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Published: December 31st 2007
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Distance: 4 miles
Rating: easy-difficult (final climb out of amphitheater)
The term "other-worldly" gets tossed around a lot. I for one am guilty of having used it several times to describe some of the more unique hikes I've been on. However, I have now found a place that truly fits the other-worldly designation. As I look back at the pictures from my visit to Bryce Canyon National Park, I am still absolutely in awe of the place. I can honestly say that I've never seen anything like it! Thousands upon thousands of stone pillars run from the rim out to the horizon, conjuring images of alien forests or cities. Even more stunning is the variety of color seen in the layers of rock that have settled over time. While orange and brown dominate the landscape, closer inspection reveals stark white, yellows, and reds. Contrasting sharply with the colors in the rock are the dark greens of the pines and other foliage that has managed to take root between the rock pillars.
Technically, Bryce Canyon is not actually a canyon at all. It is actually a series of interconnected natural amphitheaters, the most popular of which is the Bryce Amphitheater.
This area is home to the largest concentration of the aforementioned rock pillars, or hoodoos. Hoodoos are formed as water gradually erodes the spaces between cracks in the sides of cliffs. Over time, harder rock sediment at the top of the formation acts as a cap, protecting some of the rock from being washed away or weakened by the years of freezing and thawing. Clusters of exposed rock that have not yet separated into individual hoodoos are referred to as fins.
Our visit to Bryce Canyon was unfortunately rather short. My dad and I were on our way to Zion National Park and decided to add Bryce Canyon as a last minute side trip. In retrospect, a full day here probably would have been a good idea, as we were only able to visit the heavily congested Bryce Amphitheater area. We started out with a ranger-recommended stop at Inspiration Point, one of several canyon overlooks. Many western national parks seem to have an "Inspiration" or "Observation" point, and it has been my experience that they are generally well worth visiting. Bryce's Inspiration Point provides incredible views of the main amphitheater, including a wonderful top-down perspective on the patterns within
the hoodoo and fin formations. Clearly visible from here are the various rock layers that have resulted in the wide range of colors that I mentioned above.
From Inspiration point, we made the short drive over to Sunset Point and the beginning of the Navajo loop trail. From Sunset Point, the trail descends steeply into the amphitheater, winding through hoodoos the whole way. During the descent, the trail passes by the formation called Thor's Hammer which has no signage, but is easily recognizable. The trail passes near an area aptly titled "Wall Street" due to the narrow path carved between the soaring rock formations (the actual Wall Street trail is currently closed due to a recent landslide in the area). The switchbacks eventually give way to a flat trail that wanders in an arc through older hoodoos on the floor of the amphitheater. At about the half-way point, the trail branches off to the area called the Queen's Garden. After passing through several more narrow paths through the rock, the trail starts to climb again. The route up to Sunrise Point is relatively steep in some areas and is completely exposed to the elements. At Sunrise Point, the loop
concludes with a short walk along the Rim Trail which connects back to the parking lot at Sunset Point.
If you have more time to spend here than I did, there are numerous other trails that can be accessed via the Navajo loop. From the Queens Garden trail which descends from Sunrise Point, you can connect with the Peekaboo Loop Trail which heads out into the sandy hills beyond the rim of the amphitheater. A word of caution: this is a hiking and horseback trail, so there will be a lot of horse droppings to side-step. Continuing south along the trail will eventually connect you with the Under-The-Rim Trail beneath Bryce Point. This trail runs the length of Bryce Canyon from Bryce Point to Rainbow Point at the southern end of the park. You may also use the Rim trail at Sunrise point to connect to the Fairyland Loop Trail which wanders through another area of dense hoodoos and fins.
Bryce Canyon is the highest elevation national park in Utah, which means that conditions can be substantially different than other areas you may visit. During our visit, we were greeted with temperatures in the low 40's and a
strong wind which made some of the more exposed parts of the hike a bit unpleasant. If you plan on visiting the park in the spring, I would come prepared for just about any weather condition from snow to heat to rain.
From Denver, Bryce Canyon is easily a 10-12 hour trip, so stopping at one of the towns along I-70 is advised unless you get a good early start. We stopped in Richfield, which was perfectly adequate for an overnight stay. From Richfield, continue south and west along I-70 until you reach the small town of Sevier at Exit 23. From here, follow signs for US Highway 89 south. The next several hours will take you through some nice areas including the wide open valley of the Sevier River. Take a left onto UT-12, which eventually connects with UT-63 and heads straight into the park. There are several motels in the area surrounding the park and some lodging within. Its always a good idea to make reservations well in advance if you plan to stay in the park during the peak season.
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