Bryce Canyon National Park

Our national parks are treasures. Each has unique and awe-inspiring features. So I hesitate to call any particular park "most photogenic", but Bryce Canyon certainly would make the short list. We were fortunate to spend two nights in the park (Susan reserved one of the last rooms months before we traveled) which enabled us to see more of its moods. Lovely weather prevailed before dawn and beyond.

Predawn, Bryce Canyon

Bryce Canyon sunrise

The park is known for its hoodoos, the vaguely person-shaped formations that result from weathering and erosion of rocks rich in calcium carbonate. The park experiences 200 days a year when nighttime temperatures are below freezing and daytime temperatures are above. All those freeze-thaw cycles contribute to the erosion.

Bryce Canyon hoodoos

Hoodoos

Our only "bad" weather was a rainstorm that conveniently occurred during our dinner in the lodge restaurant. The next morning brought a view of a sparkling stream in the bottom of the canyon and stronger scents of pine at the top.

Stream in Bryce Canyon

The canyon rim is above 8,000 feet, giving spectacular views of the canyon and the rugged Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument beyond.

View from Bryce Canyon rim