Our second day at Bryce Canyon began at Bryce Canyon Point. We got here by a different method however. We parked at Sunset Point and then took the shuttle to get to Bryce Point.
We will hike from here back to Sunset Point. That way our hike is mostly downhill and does not require a return hike.
The main section of Bryce Canyon is giant amphitheaters of hoodoos. While hoodoos can be found around the world, Bryce Canyon has the highest concentration of hoodoos in the world.
Ebenezer Bryce was a Mormon who homesteaded near Bryce Canyon in 1874. He explored the canyon and even did some logging in the canyon. People began calling it Bryce’s Canyon because of the amount of time he spent in the canyon.
This photo is taken from the southern end of the amphitheater section. Our hike will take us around the rim to Sunset Point which is just off the photo to the right.
Hoodoos are everywhere in this area. There are numerous valleys, cliffs, arches, and mountains, but they all have hoodoos as part of the view.
Here is an arch, a valley, and a mountain view. Each has its own beauty. The hoodoos just increase the uniqueness of the vista.
This photo is a close up of the entrance to the canyon. It is interesting that the canyon has a single entry point here that is guarded by mesas and by a wall of hoodoos.
It is difficult to capture the detail carved in each hoodoo by water and by wind. Every one of them is unique even while they stand row upon row and column by column in an arrangement that is both structured and random at the same time.
Some of the groups of hoodoos have been named. This group is called the cathedral. While I can see why it got this name, I think I would have called it the fortress. It stands near the entrance to the canyon. It sits on top of a steep hillside. It has a protective wall on the right that blocks entry. And finally, in the lower left corner you can see soldiers standing guard to ward off invaders. The name is irrelevant. The entire formation is overwhelming to your eyes.
As previously mentioned, there are more than hoodoos in this canyon. Here is an example of a massive stone cliff with huge sculptures sitting on top of the wall.
There are almost too many formations to mention in this one photo. Steep canyon walls, an array of colors, the cliff on the left. Perhaps the most intriguing is the thin wall of red stone in the center of the photo.
After about an hour of hiking, we reached Upper Inspiration Point. The walk out to the point into the canyon provided yet another view of the canyon and the beauty in the distance.
This is the canyon view from Upper Inspiration Point
To the east from Upper Inspiration Point, you can again see the steep canyon walls and the large array of rock formations the canyon includes.
To the south from Upper Inspiration Point, you can see both the narrow entrance into the canyon and the long view of the mountains in the distance.
As we continued our hike along the rim, we got a better view of the tan colored layer of the canyon topped by red hoodoos and colored by green pine trees.
Continuing down the trail, we got closer views of the hoodoos. Here you can see better detail of the intricate shapes and the multiple colors and hues of the hoodoos.
Suddenly we found a new brown color in the hoodoos as the light came from a different direction as we circled the amphitheater.
Then just as quickly, the red returned to the color as the light shifted again.
Here is a photo that shows the heights that the hoodoos can reach.
And another that shows how colorful and complex their shapes can be.
We got to Sunset Point to see another view of the canyon that showed where we had started on the white rocks in the upper right corner of the photo.
When we arrived at Sunset Point, we were at a junction with the Navajo Trail. We decided not to hike the whole trail. We just took a short walk down part of the trail to see some of the sights near the beginning of the trail.
One of the first sights was Wall Street. It is a series of switchbacks that quickly descend into the canyon. You can see at least six different levels if you look closely. There are people visible at the very bottom, but they look like dots.
Thor’s Hammer is one of the few remaining named hoodoos in the park. It towers above the other hoodoos. The reason there are not more named hoodoos is because they fall and because many had multiple names. They have stopped tracking the hoodoos by name, but Thor’s Hammer was just too iconic to drop.
This gives you an idea of the normal incline on most of the Navajo Loop Trail.
After the brief hike of Navajo Trail, we took one last look from Sunset Point. Then we walked back to the car to return to the hotel.
As we were driving back, we agreed to spend some time at two places that were scheduled for the next day. Then we could have an early departure for Kanab the next day.
First, we went to the northern most point in Bryce Canyon. It is called Fairyland Point. There is a trail that goes all the way around the Fairyland Amphitheater. The total hike is 6 miles. It starts at the top of the canyon and goes all the way to the bottom and then back up again. We just enjoyed the view from the top.
Each day we drove through two tunnels to get to the park. On our way to Mossey Cave (which is not a cave), we thought a picture of one of them was appropriate.
Mossey Cave is a creek on the eastern side of the park. The creek runs by a set of hoodoos that looked very different from those we saw in the main part of the park.
The creek trail also passes by a set of arches at the top of one of the rises near the creek.
The highlight of the hike was a waterfall. It was a great view, the water was cold, and the sound of the waterfall and the creek was soothing. We really enjoyed this hike.
This was our last hike in Bryce Canyon National Park, so we took one last picture of the hoodoos.
It was a great day in Bryce Canyon.