I decided to make my way back and look into exploring the remainder of the park. (The trail in its entirety took me close to one hour to complete, stopping along the way for pictures and moments to enjoy the scenery).

When I entered the park, the first thing I noticed was the fascinating rock formations that are present here. Many hoodoos are located in the canyon, which were created by erosion, they are usually found in very interesting shapes, as is the case here. The reddish-orange colors of Bryce Canyon took over 10 million years to form; sediments left behind by the rivers and streams that once existed in this area have now created the wonderful colors you see now.

I decided to drive the parks 18-mile loop that has stopping points along the route for extraordinary views. Due to safety reasons, trailers may not travel past Sunset Point, which is near the beginning of the park; anyone that has a trailer can park at the visitor center or at the designated sites. This driving route offers vistas of the most beautiful areas of Bryce Canyon including the Natural Bridge located halfway into the route. This is actually an arch that has formed over millions of years to form a link between two rocks. If you are looking for great photo opportunities then continue driving to Agua Canyon. This section offers great scenery when sunlight illuminates the ancient contours; a whole new perspective of the park was introduced to me.

Continuing along, my final stop was at Yovimpa and Rainbow points; this is located at the end of the drive and presents a panoramic view of the entire area. On a clear day, you can see into the state of New Mexico, which is amazing on to itself. An extraordinary view of Utah is present allowing any visitor to fully appreciate the sheer beauty.

Bryce Canyon is a great destination worth visiting at any time of year and campsites are available all year round at the north campground. The average low during the winter months is 9F with a high of 46F, during the summer, temperature range from a low of 38F to a high of 83F.  I visited the park in late September and I was comfortable in pants and a T-shirt. Remember that if you will be hiking, layering of clothing is important because the temperatures may vary depending on where in the canyon you are. 

As I drove out of the park through the tunnels that had led me into this natural wonder I reflected on the beauty I had just encountered. The emergence of the vibrant colors is so exquisite that I consider this one of the best parks I have visited. I found the driving loop gave me an overall picture of the park and the hikes allowed me a closer view.  Trying to imagine what this area would have been like 10 million years ago when this all began to form is hard to grasp, but I decided to stop myself from reflecting on the past; it seemed more appropriate to contemplate the interesting geography I had just seen in the present.

Photos by Michael Gnaedig

Further information: www.utah.com

Back to TravelLady Magazine