While everything in Zion encouraged you to look up, Bryce Canyon is all about looking down. We hadn't really understood that as we drove in last night, wondering where the mountains were. We were on a High Plain here of 8000ft or so. We finally understood when we stopped at the first viewpoint, Sunset Point, and looked out and down. These are amphitheatre of erosion - frost weathered, over 200 nights an year, when the temperature falls below zero, and is well above zero during the day.
The park was busy and parking again was really limited so we decided to try and stay ahead of the crowds by driving out as far as Rainbow Point and Yo?? Stopping at each of the smaller amphitheatres and then coming back to walk through the main canyon.
The Natural Bridge
Looking back from Rainbow Point, 18 miles from Sunset Point, the whole vista of Bryce Canyon stretches away
..and looking south from Yo?. Point out into the country beyond.
We then drove back towards the Park entrance expecting to have to leave, park and get a shuttle bus in. However we were lucky enough to be in the right place at Inspiration Point to get a space as someone left. We put on our boots, took our back packs and headed for the Rim Trail, walking along the edge for a mile or so, and then headed down into the canyon, along the Navaho and Queens Garden trails.
Walking between Inspiration and Sunset Points
We then headed down into the canyon on the Navaho walk (bumping into a group of 3 from Ayrshire on the way,). This was a really steep descent into the canyon itself, with theses huge hoodoos rising above us.
We wandered through the canyon floor which later became quite open and flat
But then headed along the Queens Garden route. We were t aware what was there until we saw this.....
Said to be like queen Victoria!
There were so many views and so many photos to take we were overwhelmed! At last we came to a stop, around 2 and decided it was time to head back to Las Vegas. We had a long way to go. We finally got back around 7, tired of course, but we felt we should use to the full our last night in Vegas. So we headed out for a Spice Market Buffet and then to the fountains at Belagio once last time. It was Thriller, so video to follow.....
