Bryce, Arches, and Canyonlands...Oh My!

A whirlwind 3 parks in 2 days. Due to the dropping temperatures, I turned the front seats of my car into a bed at two different campsites. Would it have been smarter to just set up my tent and snuggle with my sleeping bag and blankets? Yes. Definitely. But my desire to see the sunrise each morning battled against the lack of motivation to pack up my tent when the temperature was in the teens. So it became literal car camping with sunrise starts to the day!

Bryce may be my favorite park that I’ve been to (difficult decision to come too though!) I honestly didn’t know much going in so I had no idea what to expect. The spires of rock, also known as hoodoos, fill the canyon in amphitheaters. It’s unlike anything I’ve ever seen before. 

I hiked from Sunrise Point through the Queen’s Garden to Navajo Loop which took me up to Sunset Point. I expected the entire hike to be through the hoodoos, but was surprised when I came to a forested stretch. By a park volunteer’s recommendation, I headed out to Bryce Point and stopped off at the Natural Bridge on my way back. Fun fact, bridge is the incorrect term and this is actually an arch. Gotta love face signs near the view points!

The next day was time for Arches and Canyonlands! I expected to spend more time at Arches and for that to be a clear favorite - but once again having no expectations caught my off guard for the stunning beauty of Canyonlands. I went on a hike to Upheaval Dome and followed a series of cairns to an overlook. The hike itself was my favorite part, despite the view also being stunning. I just loved the terrain, using a series of cairns to guide the path, and climbing over these amazingly smooth rocks.

The lesson I took away from this portion is sometimes it’s good to have no expectations and go in blind!