Bryce Canyon National Park - Part 2

Favorite photo this week: 

While still at Bryce Canyon National Park in Utah, we did another hike called Queen's Garden which took us to Peek-A-Boo Loop.

This hike had a cool tunnel through the hoodoos.

And another tunnel....

Swearing in for my Bryce Canyon National Park Junior Ranger badge.

While parked at our boondocking spot with no one else around us and we were watching TV, there was a knock on our door.  I'm thinking, who the heck could that be?  Apparently some international travelers had pulled up in their RV and asked if it was okay if they shared our spot for the night.  We thought it was weird that they had to park so close to us but it was fine and they left the following morning.

That same night Al caught our first critter.  Al set a trap with peanut butter the first night we heard him but didn't catch anything.  The next night he used Swiss cheese on the trap and a little sample of Swiss cheese to entice the little guy.  He couldn't resist and BAM, got him!

That was kind of a stressful night with the knock on the door and then the killing of the mouse!

Despite the critter, we loved Bryce so much we spent almost a week there!  I think Bryce is in my top 10 of the national parks I've visited.  Sadly it was time to leave and head further north.


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Bryce Canyon National Park - Part 1

Favorite photo: 

What does this rock formation look like to you?

After leaving Lost Dutchman State Park we headed north and stopped off at our favorite boondocking spot near Flagstaff, Arizona.  

Then we drove further up Rt 89 to Page, Arizona where we stayed at the Elks lodge.  The beautiful Lake Powell is accessed from Page and in the past we've been out on a houseboat launched from Wahweap Marina in Page.

After spending the night in Page, Arizona, we continued on Rt 89 further north to Bryce Canyon National Park in Utah.  We found a great boondocking spot just a couple miles from the entrance to the park.

After getting set up it was time to go to the visitor's center and make a plan for our time there.  The park is famous for it's hoodoos which are tall, spindly structures that formed within sedimentary rock and protrudes from the bottom of an arid drainage basis.  They were formed over millions of years of erosion.  The area containing the hoodoos is called the amphitheater.

Bryce is a hikers paradise!  The first hike we did was the very popular Navajo Loop trail.

From the top looking in to the amphitheater

The trail goes down into the amphitheater by way of switchbacks.

That's Al

Then the trail goes through a slot in the rocks.

Looking back up the switchbacks

A tree managed to grow near the opening in the slot

More photos from the trail.

Being down and looking up at the hoodoos was spectacular and hard not to take photos!

Working on my Junior Ranger program.  One task was to take a photo
by the various hoodoo markers found throughout the park.

Look at that tree holding on

Of course when you start a hike going downhill it means that the end of the hike is uphill.

Al hiking up the switchbacks

The colors were so beautiful!

Bryce Lodge

After the Navajo Trail we did a guided bus ride out to Rainbow Point and then the bus made many stops on the way back to the visitor's center.

Another view spot

This one looked like Burt Simpson to me

Well that was a lot to see in one day!  Back to the rig to rest!

After a rest day we did the Fairyland loop which was an 8 mile hike with over a 2000 ft elevation change.  This time we headed down into the amphitheater from Fairyland Point.

This one looked like a Mickey Mouse profile or a train

Anyone see a fox?

Tower Bridge from afar.
Looks like a cathedral to me.

Steller Jay

Another marker for my Junior Ranger badge

An easy walk at the park is called the Rim Trail and it meanders along the rim of the amphitheater.

Along the Rim trail there are many places to stop and take photos and even lookout points. 

Well that was just a couple of days at Bryce.  Next we'll wrap up our stay and Bryce and head further north in Utah.