Rounding the Stunning Amphitheater at Bryce Canyon

After spending time at the North Rim of the Grand Canyon, we were ready to move north to Bryce Canyon. It was not a really long drive from Kanab to Bryce Canyon. The drive is generally very nice passing through a variety of terrains. I particularly liked the green valleys we would pass through. They seemed so peaceful. The biggest challenge of the drive was the traffic. Highway 89 is generally a two lane road with occasional passing lanes. We were often in car lines of seven or eight cars, but we still made it in decent time.

As national parks are becoming more popular, the parks are trying to figure out how to accommodate everyone. At Bryce Canyon National Park the main area of interest is the Bryce Amphitheater. There are four different view points around the rim of it that are quite popular. To help move people and make space available for parking, the park has instituted a free shuttle system that drives people around to these most popular viewpoints. There are a number of pick up points outside the park itself where people can park. On this day we planned to just see the Amphitheater so we parked outside the park in the town of Bryce Canyon and took the shuttle.

The shuttle first stopped at the Visitor Center. I wanted to pick up a map so I would know where we were going. We looked around the gift shop for a bit, but soon we were headed back to the shuttle. At this point the shuttles weren’t too full so it was pretty easy.

Our first viewpoint is called Bryce Point, and we had our first exposure to the hoodoos of Bryce Amphitheater. We walked down below the parking area which was the beginning of a hike that went down into the canyon. We didn’t walk down too far. After returning to the top, we walked over to a point that jutted out into the canyon. From here we could look in a variety of directions. Each direction had something unique to see.

Hoodoos are formed from erosion over the years. In Bryce Canyon the ice and snow are a major part of the erosion. As the softer outer layers of dirt erode away, the inner harder cores remain and space is left between them which creates column like structures. What is interesting is the various colors that are seen which tells a story of their own. In some places there are white rocks which reminds me of mortar sloppily put between bricks. Overall it is quite a view to see and marvel at.

The parking lot at Bryce Point was pretty small, and they actually had an attendant there helping people find parking. It showed the value of the shuttle. The parking at the next stop was even tighter.

Inspiration Point offers another view of the Bryce Amphitheater. The unique experience here was climbing up quite high. A path went up the side of the canyon rim. There were two places where viewpoints jutted out. I saw the first one and thought I could make it to there. I didn’t realize there was another one up even higher. Although I hesitated to go that high, in the end I followed my wife, and we made it there. From this high up we had a really good view of the entire Bryce Amphitheater and could see how big it is.

The day was a fairly warm day. We were doing our best to stay hydrated. One of the shuttle drivers noted that it’s not just the heat that causes dehydration here. It’s the altitude as well. It’s harder to breathe at such a high altitude so we breathe harder. We expel moisture with our breaths leaving us more dehydrated. As we walked around this day we were always glad when the sun went behind a cloud. It would feel cooler and also the light was better for taking photos, not as many contrasting shadows.

After enjoying the views from the top of Inspiration Point, I slowly walked back down to the main shuttle area. However, Silvette decided that instead of taking the shuttle to the next viewpoint, we should walk. A trail actually goes all the way around the rim connecting the various viewpoints, but we weren’t up to doing all of that. However, the section to Sunset Point, the next viewpoint, was only a half mile so Silvette thought we could manage that.

The hike was actually not too bad. We started out with the sun hidden behind a cloud, but unfortunately that didn’t last forever. By moving along the rim, we could see how our perspective of certain structures changed. From this edge we were closer to the actual hoodoos in Bryce Amphitheater. As a result, we were able to see more of the details of them and the spaces between them. Fortunately there were trees here and there along the trail that offered us some shade.

We eventually made it to Sunset Point. This seems to be the most popular of the four view points. The railings and overlooks went on for some length so there was a lot to see. Near a trailhead there was a water filling station which was a welcome relief as our water bottles were getting low. The water was actually cold.

The trailhead was to a rather short hike which seemed to be quite popular. It was only a little over a mile down and back up. For me it’s the back up part that is the challenge so I didn’t want to attempt it. My age is definitely catching up to me.

We caught the shuttle again, and the next stop was the lodge. We decided to get off and check out their gift shop. The lodge itself was not as interesting as some other national park lodges we have seen. We didn’t stay long.

We had one more stop to make with the shuttle. At this point the shuttles were pretty full as it seemed people were starting to leave to go back to their vehicles. More people were staying on the shuttles than were getting off.

Sunrise Point was the final viewpoint. We walked out to the rim again to see what views we would see from here. Off in the distance was a mountain range that the sun was setting aglow. It really stood out.

It was a short hike up to the Sunrise Point viewing area where we again saw a different angle of the Amphitheater. At this point we could recognize some of the spots we were seeing. A trailhead was right beside the overlook so we saw people both leaving and returning from their hikes. Another interesting sight we saw was a tree with revealed roots. Apparently the soil under the tree had eroded away revealing the roots. It didn’t look very stable.

Having seen the final viewpoint of Bryce Amphitheater, we were ready to leave and get some rest. Our final shuttle was about a third full, and it took us back to our car. We had about a twenty minute drive to our motel in the town of Panguitch. We grabbed a hamburger at a popular local fast food joint and then crashed for the evening. It was nice to go to bed at a decent time and get a full night’s rest.

Tomorrow we will return to Bryce Canyon. While Bryce Amphitheater is the most popular part of the park, it’s not the only part. Join us as we explore some other areas of Bryce Canyon.

Have you visited Bryce Canyon National Park? I’d love to hear about your experience in the comment box below. Still haven’t signed up for my weekly post? You can do that there as well.