Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
southern Utah. He named the Narrows and described it as “the most wonderful
defile it has been my fortune to behold.”
Today, Zion National Park casts a spell over you as you gaze upon its sheer multi-
colored walls of sandstone, explore its narrow canyons, search for hanging gardens
of ferns and wildflowers, and listen to the roar of the churning, tumbling Virgin
River.
A Look at Bryce Canyon
One of America's most scenic destinations, Bryce Canyon National Park is a ma-
gical land, a place of inspiration and spectacular beauty where thousands of in-
tricately shaped rock formations stir the imagination as they stand silent watch in
their colorful cathedrals. Bryce Canyon is also one of the West's most accessible na-
tional parks. Several trails lead down into the canyon—technically what geologists
call an amphitheater—making it relatively easy to get to know this beautiful jewel
up close. In addition, there's an easy Rim Trail, part of which is wheelchair access-
ible, which makes many of the park's best views available to virtually everyone.
The canyon ranges in elevation from 6,620 to 9,115 feet, with desert terrain of
piñon, juniper, sagebrush, and cactus at the lower levels, and a cool high coun-
try, consisting of a dense forest of fir, spruce, and even ancient bristlecone pines.
In between, where the campgrounds and visitor center are located, is a ponderosa
pine forest.
Bryce Canyon is best known for its hoodoos, which geologists tell us are simply
pinnacles of rock, often oddly shaped, left standing after millions of years of water
and wind erosion. But perhaps a more interesting explanation lies in a Paiute le-
gend. These American Indians, who lived in the area for several hundred years be-
fore being forced out by Anglo pioneers, told of a “Legend People” who lived here
in the old days. The powerful Coyote turned them to stone for their evil ways, and
today they remain frozen in time.
Whatever the cause, Bryce Canyon is delightfully unique. Its intricate and often
whimsical formations are smaller and on a more human scale than the impressive
rocks seen at nearby Zion. And, Bryce Canyon is far easier to explore than the
sometimes intimidating vastness of Grand Canyon National Park. Bryce is comfort-
able and inviting in its beauty; we feel we know it simply by gazing over the rim,
and we're on intimate terms after just one morning on the trail.
Impressions
