Greetings from Torrey, Utah! Yesterday, I spent the day exploring the other-worldly Bryce Canyon (about a 2 hour drive from Zion).
Like Zion, it has a convenient shuttle in town, so I hopped on and stopped at the visitor center to get a map and some hike recommendations (and also to accidentally leave behind one of my two phones, which someone turned in to the lost & found #blessed).
The unique feature of Bryce Canyon are the insane rock spires called hoodoos (thank you to whatever insane person named those); the canyon is full of them! The rim of the canyon at Sunset Point is super accessible, which means hoards of tourist busses, but the views are worth it, despite the crowds.
First glimpse of the canyon!
Sunset Point is also the place where some of the trails down into the canyon start. I told the ranger at the visitor center I wanted an un-crowded trail, and she recommended the Peek-a-Boo Loop, so that’s where I headed. While the views from the top were cool, being down in the canyon was even better. The trail meanders in and out of the hoodoos, with more interesting scenery around every turn.
On the trail!
The "Wall of Windows" on the Peek-a-Boo loop
Following that hike, I hopped back on the shuttle to Bryce Point, which has a view of…you guessed it: EVEN MORE HOODOOS. After taking 1 million more photos, I set out on an easy, flat trail around the rim, stopping at a couple more lookouts, and ultimately making my way back to Sunset Point.
Look at dem hoodoos.
After hiking 10+ miles among the Hoodoos, I was so ready to get some dinner. I stopped off at my very unglamorous motel in the nearby town of Panguitch, then headed to the guidebook-recommended Cafe Adobe where I scarfed down one of the best burger & fries I’ve ever had. Next stop on the national parks tour: Capitol Reef!