A Glorious End to Summer 2023!

 

We finished our week in Hurricane and packed up to find our way to Bryce Canyon City. We knew that we were facing thunderstorms in Bryce Canyon City around 12:30. The drive was only 2.5 hours, so we hit the road by 9:00. The drive was uneventful, with only a little rain along the way when we skirted the rain you see in the picture. I found a new website called Flattest Route that helped me find a route with the lowest grades through Southern Utah. It worked well, and we arrived in time to set up. After finishing up, I felt the first raindrops when I headed into the Koko.

We are ready for a week at Ruby’s Inn Lodge and Campground in Bryce Canyon City. This campground is part of a larger resort created when a farmer could not make a go of his family farm in this harsh climate. Ruben (Ruby) Syrett and his wife, Minnie, moved here in 1916. After purchasing the property, they learned that a vast, colorful canyon existed just a short horseback ride from their home site. In 1919, they pitched a tent on the Canyon Rim and welcomed visitors. 104 years later, their grandchildren and great-grandchildren operate a Large Lodge, Campground, Horseback riding trail riding, a Rodeo, a Country Western Dinner Show, and everything a visitor would need (or want), just a few miles from the entrance to Bryce Canyon National Park. And they do all of this very, very well!

We are looking forward to our week as guests of Ruby's kids.

 

Red Canyon is part of the HWY 12 Scenic Drive. It is a small but fabulous canyon cut through the Kayenta Sandstone. We took two short hikes among the hoodoos and learned that “hoodoo” comes from the childhood words for spooky. The elders told them that the pillars of rock were their ancestors keeping an eye on them, to which they would respond  with a lyrical “oooodooo.”  We walked among these red pillars and boulders and joked with several other hikers, "Walk 10 feet and snap three pictures as you turn around." It is an incredible experience to be among such natural beauty.

Marlene Climbing through the rocks!

 

A colorful pallet of rocks

Scarlet Gilia

The Red Canyon Walls rule the vista!

The Salt and Pepper Hoodoos Stand Guard over the Canyon.

A Canyon Trail

Navajo Limestone of Kayenta Sandstone

The Valley View from the Canyon

A Rock Face

Salt and Pepper from a Different Perspective

A Balanced Rock hanging onto to the Canyon wall.

Pretty little Blue Berries.

Yep, that is how steep the trail was at times!

Hoodoos across the way. So long, Red Canyon!

 

Lake Panguitch is a natural lake that was enlarged with a 24-foot dam on the Sevier River in Southern Utah. It sits at 8,200 feet. On our drive up the canyon, we actually saw the first snow of the season on the ground. Looking closely in the lower left corner and you will see how high we were above the lake. That tiny speck in the water is a fishing boat.

 

Cedar Breaks National Monument sits at over 10,000 feet on the Markagunt Plateau. The formations are deeply eroded, with some valleys reaching 2,000 feet down the side of Brian Head, like nearby Red Canyon and Bryce Canyon; Cedar Breaks feature hoodoos, pillars, and all the other features. However, they tend to be more eroded than the other parks. The rim has beautiful meadows and features Bristlecone Pines, among the oldest living things on the planet. We could see several small creeks and waterfalls in the canyons. These form a major tributary of the Sevier River called Mammoth Creek. Most of the Dixie Forest surrounding the monument includes Aspen, Spruce, Fir, and Pine trees and is home to eld, porcupines, mule deer, squirrels, and chipmunks, as well as a year-round stock of Rainbow Trout in the nearby Panguitch Lake. Panguitch is the Southern Paiute word for “Big Fish.” This area was part of the tribe’s seasonal homeland.

 

Cedar Breaks is a multi-layered experience.

A creek that forms part of the Sevier River watershed.

An Alpine Valley and 10,614 feet.

The Chessmen of Cedar Breaks

Texas BBQ! (Sort of) After our afternoon at Cedar Breaks, we sought out a BBQ joint we found in Panguitch on our trip in 2007. They use mesquite wood that they import from New Mexico and Texas. The original owners were from Central Texas. The BBQ was very good, but they have abandoned brisket in favor of tri-tip. It was well prepared, however. There was plenty of flavor in the meat. No sauce was necessary! It was worth the stop, especially the cinnamon bread pudding with fresh whipped cream.

