Bryce Canyon National Park

I love to think of nature as an unlimited broadcasting station through which God speaks to us every hour if we will only tune in.

There are just some places you have to see and especially if you’re kind of close.  Now I had been to Bryce many years ago.  Terry had not.  We had to go.  It wasn’t a short drive but we still were determined we had to do it.  We did.

You could compare Bryce to Grand Canyon but only becuase you are looking down into the canyon.  However, at Grand Canyon you see canyons.  I think Bryce is much more spectacular.  The vastness of the canyons and the colors are beautiful.   I think pictures just speak for themselves … the good ones and even the bad ones.

Our road trip started fairly early.  For the round trip drive to Bryce we had about 250 miles to go.  We decided to make a loop instead of going and returning on the same route.  The first leg of the trip started with us heading due north on highway I-15.  We climbed and climbed. Then, we went down and down.  Then, we climbed again.  None of the climbs were big but with all the mountains in Utah the only way to get on the other side was to either go through them or over them.  Obviously, without a tunnel we weren’t going through them. 

We stopped at a rest area off of I-15.  We had never seen a fenced pet run at a rest stop.   This was amazing.  It was huge, no other dogs were around and Duchess loved it.   Good job, Utah!

We knew Highway 14 crossing over at Cedar City was closed.  That route climbs to about 10,000 feet but  was closed due to snow.  Thus, we continued on to Highway 20.  We figured it was probably a better route anyway and I’m sure it was.  It was a short 20 miles crossing over to highway 89.  In that 20 miles we saw plenty of snow on the side of the road, icy spots and lots more up and downs including some good 8% grades.  Elevation on this climb took us to about 8100 feet.  We were glad to get on the other side!!

Highway 89 was also a very good road.  We saw several State Troopers with vehicles stopped on the side of the road and lots of varying speed limit signs that waivered between 65 to 55 to 45 to 35 and then back to 65.  We didn’t know if all the varying speeds were a way to catch tourists or what the deal was but we didn’t want to take a chance.

Highway 12 took us through Red Canyon on our way to Bryce.  There isn’t much to say in words so I’m just going to post a few photos of this very scenic area.

Once through Red Canyon it was just a short distance on to Bryce Canyon National Park.  The entrance fee is $25.00 per private vehicle unless you have an American the Beautiful Pass … then, it’s FREE!  Free is always good.  Free is actually best.

Our first stop after the Visitor’s Center was Sunrise Point.

Next we were on to Sunset Point.

 

Next it was Inspiration Point.

Finally we stopped at Bryce Point at an elevation of 8300’ for a panorama view and what a view it was.  To make the view easy, even a platform had been built so spectators got the best view of all – the full panorama.

We left Bryce and drove back through Red Canyon.

On our return trip we headed south on Hwy 89 until we came to Hwy 9 which was the route through Zion National Park.  This was the east entrance and as you drove through you dropped from the upper part of the park down to the lower canyon.  We had just driven this route at Zion a few days before (remember the flat tire?) but it was just as beautiful going through it again as it was then.  Besides this was the shortest way to get back to the motorhome.

The winds were expected to blow Sunday over much of Utah and the Southwest and we certainly noticed them as we arrived back at the motorhome.  The forecast was for windy conditions with winds blowing at 30 mph.  We’ve been told by several that the little town of Hurricane was named that for a reason.  Other than today we really haven’t noticed the winds so much and we’ve been hanging around for almost a couple weeks.  Perhaps, it’s been because we’ve been in other very windy locations this winter season.  Or, maybe we’ve just been lucky.  We love this area.  I think of all the places we’ve recently visited we like this best … it just needs a Winco, an ocean and the rest of our family to make it perfect.

This is one of those times I’m really thankful digital cameras replaced film cameras.  I took a lot of pictures.  It would have cost me a bundle to have had all of the film developed. The hard part was choosing which ones to put on the blog.  I knew posting over 100 would be just a few too many!! 

‘Tis life on the road.

Coral Pink Sand Dunes and Zion National Park

We do not see nature with our eyes, but with our understandings and our hearts.

