Zion and Bryce Canyon

I know you've heard this before, but if you've never yet been to Zion or Bryce Canyon or for that matter, anywhere in the redrock, slickrock, and canyon country of Southern Utah, just go.  Watching the Discovery Channel just doesn't capture it, trust me.    So what I offer you below is just the merest suggestion of what you will find there.  Frankly, I took most of these as a mnemonic device to help coach my mind's eye back in time to the moment of seeing these places in person.    To stand in a canyon and feel the moment the dampness of the creek parts the hot, dry air that's been parching your face. To stand next to a Ponderosa Pine and smell the scent of sun-heated bark. Le sigh.  Now that's traveling.

These are both fairly large parks and I had only time to hike one trail in each.   Riverwalk in Zion and a combination of Navajo (going in) and Queensland (coming out) brilliantly selected by Edge to keep us both from having to climb the switchbacks of Navajo virtually straight up a couple hundred feet.

But let me show you.

Zion in the late afternoon sun.
The contrast between hard sunlight at the top and the shadow and coolness down by the creek were too much for my camera. But you get the idea.

And one of me, all squinty on a rock.

In Zion you're looking up. In Bryce, you're looking down into an amazing city of water and wind-carved stone.

Above, that's the grand view from the railing and path around the rim.  We hiked around to the right somewhat further than most of the tourists go.  It was quieter and the views were amazing.

It looks like a group of people sitting down in discussion.  You can see why this was a holy place for the First Nations people.  Here's a picture with people on the trail below for scale.

And now, down the rabbit hole, er, the Navajo Trail.

The Queen on the Queensland trail

and her subjects...

Happy  trails...

Comments

[Ellen]

Wow! Even after the "the camera just doesn't fully capture the beauty" discount, these sites are really impressive. I especially like the shot of the tree growing out of the chasm..

[margene]

Bryce is one of my favorite places and the Navajo Loop is such a grand trail. You missed the best part;-)

Your pictures are fabulous and make me thankful we're heading to Zion this weekend.

[rick]

it's beautiful. all of it.

(so tell me, is edge as cool in 3d? lol... just kidding. i know he is.)

[Edge]

brilliantly captured, in both words and by photograph. Was a pleasure to share with someone so enraptured.

[Mary]

Wow. It looks wonderful. I think you've added another destination to my 'want to visit' list.

[Nancy]

Incredible photos

[Alarming Female]

milady, you have a gift with the camera. Makes me long for a road trip. And it's good to see your smiling face.

[MWatanabe]

We are going to Bryce and Zion in the fall. Thanks for getting me excited about our trip. We've been to the Grand Canyon and Sedona. Both wonderful places and worth a visit.