Exploring Bryce Canyon - Hiking the Hoodoos, Sunset Point - Pt 2 - 2022/09/06

Let's go explore Bryce Canyon National Park!

One of the things we noticed while we were here before was a little bit of trash and litter. Using our new trash grabbers, we spent the first 20 minutes after we got to the parking lot picking up trash. 

Now let's go hiking! 

We're starting on the rim of Bryce Canyon, on the Sunset Point part of the trail. 

Looking down into the canyon into those crazy hoodoo formations. 

It starts with a nice paved trail. 

But quickly moves to gravel. 

And finally the regular dirt of the hillside. 

Looking towards Thor's Hammer, a famous landmark here. 

Water has caused erosion between many of these fins, providing a way to walk down to the canyon floor. There's many paths to make your way down. Today we chose the Two Bridges trail.  

Switchbacks have been cut back and forth to navigate the steep terrain. 

Smelling the trees to see if they have a butterscotch aroma. 

At the bottom of the ravine, there are two natural stone bridges, thus the name Two Bridges. They reminded me of one of the challenges Indiana Jones faced during the Last Crusade as he tried to find the Holy Grail. 

Down at the floor, we have some choices to hike, but any hike further down means we also have to hike it back up! 

The Visitor's Center also has a special program called "Hike the Hoodoos", similar to a scavenger hunt, where you find at least 3 different markers on your hike, hike at least 3 miles, and you'll get a special reward from the visitor's center. 

Seeing different colors of eroded rock. 

Squeezing between narrow passageways. 

Visiting a section called the Queen's Garden. 

And here we've found our first marker! The kids made a rubbing of the bronze plate to prove they visited here. 

And when we stopped for a snack, we found a very eager chipmunk. 

Doing his best to act cute. 

Getting really close. But we know that good Junior Rangers never feed the wildlife. 

Time to start our climb up. 

Tunnels carved out of the rock providing a path up. 

Those Hoodoo formations are wild. 

The shade is nice during these hot days. 

Standing on a fin, between two others. 

Completing the 650 feet of elevation gain back out of the canyon and we emerge at Sunrise Point. 

From there, it's an easy mile walk along the top of the rim of the canyon back to Sunset Point. 

Picking up trash along the way. Helping to keep those National Parks clean!