Coral Pink Sand Dunes

Thursday was the day we had to move again.  It was the third move in just as many days and in the same park. The managers at the park went out of their way to accommodate us even offering us one night free!  Other folks had made reservations and the park was now full.  This is what can happen when you take off without any idea of where you’re heading.  We were without reservations heading towards an area that had several special events going on.  The first night we had one pull-thru available but it was reserved the following night.  Thus, we moved to another site which also was only available for the one night.  Then on Thursday we moved again to another site.  

Another view of the sand dunes

When you’re moving into a site that someone else is moving out of you’re on their time clock.  Check out time is noon.  They don’t have to move out until noon and on the third day that’s just about what the folks did.  We were hoping to leave early.  We wanted to take a drive to Coral Pink Sand Dunes, Kanab and make a circle so we could enter Zion from the eastern gate. That was the plan.  We all know by now that plans don’t always work out as we hope they will.

While waiting to move we decided to go to breakfast.  One of our neighbors suggested we try Triple TJ’s which is a family run restaurant.  We did.  We should have had a clue how the day was going to go just by my order.  I ordered ham and eggs – over medium-well.   I was served bacon and over easy eggs.  However, will we go back?  Certainly .. they bent over backwards to please.  We’ll try again.

Terry's yummy breakfast

It took us almost two hours to get moved this last time.   What normally takes less than half an hour took almost two hours!  First of all, we had a trailer to move and figured if we set it on the pull-thru site at the front end we could load it up with the ATVs and take off if we wanted.  We thought we’d park the Jeep in back.  It didn’t work like that.  In order to unload the trailer we had to raise the tires of the Jeep or the hitch wouldn’t release.  Then, we had to offload the back ATV.  Next was the satellite.  Usually we have no trouble getting satellite because it's automatic.  The trees we were under had no leaves but you might as well guess that the branches were perfectly positioned to block the reception.  So, we had to reposition the motorhome back at the end of the driveway, try the satellite again, move the trailer back and then reset back up.  What a zoo!  

East entrance to Zion

By the time we finally got on the road for our circle trip we were already pretty well stressed out.   Matter of fact, I was so stressed by the last three days it was hard not to keep the tears from flowing.  Traveling with a trailer is not quite as easy as traveling without it.

Beautiful views at every turn

We climbed up and out of Hurricane to an elevation of about 6500’.  I didn’t realize most of the trip was an uphill climb.  We had originally intended on stopping in Kanab but due to our late start we just drove on through.  We did stop and take a peak at the Pink Coral Sand Dunes.  There were a lot of places to ride and quite a few ATVs and OHVs on the trails.  We even saw snow spattered here and there.  Some of the prior snowfalls had completely melted but with the storms due in this weekend, I’m sure that snow will be replenished. 

Another view of the park

We entered Zion National Park this time from the east gate.  Pictures were really difficult since the sun was always shining where I didn’t exactly want it to but …. oh well.  There is a lot of difference in what you see on the lower level of the park and the higher level of the park.  Again, we saw a little snow on the side of the road.  The drive from the upper park to the lower park is definitely something that shouldn’t be missed.  The view is absolutely awesome.  

Zion and all it's beauty

There are two tunnels in the park.  Large vehicles need an escort to travel through the tunnels.  Traffic is stopped since the larger vehicles must travel in the middle of the tunnels due to height.  The roads are fairly narrow switchbacks with pull-outs for viewing as you descend the mountain into the lower part of the park.  Coming out of the tunnel on this narrow roadway we had another little mishap that just put the topping on our day.  We had another flat tire!!  This was the third flat tire in three months but what a place to have it!!  We had to drive down the road to the first pull-off so it could be changed.  Believe me … fun, it wasn’t!

A little snow in the park

The first two flat tires were definitely self-caused.  Terry was trying to four-wheel in the desert over some pretty sharp twigs.  He did that twice so that was our fault.  We aren’t sure what caused this flat.  It was a good tire but we may have picked up a nail or something.  We can’t get it fixed because we had to drive on the flat too far just so we could pull off the road.  I’m sure you get the picture and it’s not a pretty one.  Well, the picture of the scenery was pretty but not the events of the flat.

