Road Trip Part Two: More Bryce

I apologize for picture formatting and other strange things, this site has been crashing and uncooperative so hopefully the pictures at least still appear.

It was great waking cozy in the back of the car. Tents may be great but they are nowhere near as windproof as vehicles. Although I'm starting to understand the trend of retrofitting vans and living on the road, it can be awfully cush.

We took our time warming up and hit the rim again. The plan was for about 6 miles, combining the two most popular trails in the park, the Queens Garden and Navajo loop and the Peekaboo loop to create a figure 8 taking us down and all around the base of the amphitheater.

the crowds thinned the farther we got from the rim. We had been warned it was a strenuous hike with a few thousand feet of elevation loss and gain, but with cool temperatures it was perfect cruising weather and the trails are in pretty much perfect shape.







The trail winds down towards the Queens Garden, getting up close and personal with the hoodoos. The tunnels are engineering feats in there own right. There is some major trail work down here.


We wind our way down and around, losing the crowds and looping onto the Peekaboo Loop. The wind is starting to pickup and I'm happy we decided to get a hotel room tonight. Snow is in the forecast and while the truck is nice sitting around for 2 days of sub 30 sounds less than fun. Tomorrow night is supposed to be down to 6, not including wind chill.





We take  break at the wall of windows, enjoying lunch and the view. I really just love Utah, although I'm not sure I'd be so happy in 90 plus temps.





Down and back we towards the finish of the Navajo loop. I keep stopping to stare and take it all, the towers and color.





Back up we climb and the crowds reappear.


We stop moving once we make it back to the top and the chill sets in. The wind has picked up and the clouds are starting to gather. Shorts and a t-shirt were no longer cutting it. Although we had been the only people the entire day in just shorts and t-shirts so who knows.

Instead of hiking more we decide to head to the very end of the park and drive to all the viewpoints. Its fun and absolutely freezing, I'm glad we aren't hiking anymore. Its a mellow afternoon and different way to see the rest of the park.






We head back to the car in time for dinner and hard out of the park. With the incoming snow and winter weather alert for driving it looks like the road trip is stalled and we will be spending an unexpected day off to regroup and figure out where to next.

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