DAY III—Utah & Bryce Canyon

(left to right) Natural Bridge in Bryce

Inspiration Point in Bryce

Ghost Rock in Black Devil Canyon

OKAY PEOPLE LISTEN UP!

If you haven't been to Southern Utah, in particular Bryce Canyon, put it on your "Bucket List." I mean it. Don't even think about not going there.

Day Three was truly a day we'll never forget as we departed from a not-so-good Comfort Inn in Green River, Utah. There was so much to see. In the first 45 minutes, we traveled only 16 miles, stopping at every view area on the way and being blown away by the magnificent terrain and some rather incredible rock formations. I never thought rock formations would ever turn me on but these vistas were incredible.

I know we've used the word incredible a bunch of times on this blog, but this time we really mean it.

We stopped along the way to Bryce Canyon to see the San Rafael Reef, Black Devil Canyon, Ghost Rock, the San Rafael Swell and Castle Valley. After awing at all of those sites, we coasted into the little burg of Salina, Utah, to have a late breakfast at Mom's Famous Cafe. A great place and the best breakfast we've had since we left KC (I have pictures).

Thinking that we've seen magnificent sites, we then took a scenic route Highway 89 south along the Seivern River and between mountain ranges to Bryce Canyon. Just before you hit Bryce, you go through Red Canyon on Highway 12. The dirt and rocks are a pinkish red with spires that jut out of the rock formations like church towers. The mountains are lined with pine trees and manzanetta bushes and dotted with yellow sage bushes they call Rabbit Brooms. It was outstanding and we wondered how it could get any better than what we saw.

Then we hit Bryce Canyon National Park. The best news is we paid $10 at the ranger stand and, as a senior citizen, got a free card to any National Park in the country for the rest of our lives. How about that!

Bryce Canyon has about 12 viewing points that you drive to through a forrest of pine trees. It is some 8,000 feet high on a plateau and when you walk to the first view point, it simply knocks your breath away. Each view point after that does the same thing with the most amazing rock formations and colors you have ever seen in America, unlike anything you have ever seen. These spires, which are called Hoo Doos, stick up some 500 feet each or so and the valley below is filled with caverns and slices of open space cravasses that you could barely fit into. All the view points are guarded by railings and they warn you to watch your kids because of the giant drop offs. I would say that the bottom of the canyon is some 1,000 to 2,000 or so feet below us and these hoo doos shoot up out of the ground like rock trees. When you look in the distance, they appear spiritual, looking like church towers and castles.

The natural bridge viewing site is literally a hole in the rock formation about 40 yards in circumference and it just is awesome. We are going back there in the morning because the eastern sunrise should make it sparkle in the red glow of the earth. Each viewing site is different and you can walk like ten yards up the hill and get a totally different perspective of the view.

Wait til you see my slide show!

My only regret is that I didn't have a real good camera (or Rod Hanna) to take the photos. Our little camera, I'm sure, won't do it justice. But we will never forget what we have seen and you should see it, too.

Who knows what Day IV will bring, but it will be incredible, you can bet on that.

Happy Trails.