Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
A great choice for getting down into the canyon and seeing the most scenery with the least amount
of sweat is to combine Navajo Loop Trail with the Queen's Garden Trail. The total distance is just
under 3 miles, and most hikers take from 2 to 3 hours to make the hike. It's best to start at the
Navajo Loop Trail Head at Sunset Point and leave the canyon on the less steep Queen's Garden
Trail, returning to the rim at Sunrise Point, a half-mile north of the Navajo Loop Trail Head.
Queen'sGardenTrail
★★★
★★★
This short trail, which drops 320 feet below the rim, takes
you down into Bryce Amphitheater, with rest benches near the formation called
Queen Victoria.
At the beginning of the descent, keep an eye cocked to the dis-
tant views so you won't miss Boat Mesa, the Sinking Ship, the Aquarius Plateau,
and Bristlecone Point. As you plunge deeper into the canyon, the trail passes some
of the park's most fanciful formations, including majestic Queen Victoria herself
(the formation looks like a full-figure profile of the British monarch), for whom the
trail and this grouping of hoodoos are named, plus the Queen's Castle and Gulli-
ver's Castle. The round-trip takes 1 to 2 hours. See “Central Canyon” map in this
chapter.
1.8 miles RT. Moderate. Access: The trail head is located on the south side of Sunrise Point.
Hoodoo Photography: The
“light”
Stuff
The delightful rock formations that decorate the amphitheaters at Bryce Canyon National Park beg
to be photographed, and they have been—many times and from every conceivable angle. Look at
those expensive, glossy calendars or the various coffee-table books filled with dramatic photos of
the American West. In almost every single publication of this kind, you'll see Bryce Canyon's hoo-
doos standing tall, with their vibrant reds and oranges set against a pure blue sky and accented
by the rich greens of junipers and piñon.
This scenery is why you came, and among the best souvenirs you can take home are good quality
photos that you've taken yourself. While at Bryce Canyon, you're apt to see photographers loaded
down with expensive equipment and all manner of lenses and filters; although these tools can be
helpful (and fun), the most important element of photography is not the equipment, but the pho-
tographer. The way to get good photos of Bryce Canyon's hoodoos with practically any type of
camera is simple: Choose your timing for the best lighting—usually sunrise—compose carefully,
and keep your camera steady.
Professional photographers are always carrying on about getting the right light, and at Bryce
Canyon this is especially important. That's because of the nature of the hoodoos. In early morning
(and to a somewhat lesser degree in late afternoon), the low angle of the sun brings out the rich-
ness of the rocks' colors—especially the reds and oranges—and emphasizes shadows, creating
a multidimensional scene. On the other hand, around noon, with light coming straight down, the
hoodoos look washed out and flat.
