Bryce Canyon hiking

Friday - 21 June 2002: Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah - I can't figure how you start hiking at the rim of a canyon, hike down into the canyon and back up to your starting point and hike uphill all day - but today it seems that is what we did!  What a beautiful hike - the hoodoos looks so different from the bottom-up! It was an eight-plus-mile trek. So here is another series of fantastic views of the park - from Fairyland Amphitheater. (Today I brought my video camera along - it doesn't weigh as much as my "regular" digital camera.

A view from the floor of the Fairyland Amphitheater


Another view from the floor of the Fairyland Amphitheater


DT on the trail


The aptly-named Tower Bridge


Interesting shot


My hiking partner poses on the trail with a twisted tree


The view from the top of the North Rim at the end of the trail

It was a good day - any day on the trail with DT is a good day. But, we really missed our favorite hiking partner - Lisa. I was consoled knowing she would have HATED this windy, dusty trail and she especially HATES hiking at altitude - it ranged from 7000 to 8000 feet today. We stopped for a little picnic and were nearly blown off the cliff by gusting winds. We had dirt in our teeth and dust in our eyes. Of course, our feet and legs were covered with the omnipresent red dirt.

We loved every minute.

All day, we took our time and stopped often for photos. There were few people on the trail - it is the longest, and most strenuous, day-hike in the park. I held-up pretty well, considering - as my darling daughter reminded me this evening - "Mom, you are nearly 50 and you just had surgery." Sweet child.

After the hike, we came home and went directly to the hot tub at the campground. The spa was at the perfect temperature - hot enough to soak away your aches and cool enough you could soak for a long time. We also had a little swim. Back to Goldie for showers and then we went to the visitor center at the park to buy postcards and to talk to the ranger about TOMORROWS HIKE! (But, wait, there's more!) We want to hike through Queens Garden and then take the Navajo Loop - less than 4 miles - a WALK! The clouds came in this afternoon and we actually had a little sprinkle. The rangers were so excited, hoping for a good rain, but unfortunately it was barely enough to notice.

We stayed home tonight, chatted with our neighbors from Seattle. DT was watching the Mariners on the satellite and was reporting the score to our neighbors - huge Ichiro fans. (I'm sorry, isn't everyone a huge Ichiro fan?) We looked over the map and read the travel guides, trying to decide where to go from here.

RV Park: Ruby's Inn RV Park & Campground