Bryce Canyon National Park is located in southern Utah, not far from Zion National Park. If one would want to depict erosion at it's best, then Bryce Canyon and the sculptural rocks found there would be a prime example! This hub will show many pictures of this geological wonder.

The colors of the rocks are brilliant and vary according to the time of day when viewed.

Iron oxide causes the red and yellow colors and manganese, the lavenders and purple hues.

The white cap-rock is harder than the rock beneath it and protects it from erosion from the top.

Fantastic effects have been created by the long time action of rain, snow and ice. One can conger up all types of images when viewing these other worldly shapes.

 

Similar to Zion National Park, this area was once submerged by an inland lake. The land was eventually uplifted and there are many fossil remains of plants and animal life, including dinosaurs.

 

Bryce is actually an amphitheatre carved out of Pink Cliffs.

 

There are numerous lookout points from the road, and there are also many paths and trails that can be enjoyed by hearty hikers with good sturdy shoes.

 

Horses can also be rented and hikers are told to give horses the right of way when on these paths.

 

 

One has to carry water with one if one is to do any amount of hiking.

 

 

Mule deer are seen in abundance, especially in the mornings and evenings when they are foraging for food. We saw many ground squirrels and there is a prairie dog town nearby. Also known to reside in this area are coyotes and some mountain lions.

Ebeneezer Bryce was a Mormon settler and tried to make a living in this area.

 

The quote ........"A hell of a place to lose a cow!" is credited to him.

 

Because of the lack of water, after about 5 years, he gave up and moved elsewhere.

 

 

Paiute Indians also lived around this area and considered this to be a very spiritual place.

 

 

Adjacent to the canyon are meadows filled with wildflowers and many different animals.

 

Many people were amusing themselves taking photos of the cute and curious prairie dogs.....us included. It is quite a large colony and although wary, the critters obviously see so many tourists that they allow people to get quite close to them before dodging below ground into their safe haven tunnels.

 

 

 

Photographers have a good time capturing various attitudes of the surreal landscape that is Bryce Canyon.

 

There are 35 miles of paved roads ( 56 kilometers ) that take one to a number of viewpoints.

 

Aqua Canyon is one of those places and sits at an elevation of 8800 feet.

 

 

Bristle-cone pine trees cling to the rocks and anchor themselves often in precarious attitudes drawing moisture from the frequent summer thunderstorms. They also help to slow the process of erosion with their tenacious roots that embrace the rocks and hold them in place a while longer.

 

We spent the night at Ruby's Inn.

Ruben and Minnie Syrett settled in this area back in 1916. They "discovered" Bryce Canyon and were granted permission to build a lodge nearby.

Ruby's Inn now includes a post office; laundromat; dining facilities; convention facilities; an indoor pool; a trailer park as well as the motel. We were very pleased with the accommodations and would stay there again were we ever to re-visit this area.

Outside our room was a small lake where we amused ourselves by feeding some ducks one morning. The meadow surrounding Ruby's Inn was very serene adorned with a variety of blooming wildflowers and trees.

It is quite a contrast to the fantastic shapes, spires, and weathered rocks that compose Bryce Canyon.

This was one of five national parks in Utah that we were to enjoy seeing in the summer of 1991.

Photos of Bryce Canyon taken in the winter when snow blankets the area are absolutely stunning. Obviously this is a park that offers visitors a reason to come and enjoy it's year round beauty!

Hopefully you have enjoyed this glimpse via pictures taken of the fantastic shaped rocks caused by erosion in Utah's Bryce Canyon National Park. It is fantastically beautiful and the colors (depending upon the time of day or passing clouds) makes for a surreal landscape that one does not easily forget.