Bryce Canyon National Park
Bryce Canyon sits atop the Grand Staircase at an elevation of between 8000 and 9000 feet. These high elevations are the key to how the amazing hoodoos developed and continue to change. The freeze/thaw cycle is the secret sauce for the hoodoos and the other amazing sights here. At Bryce Canyon the temperature crosses the freeze point about half of the days each year. We can vouch for this as when we stayed there in August 2017 the temperature was in the mid to upper 30’s each morning and 80’s by mid-afternoon. Every time the temperature falls below 32 degrees F a little water freezes in the cracks in the rocks and causes the crack to widen just a little. Then when it thaws the cycle can repeat. Over time this frost wedging creates the landscape by regularly chipping off small bits of rock.
This year on our truck tour of the Grand Staircase we stopped by Bryce Canyon for dinner and a quick look from the rim. Joe returned later to complete the Fairyland Loop hike.
The Fairyland Loop is about 8 miles long and about 1600 feet in elevation gain. Unfortunately, you lose most of your elevation at the beginning of the hike and need to get it all back towards the end. However, it is a beautiful hike and due to its length not very crowded.
Once you get back to the top you need to hike along the rim of the amphitheater two miles back to the parking lot where you started.
Bryce Canyon is a Dark Sky Park and is a wonderful place to get out at night and admire the stars. If you love beautiful and unique scenery find the time to visit Bryce Canyon.
Cedar Breaks National Monument
Cedar Breaks National Monument is located to the west of Bryce Canyon. It is pretty similar to, but much smaller and less spectacular than, its more famous cousin. While we were staying in Escalante, UT, it was 120 miles one way to the nearest decent grocery store. One of the 3 roughly equal (by time) ways to get to a grocery store took us through Cedar Breaks National Monument, so there we went.
Cedar Breaks, at 10,450 feet, is a bit higher in elevation than Bryce Canyon and also has less air to breathe if you do one of the hikes. Joe has found that above about 9000 feet he needs many more breaks to get enough oxygen. If you need to choose between the two it is a very easy choice. Go to Bryce Canyon – it is more beautiful and has better facilities.
At Bryce Canyon we recommend the Queens Garden / Navajo Loop Trail. We did it in 2017 and it is consistently rated as the best trail to hike in Bryce Canyon. It takes you into the hoodoos and has some of the best views in the park. For a different look, the Bristlecone Pine Trail is also great. It takes you through 1000+ year old trees to a cliff where you can see pretty close to forever on a clear day.
