Bryce Canyon National Park – Monte Stevens Blog

Icicles on a fence from an irrigation system that had run all night. — Icicles on a fence from an irrigation system that had run all night near Loa, Utah

It’s Tuesday night and ready for bed. I wanted to share a bit about this road trip I just finished. This impulsive idea turned out to be an eleven day adventure. I covered 2,680 miles. I saw the Great Sand Dunes National Park, Mesa Verde National Park, Grand Canyon National Park, Zion National Park, Bryce Canyon National Park, Capital Reef National Park, Escalante National Monument, Colorado National Monument and a half dozen cool mom and pop coffee shops. I played the tourist rather than a photographer so most photos are more about pressing the shutter. I camped 6 of the 11 nights, spending 3 nights in Phoenix with my parents. I saved money due to my senior status as all the parks were free and the camping sites were half price. Now we can’t even get in. 🙁 A couple of nights were cold as a cold front moved through the area. One morning it was 29 degrees and the next morning it was 25 degrees. The above image was taken the morning it was 25.

Aspens in Dixie National Forest at Sunset

The aspens were in all their glorious colors as I passed through the Dixie National Forest on my way to Torrey, Utah and Capital Reef National Park.

I want to go back and spend more time in each of them. I found myself emotional several times as I took in the beauty of this Colorado Plateau lands. I loved seeing all those stars at night. I loved the quiet and solitude that surrounds you while you’re there. All of the parks and monuments have hiking trails for day trips or overnight trips. I would like to venture into some of those canyons, to be closer and more intimate.

Some of the trails in Bryce Canyon National Park

If you look closely in the above image you can see some of the self-guided trails that lead down into the canyon. These are what I’m interested in taking in the next time I’m there. I have a lot of catching up to do after being gone for 11 days: blogs to read, respond to comments and laundry.

The Amphitheater at Bryce National Park — The Amphitheater at Bryce Canyon National Park

After crawling out of my sleeping bag this morning to 29 degrees, I’m now in a hotel room in Loa, Utah at a place called Road Creek In. I tried to stay in Torrey but there are hunters on the prowl for deer season and a BMW motorcycle rally going on. everything was full. This is the best I can get and it will be warm and not wind to deal with.

The last three days have been exciting. I’ve just touched Zion and Bryce Canyon National Parks and Escalante State Park. I’m awe struck! Such beauty. I can see why the Native American Indians call it sacred. The magnitude of these geological creations and how they were created go beyond my finite mind. And, yet they are so delicate.

Okay, I’m tired and going to bed. I will pass through Capital Reef National Park tomorrow as I head home. Still have a couple more days of this trip. So far I’ve covered over 2,000 miles and have about a 1,000 to get home. I will write more about this trip in a future post. Good night!