This was it … what a place to have a flat.

No explanation needed here!

How did the day end?  We made it back to the RV park without any other tires going flat.  It was much later than intended and I wasn’t going to cook.  We hadn’t set up our little Weber grill yet.  We saw what looked like a small combination Mexican / steak restaurant on our way into town.  Actually, it was not one restaurant but two.  On one side was a fast food Mexican restaurant with a very limited menu.  On the other side the restaurant looked like a fast food inside but it had table service.  This was Barista’s.  If you decide to visit this place while in Hurricane, read the reviews on Yelp first … then, don’t go.  The prices are extremely expensive for the type of restaurant it is and the staff is a little intimidating.     After being seated and given a menu, we checked it out and then walked out.  A staff member let us know this was America and we could eat anywhere we want.  So, we did.  We drove down to Ted and Allen’s Sport Grill.  

Friday is another day.  The weather will be gorgeous --- the calm before the storm.  We have tires to buy ... again..

‘Tis life on the road. Sometimes that road can get bumpy.

Previous Post -- Entering Utah and Zion National Park.

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Entering Utah and Zion National Park

Nature is the art of God.   

West entrance Zion National Park

Leaving Las Vegas without any serious planning added a little uncertainly to our adventure.  Now I know many, many folks take off all the time without any idea of where they are going to end up that night or the next.  I usually like an idea and especially with a trailer and with Duchess.  Not every place will accommodate us.

We didn’t pull out until noon-ish but that was Nevada time.  By crossing over into Utah we would lose an hour but we only had about 120 miles to go. We knew where two Wal-marts were and thanks to a blog we follow, we also knew they allowed RV overnight parking.   Don’t you think that was a good start?

The terrain on Nevada I-15 was very different than what we had become accustomed to over the last few months hanging around Arizona and the flat deserts.  At times it seemed jaw dropping beautiful and especially as we dropped into St. George.  Oh my!! 

We arrived at the Wal-Mart early enough to park the motorhome and trailer and take off in the Jeep to check out  a few possible places to stay.  Most everything was pretty close together so it was an easy task.  I'm always amazed at how different a place looks online or on an advertisement than what it really looks like when you visit.  However, we did find an empty pull-thru site but discovered it was only good for the one night.  The next morning we had to change sites and the morning after that we had to change sites again.  Ugh!




It was kind of like musical chairs only it was RVs.  The manager of this park sure worked hard to accommodate us.   These people were absolutely, and I do mean absolutely, fantastic.  The problem was that there was a Tri-State ATV Jamboree in town and the place was packed with ATVs.  For us it was kind of exciting to find that out.

Once we’d moved on our second day we decided to take a little trip to Zion National Park.  We had another jaw-dropping experience in viewing the beauty of this park!  We wanted to go before the storm hit over the weekend.  The shuttle doesn’t start running until the 1st of April which meant we could drive past the lodge to the end of the lower road.  At places it was hard to find parking spots.  The place was packed with cars. 

WOW!  What else can I say about Zion just WOW, WOW, WOW.  Next we plan on viewing the upper level of the park.  This day it was only the lower level.  The road signs indicated it was the scenic route.  We'll see about that.

Sand Hollow State Park was beautiful too.  We did a drive-by to check it out.  The park was pretty empty at the time but it’s full over the weekend.

Can you imagine moving three times in three days and all in the same park? That’s what we had to do.  However, check out the size of this RV site.  Our park in Las Vegas would probably have turned this into four sites!!  You'll definitely hear more about our moves in a day or two.

We finished the day off with a meal in St. George at Cracker Barrel!!  I love their catfish!!  St. George is another very pretty town with a lot of red cliffs in the background.  We have discovered many snowbirds come to this area as the weather is normally pleasant during the winter.  However, we've also discovered that it is probably quite early in the year to plan on spending much time in other  areas of Utah unless you don't mind cooler (or is it colder?) temperatures and even a little snow.  Thus, we're not sure what our plans are but that does seem to be the norm.  What we do know is that it's colder north and warmer south.

‘Tis life on the road.