Meeting the Hoo Doos 

Salt Lake City

Leaving Jackson Hole was tough! We stayed longer than we had other places, so it was a tough adjustment getting back on the road. We were tired and cranky, and it took us a day to get back into the swing of things. The smoke from all of the wildfires in WY was evident as we drove and our thoughts and prayers were with the firefighters. We stayed in Salt Lake City at a downtown KOA.  It had a train stop directly across the street, so we ventured downtown, and visited temple square, which serves as the headquarters for the Mormon religion. The temple is beautiful, and there is a replica that shows the inside design.

Utah Driving

The drive to Bryce Canyon was beautiful and included fields of wheat and neatly manicured farms in the beginning, and rocky mountains and sagebrush in the end.  But, nothing could have prepared us for the beauty we were getting ready to experience.

Bryce Canyon

We arrived and decided to leave Alice hooked up and ride our bikes everywhere. We were one mile from the entrance of Bryce Canyon National Park where there was also a free shuttle. We rode into the park the first night to decide what we wanted to do the next day. We planned to leave for Zion the next morning, but after our view of Bryce Canyon, we decided to stay the full day.

Rim to Rim Hike

We did a short rim hike from Bryce Point to Inspiration Point and it was breathtaking. Pictures do not do the views justice. And to top it off, we were even given a rainbow at the end of our hike.

We learned about hoo doos, which are the peaks seen at the tops of the rocks. The Indians believed that they were evil spirits that had been cast into stone. Each layer has a different geological composition and associated color, and the reflection of the light changes their appearance. It is also clear the impact that humans and the environment are having on the hoo doos, as acid rain is wearing away their peaks and forming “windows” in their centers. Over time, they will continue to crumble because their weight cannot be supported. To me, this is equal to the beauty of the Grand Canyon.

Navajo/Queens Garden Loop

We rode our bikes down the bike path to the visitor’s center, where we picked up the shuttle and headed to Sunset Point. Reviews on Trip Advisor recommended the Navajo/Queens Garden Loop, which would also allow Brady and Piper to earn their 3-mile Junior Ranger hiking stickers.

We hiked down into Bryce Canyon, had lunch, and then climbed back up. It tops the list as one of our most favorite hikes! There were surprises around every corner.

Ruby’s Dream

Ruby and Milli were a ranching couple who lived in this area nearly 100 years ago. They recognized that folks were coming to Bryce Canyon and needed a place to stay, so they built a lodge. This lodge and now adjacent RV park, hold the majority of visitors.

Additionally the family owned operation (5th generation), has expanded to include fun western shops, horse rides, and ATV rentals. We went to a local country performance, and had fun downtown getting ice cream.

ATV Fun

We rented Polaris ATVs and went on a guided tour near sunset. Both Steven and I had a chance to drive, at one point driving through a creek and getting soaked. We all laughed belly laughs, and the views were beautiful.

And now for an insert from Piper Kate…

Piper and Brady’s Farm

Hi, this is Piper.  Here is our farm scene that we made. This is Waddles, Bryce, Alison, Jersey, Billy, Hei  hei, Lily, Warrior, Ruby, Chocolate, Wooly, Watson, and Milly.  Milly is the goat with fingernail polish. Her brother looks just like her, so we painted her fingernails.

We had a blast at Bryce Canyon, hiking, riding bikes, playing in the pool and playing our new Yellowstone monopoly game.

Wheels up to Zion National park, and the North Rim of the Grand Canyon!