Our One-Day Adventure with The Spires of Bryce Canyon
April 2021
Bryce, A Hell of a Place to Find Hoodoos
The weather app said it would be a sunny 75°F in Kanab, but we didn’t think to check the forecast for Bryce Canyon National Park. When we got to the Visitor Center, the sun was out, but the wind was cold, and there was fresh snow on the ground. We soon noticed we were the only ones wearing shorts, dressed for summer, while everyone else was bundled up.
At the Visitor Center, we learned that Bryce isn’t just one canyon but a group of huge natural amphitheaters. The park is known for its hoodoos, tall, red rock spires that resemble totem poles. It was named after Ebenezer Bryce, a pioneer who once said it was “a hell of a place to lose a cow.” Bryce became a National Monument in 1923 and was designated a National Park five years later.
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There weren’t many trail markers along the way. By the time we’d gone six miles, we realized the map wasn’t very accurate, and we still had a long way to go. After ten miles, we thankfully reached the recognizable main road, but our car was still four miles away at the Visitor Center. We walked about 2.5 miles along the road before finding a bus stop and taking a break. We decided to wait five minutes to see if a bus would come. Luckily, we caught the last bus of the day!
Date
Wednesday, April 28, 2021
Distance
12.67 mi
Moving Time
5:09:23 hrs
WEATHER
51 °F, fresh breeze