I love exploring nature and I have seen many beautiful places so far, but one of the few that truly stands out in my memory as exceptional is Bryce Canyon. I was taken in utter surprise by just how magnificent this place is! Looking out on the vast stone carvings one is left gasping at the sheer beauty of it. All of it is so detailed one would think at least some must be man made, but of course it is all nature’s work.
Sure, I read all about the geological process behind this landscape but the clear scientific history of it did not stop me from wondering in amazement just how did it all come together into such grandiose symmetry!
Most of the basin is limestone, the result of millions of years of geological movements of the sea and land, of mountains rising and rivers carrying sediments rich in calcium carbonate. The limestone in the lower part of the basin is pink while the upper layers are white. This two colored tone contributes greatly to the visual allure of Bryce Canyon.There is no river flowing through Bryce Canyon, even though it is called a canyon. It is snow, rain and winds which create the artistic landscape.
Visiting Bryce Canyon is very easy and with only minimal hiking it can be done in one day. If you are in a hurry and make a detour as a last minute decision, you will still be able to see most of it just by driving from view point to view point within 3-4 hours. There are 14 viewpoints, they are accessible from one side of the road only, so the best thing to do is to drive all the way to the end, turn around and work your way back to the entrance.
It is such a special place though, I truly recommend allocating an entire day for it, so you can walk down into the basin where possible and hike to the highest points.
There are well marked trails and hiking is easy, just make sure to wear the right shoes and have plenty of water with you. Winters are very cold and even in other seasons when the weather is warm and sunny it tend to get windy.
This truly is a not to be missed place for kids and adults alike!
Amazing