Bryce Canyon

 

 June 20 & 21    Bryce Canyon

 

 It was only a 2-½ hour drive here so we arrived around 11 a.m.  We packed a lunch and headed for the Canyon.  Just before you enter Bryce Canyon, you drive through Red Canyon and that give you a beautiful taste of the views we were to see, only here the stones a totally red.  Magnificent to look at.

 

We did the loop at Bryce and we will let you once again let the pictures tell the story.  I would have to write a book to put it all down and then you probably wouldn’t get pictures

Pictures do not show the immense beauty of the canyon.

 

Not knowing what to expect we entered the park

full of anticipation for another great day

 

 

 

 

The carvings and color were amazing

 

 

This little critter kept an eye on us to make

sure we were behaving

 Ton hiked down here but it was a very steep trail

 up the mountain coming back up

This was a small part of his trail

going down, no handrails and very narrow

 I was relieved when he got back

 You can see the forest as you peer through the bridge

 

These two pictures are of Thor's hammer

 

 The HooDoos

 

Bryce Canyon’s magic is found in its colorful hoodoos.  These stone columns are carved by ice and rain.  For about 200 days a year, snow and ice will melt in the afternoon and freeze at night.  When the water freezes, it expands and pushes the rocks apart creating thedifferent hoodoos and windows that can be found in the amphitheaters of stone

 

On Day 2 we took a scenic drive to Cedar Break National Monument. 

I sat to smell the Bluebells

 



 Almost too high for me

 Beautiful flowers

 

The lake was formed when a prehistoric lava flow dammed the east side of the Valley and stopped the river from flowing into there.  Over the years the army corp. of engineers has maintained it so the lake stays level for everyone to enjoy.  The boaters were out but it was only 53 degrees when we were there.

Tomorrow we have a long drive to The Arches National Park.  We will stay in Moab for at least 3 days and visit Canyonlands National park from there too.  They are both within 30 miles of our campsite and the town of Moab is supposed to be interesting too.