Bryce Canyon
On the drive from Salt Lake City to Phoenix, we were able to make an overnight stop at Bryce Canyon, in the high Colorado plateaus of Southern Utah. (Park elevations reach over 9,000 feet/2774 meters). Named after the Mormon Pioneer Ebenezer Bryce, the area is best known for panoramic views of horseshoe-shaped amphitheaters filled with towering, striking rock formations. Bryce Canyon became a National Park in 1928. Seeing the area and these amazing geologic features blanketed with snow was truly special, and well-worth the detour.
Geological Features, and What is a Hoodoo?
Hoodoos are rock formations created over thousands of years by gravity combined with erosion caused by water and ice in a constant cycle of freezing and thawing. The hoodoos of Bryce Canyon are different from those found anywhere else in the world, intermingling with towering spires and fins as far as the eye can see. They range in size from 5 feet up to about 150 feet tall! The Claron Formation in Bryce is made up of limestone, siltstone, dolomite and mudstone. For more details, check out this article on the area’s geology. It’s hard to find a definitive answer as to how the hoodoos got their name, but it’s easy to believe people associated them with magic. A post by Bill Casselman suggests the word was brought with African slaves of Hausa origin who practiced a form of magic called “hoodoo.” Early on the word meant to cast a spell or a jinx. It is not related to voodoo, which came into the English language via Louisiana Creole. Other formations such as arches, natural windows and fins can be seen on hikes in the park.
Auto Tour
We got in with enough time the first day for a drive-by and photo session at all of the lookouts along the 25 miles or so within the park. The Visitor’s Center recommends driving first all the way tot he southern end of the park and then slowly making your way back. Rainbow Viewpoint offers spectacular views looking at the vast expanse of the park back to the north. From Yovimpa Point you can get a good look at part of the Grand Staircase from the step that forms the “Pink Cliffs.” Way out at the horizon is the north rim of the Grand Canyon! Further on, Agua Canyon features two famous hoodoos, “The Rabbit” and “The Hunter.” Navajo Mountain is in the distance. The Natural Bridge is another interesting stop. Paria View is famous for slot canyons and a very photogenic castle-shaped hoodoo. It’s also supposed to be a great place to look for Peregrine Falcons. One of the most scenic vistas of all is at Bryce Point. I think our favorite spot though was Inspiration Point. We started our hike the next day from famous Sunset Point.
Hiking Options
After some research and planning, we decided on a hiking route for the next day. Hiking routes descend into the canyon, and offer a very different perspective than just seeing the land from the rim. There are many to choose from, ranging from easy and accessible to long, challenging and strenuous. There was one section of our chosen loop that was closed because of thawing snow leading to rock slides, but there was an alternative. The route combined the Queens Garden loop and the Navaho Loop, with a series of switchbacks back up to the rim. The hike begins at Sunset Point and later emerges back up onto the rim at Sunrise Point. Douglas firs, ponderosa pines and other evergreen trees dominated the bottom of the canyon, with hoodoos all around. We spotted some hungry deer foraging, as well as a number of birds; fortunately, no mountain lions. We kept our eyes peeled for Pronghorn as well, the fastest land mammal on the continent. There were several archways cut through the rock, while the northern section of trail had great close-up views of Thor’s Hammer, one of the famous rock formations. It snowed on and off during the hike, but the real storm hit just after we got back to the hotel. It was a complete white-out, dumping a foot of snow overnight and making the beginning of the drive the next morning very icy until we got out of the area.
Click HERE for more photos from our visit to Bryce Canyon
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