Bryce Canyon National Park





"Rest is not idleness, and to lie sometimes on the grass under trees on a summer's day, listening to the murmur of the water, or watching the clouds float across the sky, is by no means a waste of time."

John Lubbock

Entrance to the park

I love visiting our national parks.  I have never been to a national park that I didn't find something I loved about the park and that area of our country.  I visited Bryce National Park quite a few years ago, in conjunction with a visit to the Grand Canyon.  They are actually not that far apart.  When we did our trip we spent a week and were able to take in the Grand Canyon, Lake Powell and Zion National Park along with Bryce.  This was a good way to see several national parks at one time. Most people never go to the north rim of the Grand Canyon, but it would be easy to add it to a trip that took in these other parks, because it is very near to them.

Bryce Canyon National Park

Bryce Canyon National Park is located in southwestern Utah. Bryce Canyon in not really a canyon, but a collection of giant natural ampitheaters along the eastern side of Paunsaugunt Plateau. Its distinctive geological structures called hodoos are formed by frost weathering and stream erosion of the river and lake bed. The red, orange and white colors of the rocks provide spectacular views for park visitors. Bryce sits at a much higher elevation than nearby Zion National Park. The rim at Bryce varies from 8,000 to 9,000 feet. Bryce was designated a national monument in 1923 and became a national park in 1928. The park covers 35,835 acres and receives relatively few visitors compared to Zion and the Grand Canyon, largely due to its remote location.



Bryce Canyon National Park

The park is open 24 hours per day throughout the year. There may be temporary road closures during and shortly after winter snow storms until plowing is completed and conditions are safe for visitor traffic. Road maintenance may require brief closures of individual areas at other times.  The best time to go to the park is in the spring, summer or fall, as winter can be harsh and there will be less facilities available during the winter months.

There are many things you can do while in the park.  There are ranger programs, such as their daily Geology Talks, and guided rim walks.  Ever wonder why the rocks are red? Where we got the name hoodoo? What's a deer's favorite food? The magic of Bryce Canyon sparks the imagination and wonder in park rangers as well as visitors. Ranger programs are a great way to expand your exploration of Bryce Canyon. They're free too!

Full moon over Bryce NP

There are also evening programs which offer an in-depth look at some of the compelling stories and interesting resources that Bryce Canyon protects.  They even have a Full Moon Hike where you can join the "Dark Rangers" for a nocturnal adventure. These highly popular hikes are only offered during the full moon. Flashlights are prohibited and "lug traction" footwear is required. Tickets can only be obtained at the visitor center the morning of the hike on a first come, first served basis.  There are also Astronomers Tours available.  During the winter months they also do ranger led Snowshoe Hikes.   Check at visitor center for topics, start times, and locations.

You can drive along the rim area of the park which is about 18 miles long.  The last lookout point is Rainbow Point.  There are 13 lookout points along this road, where you can pull over and look out over Bryce Canyon.  You can also hike into the canyon on various hiking trails.  Pets are not allowed on any unpaved trails in the park, so if you have a pet with you then you will be staying above the canyon area.

Natural arch in Bryce Canyon NP

There are 2 campgrounds inside Bryce Canyon National Park, they are North and Sunset Campgrounds. Both have restrooms with flush toilets, and drinking water. During the summer months coin-operated laundry and shower facilities are available at the general store nearby. There are no hook-ups in the campgrounds, but a fee-for-use dump station is available for RV users at the south end of North Campground.  North Campground has 13 RV sites available by reservation and 86 RV and Tent Sites available on a first-come, first-served basis. Sunset Campground has 20 Tent Sites and a Group site available by reservation and 80 RV and Tent Sites available on a first-come, first-served basis.  So if you don't have a reservation, then get there early, because they do fill up.



Bryce Canyon Lodge

There is one lodge within the national park.  The Bryce Canyon Lodge which also includes cabins.  The lodge, cabins and motel are all part of the Bryce Canyon Lodge and has 114 rooms available.  The lodge is open only between March and November - the actual dates vary from year to year.  There is a dining room at the lodge which is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner.  There is also a gift shop available at the lodge.  Reservations are recommended.

