We drove north on 191 to get to I-40. We had driven I-40 once before and knew it had spectacular views. Lots of scenic pull-offs were provided, so we were able to get some shots. The area where these photos were taken is north of Capital Reef National Park and it would appear that the evidence of the "reef" seen in one of these photos may be a continuation of the same feature in that park. If you have never been to that park, it is worth going- very beautiful!
From I-40, we took I-15 south to Cedar City. We had stayed in Cedar City once before, and it had two advantages- nice, modern city with good restaurants, and a 45 minute drive from my nephew and his wife, who live in St. George. Several texts back and forth set us up to meet for dinner on Saturday night in Cedar City.
The next morning we headed east to Bryce Canyon National Park. We visited this park back in 2009 and loved it- one of the more spectacular parks in our system. However, at that time we were unable to hike below the rim, and it had been on my bucket list since then to get back and do that. We headed out early to get the better early morning light and arrived around 9 am- before any lines in the Visitor Center and with lots of parking in the lot. We talked to the ranger about a below the rim hike, and he recommended the Queen's Garden Trail, which is not as steep on the return trip to the rim as some of the others. With elevations of over 8000 feet, breathing could be a problem! The high elevation and the clear, cool air make Bryce Canyon one of Earth's darkest places.
My first goal was to get to Bryce Point and Inspiration Point for some photos before the sun got too high. Bryce Canyon is truly an inspiring location- deep amphitheaters with red and white stone formations known as hoodoos, fins, and arches - spectacular under changing light conditions. Unlike many of the parks we have visited, flowing water is not the primary source of the erosion that creates these elements. With its rapid, large swings in temperature, snow and ice melt with its freezing, thawing, and re-freezing cycles, has contributed to the changes. It is amazing to think that Utah was once a mountain-encircled basin of water, depositing sediments such as limestone into the lakes. When the Colorado Plateau began to rise, the lakes dried up, leaving behind a mixture of sediments that has contributed to the many beautiful sites we have as National Parks in Utah.
We stopped at Bryce Point first- the views just as breathtaking as I remembered. From there we walked a section of the Rim Trail to reach Inspiration Point. This area has the best overall view of the amphitheater.
After taking many shots, we drove back to Sunrise Point, the start of the Queen's Garden Trail. Going below the rim offers the opportunity to see some of these unusual formations up close, as well as offering a different perspective looking back up at the rim. We hiked down quite a distance, (keeping in mind the trip back up...) before turning around. We did see one animal- a golden-mantled ground squirrel, which looks much like a chipmunk but larger. We spoke to a number of people hiking the trail, including two young women who have been section-hiking the Appalachian Trail.
Hiking had worked up an appetite, so we decided to drive down toward Rainbow Point, where we had heard there were some bristle cone pines, not as old as those we saw at Great Basin National Park in Nevada, but still nice to see. We spotted a ranger and she told us the best location to see the trees, but also that we couldn't get there- the road was closed at Farview Point due to wildfires. We headed that way anyway, looking for a picnic spot, and decided to stop at the end to see the views. We found a spot to eat, then went on, finding the road now open at least to Natural Bridge, which we had not seen on our previous trip. Natural Bridge is really mis-named, as it is an arch rather than a bridge. You could see the smoke from the wildfire from this location- and smell it, as well.
Not wanting to spend time in the Visitor Center when we first arrived, we decided to return there to see the movie and check out the exhibits. After circling the parking lot three times (it does help when you arrive early), we found a spot. The movie was, as always, excellent and informative.
Heading back to Cedar City, we drove through an area called Red Canyon. The red cliffs hung over the road, and several tunnels were cut through the rock. Another pretty ride to our destination!
As planned, we met up with Tim and Jen at a restaurant in Cedar City called the Depot. The food and company were both great! It was a nice opportunity to catch up with them, to see how they were doing as new "empty nesters", and to encourage them to come and visit us in South Carolina! Back to the hotel after a long day, we made plans to go to Arizona the next day- exact destination unknown, but we would figure it out.
As always in visiting our beautiful parks, I am reminded of how special these places are, and how important it is to preserve them for future generations. We are all owners of these preserved lands and have a responsibility to make sure they are protected for all eternity.
"If future generations are to remember us...We must leave them a glimpse of the world as it was in the beginning, not just after we got through with it."
Lyndon Baines Johnson
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