Bruce Canyon, Utah, Alien to the eye; avoid the crowds.
This may be the shortest post we ever post. Why? Well, if you know anything about Bryce Canyon, or have been there, you know that no matter how loquacious the writing, or mastery of adjectives, it is a story of visual awe.
But before sharing the photos, which barely do this national monument and park justice, a few details for a visit are noteworthy.
Hoodoos: The other-worldly, multi colored rocks formations and spires are called hoodoos. A hoodoo is a rare geological feature, also called a tent rock, where eruptions caused columns to form of softer material protected by harder rock, enabling erosion but not collapse. So, over time, the spires becomes more grand and otherworldly.
Shuttle or drive: If you can, do not park your car and make yourself servant to the shuttle service. While a good shuttle, it only adds time better used hiking and gives you less control over what you want to see or hike. Of course, if crowded, you have to park near the visitor center.
Hikes: study these carefully. Even the easiest hike has some steep descent and commensurate climb. We did the Queens Garden Trail, a 1.5 mile hike which is named after a spire that bears a slight, but not wrong, resemblance to the classic statues of Queen Victoria.
The descent was 620 feet from the rim where the shuttle runs from point to point along an 8 stop ride, and you quickly realize that going down IS easy — up? Not so much. 620 = about half the Empire State Building.
Our advice? Depends upon your ambitions, age and physical stamina. If you want to “sample” going down into the canyon, go to Sunrise Point and do the first half of the Queens hike and then go back; the ascent involved in the complete hike y strenuous.
One final detail often overlooked: no matter what your ambition, age or stamina, Bryce is over 8000 feet high and can render anyone quickly out-of-breath, chest tight, dizzy…few escape the need for height acclimation. So be careful, pace yourself. These are aesthetic hikes, meant for beauty and awe, not distance and merit badges.
The drive? Two hours from St George, one from Zion.
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#utahtourism
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Outspoken Traveler 
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