The most popular place to stay in the area is just outside the park entrance and is very convenient for those visiting the park.  It is the Best Western Ruby's Inn and Campground.  The place is a very popular stop for visitors to the park, and they also have a nice restarurant. http://www.rubysinn.com/.  We did not stay there, we actually stayed in one of the cabins that we got through Bryce Canyon Lodge.  Our cabin was right on the rim, and in the morning I could walk out the door of my cabin and be overlooking the rim.  We had our dog with us, and she was allowed to stay in our cabin.  We did visit Ruby's though, and had dinner there our first night.

For more information about Bryce Canyon, their fees, and things to do while in the park, go to: http://www.brycecanyoncountry.com/


My next posting will be about nearby Zion National Park.  They are close enough to each other that they are a natural to combine.




Grand Canyon National Park

“The glories and the beauties of form, color, and sound unite in the Grand Canyon-forms unrivaled even by the mountains, colors that vie with sunsets, and sounds that span the diapason from tempest to tinkling raindrop, from cataract to bubbling fountain.” 

John Wesley Powell

Grand Canyon became a National Park in 1919, three years after the creation of the National Park Service.  It receives close to five million visitors each year.  I have visited the Grand Canyon National Park twice, and it overwhelmed my senses with its immense size and beauty.   The park is 277 river miles long, 18 miles wide and is one mile deep.  The Colorado River runs through the canyon and is what carved the canyon.  The average distance across the canyon is only 10 miles, it takes 5 hours to drive the 215 miles between the park's South Rim Village and the North Rim Village.

Me at the Grand Canyon, South Rim

The majority of visitors only visit the South Rim, and most of them see it in one day from their car, or the shuttle bus, and at overlooks along the rim.  The South Rim is the most accessible part of the park and is open all year.  A much smaller number of people see the canyon from the North Rim, which lies just 10 miles directly across the canyon from the South Rim.  The North Rim is closed in the winter months due to weather conditions.  The Inner Canyon includes everything below the rim and is seen mainly by hikers, mule riders, or river runners.



The steam engine on the Grand Canyon Railway

The Grand Canyon is located in northern Arizona.  Both times I visited the park, I arrived by the Grand Canyon Railway.  It leaves Williams daily and makes its way to the park.  It is a great way to get to the park, but certainly not the only way.  The most common way to get to the canyon is to drive.  If you live far away, then you will probably fly to either Phoenix or Las Vegas, and then rent a car and drive to the park.  Both places are equally close, about a 3 hour drive.   Once you get to the park there is a free shuttle bus you can ride within the park, which will not only save you money, but is more environmentally friendly than driving your own car to the different lookout places.  To learn more about the Grand Canyon Railway, go to my posting in June: http://havelistwilltravel.blogspot.com/2012/03/grand-canyon-railway.html



TheTrans-Canyon Shuttle runs between the north and south rims of the park once each day, in each direction, and the travel time is about 4 1/2 hours each way. This is the only regularly scheduled service between the north and south rims of the park.

    The shuttle leaves the north rim at 7am and arrives at the south rim at noon.

    The suttle leaves the south rim at 1:30pm and rrives back at the north rim at 6:30pm.

Reservations are required and can be made by calling 928-638-2820. Scheduled service is available between May 15th and October 15, with a limited schedule between October 16 and October 31.

Watchtower at the Grand Canyon NP

Once you are in the park, there are many things that you can do.  There are guided tours you can book that will take you to some of the lookout points, as well as the Dessert View Road and the Watchtower.  The Watchtower is a round stone building which was designed by Mary Colter, one of the first woman architects.  She is often referred to as the architect of the southwest.  I have a book on her, and I think she was a fascinating woman.  She also designed the Bright Angel Lodge which is one of the hotels you could stay in if you spend the night (more about that when I talk about accomodations in the park.)



Inside the Watchtower

As you get closer to the building you might see how well it blends into the environment. It is difficult to tell where the rock of the canyon walls end, and the tower begins. From Desert View… aptly named because of the views to the east of the Painted Desert…you can see the Colorado River make a big bend and continue to the west, the North Rim more than 10 miles away, and a panoramic view for well over 100 miles on a clear day.




Also, while in the park, there are many hiking trails, both above and below the rim.  When we were there we took the free shuttle bus out to the last of the lookout points and then hiked the trail back towards the village.  The trail runs along the edge of the canyon and even sometimes dips below the rim.  The trail goes from one lookout point to the next, and at any point you can hop back on the shuttle bus. 

