Bryce Canyon & Brian Head, UT
Bryce Canyon is that picturesque park that we’ve all seen on screen savers or calendars. We were thrilled to finally see it in person, and definitely were not disappointed!
The drive to Bryce is magical all in itself! Pink cliffs, coral sand dunes, orange tunnel/arches around every corner. We were saying ‘look at that,’ ‘oh my goodness,’ and ‘slow down!’ more than we could keep up with! It was spectacular!
We passed a flock of wild sheep along the road. There were about 30 white and even one black sheep. We learned that day that for every 99 sleep, one is born black. Beautiful creatures!
We were unsure what to expect as we parked at Bryce Canyon. The road looks like a simple forest. Even the parking lot was basic. It wasn’t until we noticed the signs that we knew we must be close!
The paths are narrow with steep cliffs on both sides, so Adam and I each took a partner and took it slowly. OH MY WORD!!! When we got to this viewpoint, we were speechless! Standing in this spot is a moment that I will never forget. Our God is an AWESOME God!
We met another sweet family who was traveling from California and exchanged family photos.
Once we were out of the canyon we enjoyed some running, exploring, and serious pine cone hunting. It felt like Bend here: high desert, brisk sunshine, and the smell of juniper trees.
We headed back down the road to check out the Natural Bridge. What a sight!!!
As we left the park, we stopped at a nearby state park called Hoodoos. This was a favorite memeory of the day!
‘Watch out for cougar’ signs were all around, so we were sure to hold on to some big walking sticks and leave Adam up front. That’s become our lineup for our more remote hikes.
Merill found a very cool rock that we believed to be a geode! He carried it all day and for weeks to follow! We would eventually learn that it was not infact a geode, but still a very cool find!
We left Zion and headed to Brian Head, Utah! 10,000 feet in elevation!! We were greeted with elevation sickness, which mimics the flu! Luckily, the nicest man at the local market filled me in on all the home remedies: canned oxygen, electrolytes, and the juice from canned peaches! We fueled up, rested a bit, and were back to ourselves within 24 hours!
We spent Halloween in the darling town of Parowan, Utah, which lies at the base of the mountain. The people of the small town, who all seemed to be close friends, were SO accommodating to us! We were invited to trick-or-treat at the home of my new friend from the market, and took him up on the offer. This lead us to a storybook-like neighborhood, where people drove up on quads and trick-or-treated with 20 packed in the back of a pickup truck. Halloween was definitely NOT cancelled in Utah. It was a lovely evening!
We headed to Cedar Breaks National Monument on our way out of town. It was early morning, and a perfect way to begin the day!
We passed some amazing towns as we headed out of Utah. This was a state that sparked curiosity and joy at every stop. What an incredible place!!! Thanks for the hospitality, the beauty, and all of the joy! We will absolutely be back!
Next stop: Northern Arizona! Thanks for traveling along!
