Wandering Among the HooDoos in Bryce Canyon

One of my favorite things about driving around in Utah was all of the old neon and graphic signs. This was one that I liked on the trip from Zion to Bryce. (I think that we were still driving when I snapped this picture, so it's not the greatest quality.) If you take this route be sure to stop at the Red Rock park before you even get into Bryce; it has beautiful formations and very little in the way of foot traffic.

Like Zion, Bryce Canyon has a superb shuttle bus service that you take from the visitor center to all of the overlooks. This eases traffic congestion in the park, and makes walking around easier. Of course, at some of the more popular overlooks you'd think that they were giving away free donuts on the bus the way the crowds rush to get on. Busses come around every 10 to 15 minutes, so there's really no stress in getting where you need to go. 

The bus drivers give great little tips about where to go and point out the wildlife along the way, like these pronghorns.

The overlooks in Bryce are so dramatic that pictures don't do it justice.

We were excited to get started on hiking down into the formations, though!

The passage ways and twists and turns on the path down to Queen's Garden made for a fun hike.

Like Zion, once you are about half a mile down the trail the crowds thin, and you can relax and enjoy the view.

Some of the trails were closed due to potential rock falls; looking at this delicate arch had us stop for more than a moment to appreciate that its beauty may be fleeting. 

Off of the shuttle bus route the drive to the top of the park was a worthwhile detour. I think that it was nearly 9000 ft of altitude, with expansive views to match.

We just stayed one day in Bryce, compared to the week that we stayed in Zion, but it did feel like enough time here. Maybe we had hit a 'majestic beauty saturation point'? For hiking, Zion seems to offer more variety. Of course, we appreciated every moment in both parks!