 

Mule trip

There are mule trips to the floor of the canyon if you are feeling adventursome.  There are also some shorter mule trips available.  There are weight limits and age limits.  They say the mules like to hug the outside edge of the trail, so you are hanging over the edge of the canyon on parts of the ride.  Unless you are comfortable with heights, it might not be that much fun.  If you go to the floor of the canyon then you will spend the night at Phantom Ranch and return the next day.  Mule trips should be booked in advance as they are popular and tend to sell out.

 

White-water rafting
the Colorado River

Something I have seriously considered doing is a white-water rafting trip down the Colorado River and through the canyon.  I think seeing the canyon from the bottom up would be quite wonderful.  The rafting trips are anywhere from 3 days to18 days.  They are guided trips with professional guides who know the river.  You camp along the way.  If you do the trip just half way and get out at Phantom Ranch, then you will have to climb the trail back to the rim - a steep climb.  There are no one day rafting trips through the Grand Canyon.  We did, however take a half-day smooth water rafting trip from Glen Canyon Dam, which is north of the Grand Canyon and takes you through a smaller canyon.  That was fun, but not nearly as adventursome.

 

El Tovar Hotel

There are many lodging options for you within the park.  The most luxuious of the hotels is the El Tovar.  Located on the Canyon rim, it features a fine dining room (open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner), lounge and curio shop with newsstand. El Tovar offers its guests Concierge and room service and is a Registered National Historic Landmark.  Also available is the Bright Angel Lodge which was designed by Mary Colter in 1935.  It has a natural, rustic character, and is also a Registered National Historic Landmark.  It is located just a few feet from the Canyon rim.  Other options include The Kachina Lodge and The Thunderbird Lodge, both of which are conveniently located between El Tovar and Bright Angel Lodge. They are both contemporary hotels.  Maswik Lodge is a modern facility spread over several acres of Ponderosa Pine forest, located just 1/4 mile from the canyon's edge.  It features a cafeteria that is open from 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. Here you will also find a Pizza Pub with wide screen TVs, a curio shop stocked with handicrafts and gifts, and a transportation activities desk.  Yavapai Lodge is Grand Canyon National Park Lodges' largest facility and is surrounded by Pinyon and Juniper woodlands, about 1/2 mile from the rim.  Yavapai Lodge features the Canyon Cafe, which is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The curio shop has a wide range of gifts and a transportation / activities desk is located in the lobby.  There are also some cabins available, some of which are also on the rim.

 

Phantom Ranch on the floor of the Grand Canyon

Phantom Ranch is also available to stay in, but it is on the canyon floor and to get to it you must either hike down or take the mule trip.  Remember that if you hike down, you will also have to hike back up.  The ranch was designed by architect Mary E. J. Colter and completed in 1922. The rustic cabins and main lodge are built of wood and native stone and do not intrude on the natural beauty and solitude of the setting. Overnight accommodations at Phantom Ranch consist of dormitory spaces and cabins. Cabins and dormitories are heated and cooled during the summer months.

 

Campgrounds are also available within the park.

 

Pets are permitted in the park, and must be leashed at all times.  They can be on any of the trails above the rim, but are not permitted on the trails below the rim.  They are also not permitted on the free shuttle bus or in any of the rooms within the park system.  They are allowed in the campgrounds.  There is a kennel at the park where pets can be boarded, for a price.

 

For more information about the park, including admission fees, park passes, and other things to see and do, visit:  http://www.nps.gov/grca/index.htm

 

Sedona, Arizona, near the Grand Canyon

When planning your visit to the Grand Canyon, you might also want to consider visiting some other things in the area.  Whenever we are anywhere near that area, we love to stop in Sedona.  The red rocks and mountains around the town of Sedona are quite beautiful, and the color is more intense than the colors within the Grand Canyon.

 

Another place that might be worth visiting is the Grand Canyon Skywalk, which is not inside the national park, but not far away.  The Skywalk is owned by the Hualapai Indian tribe.  To get to it you do have to drive 10 miles on a dirt road.  The Skywalk is a transparent horseshoe-shaped cantilever bridge which is suspended out over the edge of the canyon, about 4,770 feet elevation of the Colorado River.

Skywalk

 

When we visited the canyon we had a week, so we combined the trip with Lake Powell, Bryce Canyon and Zion National Parks, all are to the north of the Grand Canyon, but not that far.  If you have the time, they could be easily combined with a visit to the Grand Canyon National Parks.  I will be writing about both Bryce and Zion National Parks in upcoming editions.

