Bryce Canyon!

Bryce Canyon National Park is not only well known in our country but it must be world famous because I heard multiple foreign languages being spoken there.   That made it lots of fun to wonder about all the interesting people there ooohhhing and aaahhhing

(and taking lots of pictures)!

There is an 18-mile  drive along the canyon rim with about 14 overlooks along the way.  They suggest driving first to the end and then stopping on the way back because all of the pullouts are on the left side as you drive south, so that is what we did. It made for some fun anticipation because we got tiny glimpses as we drove to Rainbow Point.

Here are some of the photos from our stops on the way back.  I think we stopped at about 10 places.  Some are a few short steps from the pullout and others are longer walks along paved trails.

(double click each photo to get the full effect)

Mormon pioneer, Ebenezer Bryce, was homesteading in the area and gave his name to the area directly behind his property.

The interesting red, orange and white formations are called Hoodoos.  They are pillars of rock created by erosion, mostly by the freezing and thawing of water.   You feel like saying: Who do that?     

They are just so amazing!!

The last main stop has the most spectacular vistas.   Here is Dan walking down the trail--just to give an idea of the expansive views.  On a clear day you can see 100 miles clear to the rim of the Grand Canyon.

Bryce Canyon is not technically a canyon but rather 

a giant natural amphitheatre.

This is a little closer view of the above picture:

Closer:

And even closer!

More interesting sites as the day ebbs away:

Almost the whole time we were there, we could hear thunder in the distance.  (Look close to see a rainbow.) It was a marvelous, spectacular, awe-inspiring and spiritual experience!