 

Panguitch is an old town settled by the Mormons in the 1800's. Their first attempt was abandoned after the extreme cold at the high altitude destroyed their crops and sent the men off in the winter snow to get emergency supplies from nearby towns. Better preparation led to a second attempt that succeeded. The town sits in the Sevier River Valley, becoming a gateway for Cedar Breaks and Bryce Canyon.

I am a big fan of skies with clouds. Southern Utah has had some wet weather during this monsoon season, and the clouds have been spectacular. Generally, the clouds gather after lunch as the afternoon thunderclouds build. The deep blue sky is filled with white-to-gray clouds over the lush green and red landscape below. You will see more clouds in the Bryce pictures to follow, but I love them even when they sit over a green forest.

Bryce Canyon sits along the Paunsaugunt Plateau at the edge of the Sevier and Paria River Valleys. It features the deep red Kayenta and gray-to-white Navajo Sandstone and several other layers that are exposed during the uplift. The most distinctive feature is the hoodoos (mentioned earlier in the Red Canyon.) They are formed when rain and wind erode the softer Kayenta Sandstone from beneath a more rigid "cap" of Navajo or other rock. They sit among amphitheaters of shelves, arches, pillars, and other features that create a striking and memorable vista. The National Park consists of a 16-mile Scenic Drive. The first few stops are so popular that most people use the free shuttle to experience their beauty. We were here in 2007 and are enjoying our repeat visit as much as our first. The first set of pictures are from stops along the Scenic Drive. The second set is from our hike along the rim. Enjoy!

 

The Scenic Drive

 

This little tree was a beautiful Christmas Tree 16 years ago. Time has had its way, as it always does.

Natural Bridge Arch

The Valley Beyond

Can you find the hidden window?

A old stump, weathered by fire, rain, and ice, clings to the rim.

A tiny natural castle on the valley floor.

A multi-colored pillar

Marlene sees two faces. I see someone mooning the guests!

A Noble Raven calls from the tree tops!

Afternoon Storm Clouds gather as the Summer Monsoon Season continues.

The end of a lovely day

Along the Rim

 

Point Powell

A Natural Cathedral at Bryce Point

Bryce Creek running through the Bryce Point Amphitheater

Looking toward Aquarius Point

A Clark's Nutcracker getting a drink from a puddle after the Summer Rain

Sunrise Point

Sun and Clouds, Mesas and Valleys. Wow!

Marlene is looking for Cell Service so that she can share the view with the Grands!

Between Sunrise and Sunset Points

A Wonderland of Color

A Chipmunk on clean up duty.

Limestone Hoodoos

Sunset Point

The trail into Wall Street Trail.  We took this trail is 2007. This is the gentle part of the trail!

Wall Street

The Rock Conglomerate protects the underlying softer sandstone and creates the hoodoos and all the other features. They do not stop the erosion. They only slow it down.

The trail not taken. Need I say more?

A Rocky Rainbow

Fins, Walls, and Hoodoos

That highest peak is where we took the next few pictures. Yes, it was worth the climb!

Aquarius Plateau is the highest platea in North America at 11, 328 feet. The landscape descends all the way down to the Grand Canyon, far to the South.

Layered Hoodoos

Natural Flying Buttresses

Time for a break at 8,000 feet.

A Tree Trying to get a better view over the edge. Actually this shows the continuing erosion that is inches a year.

A Hoodoo watches over the valley.

Bryce Creek Valley at Inspiration Point

Inspiration Point Anphitheater

It has been a great day along the Rim of Bryce Canyon National PArk.

After a full day in the sun and at 7,000 to 9,000 feet, it was time to take a break. We went into town, had a good dinner, and crashed. It has been a wonderful week. I have taken over 5,000 pictures with the new camera and enjoyed every minute. We have a few more days here in Bruce Canyon before moving to Capitol Reef for a week. But before we go, thank you for all your comments on FB. I hope you have enjoyed this new format for the blog. Please share your comments, gripes, reflections, and ideas on FB or in the comments. It is always a thrill to hear from you.

The road continues, and I am grateful to have you along.

Bob