 

 

Grand Canyon Railway

"I may not have gone where I intended to go,
but I think I have ended up where I intended to be."
~ Douglas Adams ~

When I worked at AAA as a travel agent one of the packages we sold more of than any other was our Rails to the Rim package.  The package was for the Grand Canyon Railway and included hotel stays, meals and a tour when you arrived.  It was a great package, which my husband and I have been on twice.  The Rails to the Rim package is a package designed for AAA members only, and is a great package, but the train itself has quite a few other options, so if you are not a AAA member you still have quite a few options.

Grand Canyon Railway

You can take the train from Williams and do it all in one day.  The train leaves Williams in the morning and takes a little over 2 hours for the trip to the canyon.  You would then have almost 4 hours at the canyon, time for a guided bus tour, or you could opt to go on your own with the free shuttle buses provided by the park.  You would return in time for dinner.  The trip from Williams to the Grand Canyon is mostly flat and you don't actually see the Grand Canyon until you are arriving, and then only for a few seconds.  We did see some deer from the train.  There are 4 different classes of service: Coach, First Class, Observation Dome and the Luxury Parlor Car.

Coach is a 1950' era car which has bench style seating, the seats are padded and has backs.  It is comfortable and the car is air-conditioned.  You can visit the cafe car for snacks.

First Class has over-sized relining seats and you are served fresh fruit and pastries on the morning run, and snacks and soft drinks on the return.  There is beer, wine and mixed drinks available for purchase.

Observation Dome has a glass dome for panoramic views and they have high backed padded seating.  you also get the fruit and pastries in the morning and snacks and a champagne toast on the return.  Children 15 years and younger are not permitted in this car.

Luxury Parlor Class is the ultimate in luxury.  It has lounge style seating and access to the open air platform at the rear of the train.  It also has the morning fruit and pastries, and the afternoon snacks and champagn.



The steam engine on the Grand Canyon Railway

You can experience 2 different classes by taking one class to the canyon and returning in a different class. They have both diesel trains and steam trains.  For several years they quit operating the steam train because of environmental concerns, but they have started operating them again, using a new method that is environmentally friendly.  The steam engine is only used a few days a year for special events, so if you want to ride when it is scheduled you will have to make reservations farther in advance.  Each train engine and each train car has been painstakingly restored to its original state. Strolling musicians play tunes from the past. And there's even fun re-creations of an old fashioned shoot out and a train robbery on the return trip.

Grand Canyon at sunset

There are several packages that you can book, including the AAA package which has to be booked at AAA.  Most of the packages include some kind of overnight stays, either at the canyon or the before and after hotel stays at the Grand Canyon Hotel in Williams.  I really recommend doing one night overnight at the canyon itself.  You really need more then 4 hours to explore the sights at the canyon.  But having the night before and the night after in Williams does make things easier also.  If you stay at the Grand Canyon for one night you have lots of options.  You can stay at the beautiful El Tovar, which is the top of the line for the Grand Canyon.  Other options include the historical Bright Angel Lodge, Thunderbird Lodge, Yavapai, Maswik and Kachina Lodge.  There are also some cabins available, some right on the rim. 

And if you have small children, then a great adventure for them would be at Christmas time when they turn the train into The Polar Express.  This is a very popular trip, so make sure you book it way in advance, it sells out every year. 

Experience the magic of The Polar Express™, the classic children's book by Chris Van Allsburg. The Polar Express comes to life when the train departs the Williams Depot for a journey through the dark and quiet wilderness for a special visit to the "North Pole." Enjoy hot chocolate and cookies while listening to the magical story. Watch the joy on the children's faces when the train arrives at the North Pole, where Santa Claus and his reindeer are waiting! Santa will board The Polar Express and hand each child their own special gift. Make this a family holiday tradition. Call today to make your reservations because space is limited to those who truly believe in the spirit of Christmas! The train leaves each night at 5:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Select days feature a 3:30 p.m. matinee departure. The ride is a little over an hour. Children are encouraged to come dressed in their pajamas.  There is a special Polar Express on Christmas Eve.

To book the Grand Canyon Railway either go to your AAA office and talk to a travel agent, or go online to http://www.thetrain.com/

You could also call 1-800-THE TRAIN

There are many more trains trips around the country that are fun to take.  In future writings I will explore some of those. 

**pictures taken from the internet