Bryce Canyon

Meera, Lauren, Jarod on Zion Overlook.

We left Zion on Tuesday morning and drove to Bryce Canyon about an hour and a half away.  Before we got out of Zion though, we stopped and did the Zion Overlook Trail which was about a mile walk and really pretty and interesting.  When we got to the top, it was amazing. We could see all of Zion (well, a lot of it) and really get the perspective of the grandure.  We met a nice family on top who took photos for us and vice versa.  After that, an older man we met the day before had recommended hiking up a wash right near where we parked our car.  We found the wash and started hiking up it which was cool because there were obviously no other people on it.  Then we got to one point where we were like "hmm, how  do we get over that?"  It was huge boulders on one side and a rock that steeply angled down from the other side.  The met at the bottom and there was no passage through.

Jarod helping me down from the rock ledge.

Jarod and me at Sunset Point in Bryce Canyon.

The steep rock looked passable because it did have some ridges on it that I thought I could walk across like ledges, so I decided to try.  That wasn't very smart. About halfway, I was hugging the rock on my left and had my feet one in front of another on a thin and sloping ledge and I realized I could go no farther, but turning back seemed impossible as well.  My backpack was also not helping my balance as it was filled with a water bag and fairly heavy.  Meera was at the bottom of the sloping rock and told me to throw her my bag, but my camera was it in and if it hit the rock it could have broken. Jarod finally came up behind me and reached for my bag.  I handed it to him, which was difficult, then he managed to get it back to Meera safely.  Then, I started slowly going backwards the way I'd come.  Finally, Jarod was close enough to put a hand on my waist and stabilize me (holding me close to the rock face so I didn't fall to the right).  Finally, I made it down and all my muscles felt shaky.  I told them I had to do at least one stupid thing per trip.  lol  While I may not have died if I'd fallen, I could have gotten very scraped or broken a bone.  (Sorry Mom - won't happen again!).  Needless to say, after that we turned back.  And I ranted a bit about the man who told us to do it to the top in the first place.  Meera hadn't mentioned that the guy was also a rock climber. 

Jarod and Eric in the bottom of Bryce.

Coming into Bryce, it's hard to tell what all the fuss is about.  There are tall Ponderosa pines everywhere and you can't really see any canyon.  We got a great camping area and set up, then went to the general stores to buy showers for $2 each.

Meanwhile, Eric who we met at Weeping Rock in Zion, was texting me and trying to figure out a way to ditch his parents and meet back up with us for the rest of the week.  We finally worked it all out, and I picked him up about an hour away in Kanab while his parents were on their way down to Sedona.  The drive to Kanab was beautiful and most of /the time the road was my own.

Before I left, Jarod, Meera and I went to Sunset Point in Bryce where we suddenly understood what the big deal was about the park - from the rim, it is a whole different world.  Much of it looked like The Badlands, and there were hoodoos lining the canyon floor.  Hoodoos are statues of rock that have been left standing while the rest of the rock was eroded away.  When I left for Kanab, Meera walked along the Rim Trail and Jarod used the WiFi in the lodge.

Eric and me under the waterfall at Mossy Rock trail ouside Bryce.

After picking up Eric and talking to his parents a bit, we headed back toward Bryce - though we got a bit sidetracked upon seeing the sunset.  It was OUT OF THIS WORLD!  I wish I had photos to share right now, but he's currently getting food in the general store and the photos were taken on his awesome DSLR camera.  Anyway, suffice it to say, it was one of the most spectacular sights I've ever seen and it sidetracked us for a good 20 minutes.

After that, I was starving as it was about 9 p.m., so we went to a nearby diner and I had a delicious salad.  We also got Jared a brownie because it was his birthday yesterday (Wednesday).  So, we got back pretty late, then I pulled over at the Sunset Overlook again to see the stars.  It was one of the first really clear nights.  However, the moon was so bright that it made many of the stars difficult to see, however, Eric did get photos of the rock spires being lit by moonlight with stars behind them.

On Wednesday, we sang Jared happy birthday, then went on the Navajo Loop Trail, the Queens Garden Trail and the Sunrise Point trail - all of which connected.  It was amazing walking through the canyon - every footfall left you with a new, spectacular sight.  Eric must have taken hundreds of photos (one of the few people who takes more photos than I do!), and we had so much fun finding new and cool shots.  One of our favorites was "jumping" shots like the one of Jarod and I jumping on the West Rim Trail that I posted on my last post.

After we finished - it was about four or so miles - we drove the car outside the park to another trail that lead to a waterfall and river.  It was so surprising just because it doesn't seem there should be any water at all in the midst of such an arid climate, but there you were, with a rushing and COLD waterfall. lol

At the Bryce entrance.

Once back from that it was about 5:30.  Eric and I paid to take showers while Meera and Jarod got ready to go to a rodeo they'd seen signs for on the road outside the park.  Eric and I didn't really have an interest, so we stayed behind and chilled.  I'm glad I didn't go because it was $10 and only lasted about an hour.  It got very chilly last night, but my sleeping bag kept me warm except for my head which stuck out and my hair was still wet from the shower.  I hope I don't get sick.  However, it was the first night in a while that I feel I slept quite well - between 8 and 9 hours.

After everyone was up and ready, we packed everything up - which was interesting with a 4th person in the car, but we managed - and now Meera and I are using the internet while Jarod takes a shower and Eric gets food. Capitol Reef is next - I can't wait to see what new adventures lie ahead!