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Bryce Canyon, named after Ebenezer Bryce who settled in the area in the 1850s, is situated in the south of Utah.  Receiving National Park status in 1928, the park is around 55 square miles of breathtaking natural rugged beauty.  Although smaller and quieter (most tourists make their way to the Grand Canyon, or nearby Zion National Park), Bryce Canyon is a park that has much to offer in terms of original natural features. 

In particular, viewing the hoodoos – which can reach heights of 200 meters – and the vibrant color of the natural landscape are worth the visit and admission price.  If geology interests you, this is a must do on your travel itinerary if you are traveling through this part of Utah.

At the visitor center, you can watch a short film which is a great introduction to the park.  Afterwards check out if there are any ranger programs that you can take part in that day, or just hike/drive around and enjoy the spectacular views from the many observation points throughout the park.  For those who enjoy winter sports, there are opportunities for show shoeing or cross country ski-ing, or during the warmer months, there are horseback riding tours that last between 2-4 hours – check with the park in advance to check if you are able to reserve a place on any specific activities you’d like to do.

For those who enjoy wandering around and learning from exhibits, current displays in the museum include geology, wildlife and star gazing.  For anyone interested in the geology of Bryce Canyon, there are frequent geology talks in the park. 

Bryce Canyon may not be as expansive as Grand Canyon, but it has a rugged charm of its own and is well worth a visit if you’re in the area.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, January 8th, 2008 at 11:17 pm and is filed under USA travel. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.