A Change of Elevation
When planning our trip, we had hoped we’d be able to visit Bryce Canyon National Park. With a canyon rim 8000-9000 feet above sea level, Bryce could be dramatically cooler than the much lower Zion, so the weather would be the determining factor. As it turned out, our first full day in Utah was forecast to the be warmest. The mid-60s projected for Bryce were perfect—this was the opportunity we had been hoping for.
We started on highway 15 north out of Hurricane, which was fairly straight, but once we turned onto 20 things changed. Hills rose up and our path became a serpentine roller coaster until we reached 89. Most of the drive was through wide swaths of open land; if it was being used for anything that use was well hidden. There were few towns along the way, but we enjoyed watching how the rising sun made the landscape around us glow.
We passed into the Dixie National Forest and were immediately stunned by the red rocks that jutted up out of the ground. We stopped at a pull-out to take pictures. The morning was still young and the air was brisk, and it chilled my hands as I tried to capture the burst of color all around us. The scent of many varieties of conifers filled my nose as I inhaled. I loved it immediately.
We were already anxious to get to the park, but that excitement shot up as we drove through Dixie. A bike path appeared across a wash on the passenger side of the car, and I imagined myself riding on it. I could almost feel the exhilaration it would bring.
The land flattened out again and we passed the Bryce Canyon Airport, a facility that carried the title by technicality alone.
We drove through the town of Bryce Canyon, which existed solely to provide a handful of lodging, food and gas options for park visitors. I wondered if there were any full-time residents.
Bryce Canyon
We entered the park and stopped at the visitor center to inquire about a couple of hiking options we’d selected. Bryce offers shuttles similar to Zion, but they are not required, and the Ranger at the information desk told us we should have no problem parking at that time of morning.
Back in the car, we headed to Bryce Point and easily found a parking spot. We geared up and headed toward an observation point. The wind was strong and chilly, but we had dressed appropriately. We also knew that the blowing would cease once we made our way into the canyon and were off the rim.
The observation point was breathtaking. We could see patterned rock formations—called “hoodoos”—for miles and, unlike in Badlands, trees blanketed the floor.
A couple asked if we wanted our picture taken. They noticed my Michigan slicker and mentioned how ugly the Michigan-Michigan State football game had been, and that it was too bad Michigan had lost. They were apologetic when I mentioned that I hadn’t seen the game yet, but I told them it was fine. That’s the risk I run when wearing the slicker, and they saved me the drudgery of watching the rainy slogfest the game became anyway. At that point in time, I didn’t really care. I saw where our hike would take us and I was excited to get on the trail.
Peek-a-Boo Trail
Peek-a-Boo is a nearly five-mile trail with 1471’ of elevation change. Because it is a loop, you know going in that the fairly steep series of switchbacks at the start will be there to greet you again on your way out.
The hard packed path was wide, and its color matched whatever stratified layer you were in—white, red, pink, or yellow. We passed through a tunnel we had seen from the scenic overlook, and each bend revealed one stunning view after another.
As expected, the wind died down not long after we passed below the rim. We had been pelted occasionally by particles swept up during the gusts, but it only happened a handful of times and stopped entirely after the first few switchbacks.
Trees rose up around us as we closed in on the canyon floor, their dark green contrasted against the previously dominant colorations, and they provided welcome shade. I was surprised at how warm we had become as we entered late morning. Our efforts and the warmth of the sun dispelled any concerns we had about being cold.
It was very dry, and we frequently drew water from the bladders in our our packs. We had always used regular water bottles before, so this was our first experience with the bladders. They were very nice, and they allowed us to continue the hike without needing to pause for water. We did need to stop for food, however, so we picked a shaded area with benches in an eroded (or cut out?) location.
In the past, we would have brought traditional snack like granola bars for sustenance. They had helped, but they didn’t really provide the fuel we needed, and they left a sugary taste in our mouth that revealed the true nature of those products. After a bit of reading, we settled on Clif Bars for this trip, and I wondered if they would really make a difference or if they were simply part of a hype machine.
They made a surprisingly big difference. Snacking on the Clif Bars left our bellies feeling full and did give us energy that was lacking in other snack products. Definitely a good choice.
From time to time we would encounter others on the trail, but it was much less crowded than Zion—I liked that. I liked being able to enjoy the scenery without a parade of folks coming through. It was quiet, peaceful—only our conversations and the sound of our boots crunching on the dirt path reached our ears for the majority of the hike.
The hoodoos that Bryce Canyon was famous for were mesmerizing. There were thousands of spires that could have been mistaken for ruins abandoned long, long ago. Some rocks had already been named, but we saw several others that we felt compelled to label—a head atop a long neck, a raised fist, one we called “High Five Rock,” and more. It was hard to believe water, ice and gravity were responsible for the detailed constructs that filed the park. (More information about the hoodoos can be found on this DesertUSA web page.)
We stopped at an outhouse near a horse corral—an short tour option for those who didn’t want to hike or do the entire trail—and then sat for a moment on a log underneath a pine tree to cool off and relax. The next leg would take us out of the canyon and we were not ready to go just yet. The hike wasn’t over, but we already knew how we felt about Peek-a-Boo. There were other trails that could take you from the rim to the canyon, but both the Ranger and our guidebook said that none that would have exposed you to as many of Bryce’s unique features. We hadn’t been on any others, but we couldn’t see how they’d be wrong.
Peek-a-Boo was a great hike, filled with exciting surprises—each time we grew confident we knew what was coming next, the park would show us something different. The uphill climb back to the rim was tiring, but we had smiles the entire way.
Dinner
The main dining room of the lodge in the park was closed when we finished the hike—too late for lunch and too early for dinner—but the folks at the guest services desk suggested the Valhalla pizza cafe next door. Once a dinning hall for employees, the small shop was perfect. We thoroughly enjoyed our thin crust pizza and salads while reminiscing about the day’s endeavors to that point.
Scenic Stops
After eating, we headed out to a visit a few of the other scenic points. We elected to start at the end, Rainbow Point, and then work our way back toward a site that I had read was good for sunset pictures.
Rainbow Point offered a different view, revealing just how extensively the forest carpeted large areas of the canyon.
There was also a natural bridge, so immense in size that my photograph couldn’t adequately capture the scope.
We passed wild turkeys and a herd of deer on our way to the last stop, the ironically named Sunrise Point. One would think that a placed named “Sunrise Point” would provide the best lighting at, well, sunrise. However, the opposite was true, and it was rumored to be the ideal sunset location.
We arrived at around 6:00 PM and it was literally freezing cold. The outside temperature had dropped to just above 33°, but the wind blew fiercely and created wind chills in the low teens. We added back the layers we had removed previously and tossed on a hat, then walked to the viewpoint.
The golden light from the sun gently washed over the rock, and gave a soothing warmth to the previously harsh colors. I could have stayed there until the sun fully set if we had been sheltered, but we left after about 30 minutes when the cold became too much to ignore.
Return trip
We left Bryce completely enthralled. It was beautiful and inspirational, and we understood why it made such a strong impact so quickly on other visitors.
The drive back to the hotel was in the dark, a black void with winding roads and no street lights or other cars until we reached highway 15. Our brights revealed light snow falling, but we had no fear of accumulation. I don’t enjoy night travel as much as I used to, mostly because I like to look at what’s around me and obviously cannot do so when it’s dark. But we had plenty to talk about, and that helped pass the time.
We didn’t stay up much later once we reached our hotel room; we knew we’d need our rest for the next day—our first full one in Zion.
We were tired but happy, and sleep came quickly.