12th May Bryce Nation Park

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12th May, 2009 Bryce Canyon

Left Zion NP today headed for Bryce National Park.
Steep Climb out of Zion Canyon and through two tunnels, the first 1.1 miles long and only able to fit a large vechile through by shutting off one end and then driving down the middle - yep that was us and we paid $15 for the privilige. Quite breath taking. On this winding steep road we came around a corner and everyone was stopped all over the place taking photos of a herd of Big Horn Sheep on a steep cliff. Then off through Mt Carmel, Hatch, just small towns but centres for farming, again a lot of irrigation.
Then we drove through Red Canyon (more orange to us) and onto Bryce (where we are camped) and then for a trip into Bryce Canyon.
This canyon is different, you are at the top looking down on creation, carved out by wind, rain and the effects of erosion. Some pretty spectacular sites. Sam described it as a lot of soldiers surrounded by castles. The pillars are called Hoodoo's.
Weather is a bit cooler, they have 200+ days of snow a year and we are at 8300 ft above sea level. Daytime temps around 70F and 30F at night.

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Photos

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Zion - coming out of the canyon and through 1.1 mile tunnel

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Red Canyon

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Red Canyon

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Bryce NP - Hoodoo's carved out by time

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Bryce Lokout - Hoodoo's

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Bryce Canyon - Fairview point Erosion

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Bryce Canyon - Natural Bridge

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Bryce Canyon - one day the rock will fall, balanced nicely at present