After taking the approximately five hour shuttle bus ride from Vegas to Bryce, we were dropped off at the top of Bryce Canyon (actually an amphitheater – a canyon is open at both ends) for our hike down to the pick-up point for our short ride to the campsite.
The ride itself was uneventful – we stopped in Mesquite, NV and Cedar Creek, UT, for gas, good beer, and bad wine, having passed through the northwest corner of Arizona. There were beautiful views of the mountains, as well as lots of Red Rock. We passed through the Virgin River Canyon and some other sights to behold.
The Bryce Canyon hike among the hoo doos was spectacular. I have not hiked the Grand Canyon – only been there once – but it is hard to image it is more amaing than taking the Navaho Trail down into the canyon (that’s not actually a canyon, but enough about that). Bright reds and soft reds and whites and browns. There are hammers and spires (I wonder if spires aspire to be hammers?). All sorts of stunning rock formations.
I brought up the rear of our eleven people group (ten people plus Amanda, our guide) because I was so blown away that I had to keep stopping, spinning in infinity, staring at the rocks and spires. Hallelujah (h/t to Paul Simon). It was both steep and easy – a nice smooth pathway with few stones. I didn’t use my hiking poles. Partway after reaching the bottom my camera battery died, and the other was buried deep in the backpack. It was okay – I used my iPhone for the handful more photos I took. At the bottom, it turned into tree hiking, with glimpses at the brilliantly-lit bluffs.
My only regret was that while the sun blazed on some peaks to the east, the main hoo doos were in shade. The pictures are still cool, but not as much as they would be with full sun.
I realized why I was so slow on the hike. I’m used to hiking in the east, where it is trail hiking through the trees to view destinations. So most of the time, I’m hiking through forests, coming upon waterfalls or rock formations that afford spectacular views in Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia (or, recently, Maine). Here, at least till the forest, there were incredible views every step of the way, forcing me (“forcing”) to stop and take pictures, which I will post when I can.
We were told it was a 2.5 mile hike, but my Fitbit claims it was around 3 miles – not that it is important. Today, Monday, we’re doing six.
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