Bryce is supposed to be one of the darkest places in the U.S. and last night was proof of that. The stars were out by the millions and the Milky Way was clearly visible. This morning we woke to a temp of 31 degrees at 7 AM. We had our Sunday breakfast and got ready for the day. We left the campground around 10:30 and drove into the park where the line was shorter today. The temp had risen to 60 by now. We drove the truck to Inspiration Point where we parked without a problem. There were lots of parking spaces available. We were going to take the shuttle from there to Bryce Point where we would begin our hike, but the shuttle was going back to the Visitor’s Center, so we had to ride it to Sunset Campground where we could catch the shuttle going south. We waited at the shuttle stop for a few minutes before the bus came.
Bryce Point is considered to be THE best view of the Bryce Canyon Amphitheater.
The Bryce Canyon Amphitheater, a bowl-shaped area, for which the park was first established, contains the densest collection of hoodoos in the world. The hoodoos of Bryce Canyon can be seen eroding from the rim. We hopped off the bus, walked to the overlook, and had a WOW moment.
We got a whole different perspective from Bryce Point.
We were able to see so many hoodoos, windows, walls, and hats.
Yesterday, we were told it was better to walk from Bryce to Inspiration Point and not the other way around because of the rise in elevation. The walk would be downhill that way. That was great advice! Bob was suffering with a sore on his foot that wasn’t healing, so he opted not to hike with me today. He wanted to rest it, so it would heal for later hikes in our trip. We spent some time together at the overlook with some great views.
Bob took the shuttle back to Inspiration Point where we would meet up after I took the Rim Walk alone. I started on the walk alone where the path was narrow and close to the rim at times, but with amazing views.
I found myself walking about 3 yards and then stopping to snap a picture. I had to keep looking back so I wouldn’t miss a view of something behind me. I could see Bryce Point where I started from.
A new view would appear at every turn. I could even see the Inspiration Point overlook from the trail where I was headed.
I saw some amazing hoodoos of every shape and color.
The more I stood still and looked out over the vast expanse of Bryce Canyon, the more interesting formations I could see.
I was enthralled with all the hiking paths I could see from where I stood on the rim.
I got a great look at the Peek-a-Boo Trail from above. I could see people standing in one of the arches and then walking along the trail. That closeup of the people standing in the arch was using my zoom. They had to be 1/4-1/2 mile away. (My camera has a phenomenal zoom lens on it.)
I had an amazing view of the Queen’s Garden/Navajo Loop Trail that we walked on yesterday. That was so cool.
As I walked alone I took many opportunities to stop and take pictures. I saw more windows, walls, and “hats” today than yesterday. There were lots of “hats” to see on this hike. “Hats” are flat areas spanning over the tops of multiple hoodoos. The last picture is a perfect example of a “hat”.
At times, the trail became very narrow and often took me near the edge. That was a little hair-raising. As the haze burned off, I could see the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument off in the distance.
The wind picked up like they said it would as I neared the end of my walk. Bob said he would ride the shuttle to Inspiration Point and walk as far as he could from there to meet me in the middle somewhere. As it turned out, I met him at the base of Inspiration Point and we walked out to the observation deck together.
We saw another beautiful view of the amphitheater from there.
We walked back to where we parked the truck and took a slow ride back. The line to get into the park at 1:00 was long. We stopped at Ruby’s General Store and Inn before going back to the campground. The store was jam-packed with people and everything you can imagine–gifts, clothes, groceries, etc. We took a peek into the famous Ruby’s Inn.
The fireplace is a historical landmark and so is the lobby from the early days when Ruby’s Inn was established in 1924.
The aspen trees near the Inn were turning a beautiful golden color.
We got back to the campground with time to spare, so Auggie and I sat in the sun outside before the Packers vs Cowboys game started at 2:00. We enjoyed the game–a win for us– and relaxed a little before dinner with a cocktail. The temperature started to drop quickly as the sun set and the cold front moved in. The wind howled while we watched TV with gusts that shook the trailer. Tonight would get really cold and the high tomorrow was only expected to be 49. Yikes! We plan to take a drive through the 18 miles of park roads tomorrow. We want to see the rest of the park and stop at all the views. It will be a good day for a drive with those colder temperatures.
