This morning we are traveling to Salem, Oregon. We crossed into state number 11, Oregon, on a bridge over the Columbia River!
Entering Oregon.
On our way to Salem we drove through Portland and the traffic was heavy as we crossed the Willamette River but we had great views of the downtown area.
Portland
Portland, Oregon
We were set up at our next campground by 11:00 and hopped in the car to visit Cannon Beach. As we left the campground we could see Mt. Jefferson, elevation 10,502 ft., that is part of the Cascade Range, in the distance.
Mt. Jefferson
When we arrived at Cannon Beach we had some lunch at a wonderful restaurant and masks were to be worn except when you were eating. Even though we are fully vaccinated we follow the businesses requests. The town was very busy because it was a nice day and all the restaurants and stores were busy!
Driftwood Restaurant
Cannon Beach is a long sandy beach and is known for Haystack Rock which stands 235 ft. out of the water. As we walked up and down the beach, it was windy and the temperature on the beach was about 60˚! When we walked in the small town of Cannon Beach it was much warmer.
During low tide you can walk out to Haystack. We checked the tide schedule and we arrived a little after low tide. When it is low tide a lot of various marine life can be seen. This area is a protected marine garden so the Oregon department of Fish & Wildlife are there to block off the area and keep individuals from stepping on the marine life during low tide! It is known for many sea stars, urchins, sea anemones, and shellfish. From outside the restricted area we could see some sea anemones and urchins but we didn’t observe any sea stars or shellfish.
Cannon Beach
Cannon Beach
Haystack Rock
As close as we could walk to the tidepools.
Cannon Beach
About a mile offshore we could see Tillamook Lighthouse. It was built in 1881 and deactivated in 1957.
Tillamook Lighthouse
This evening was doing laundry, nothing exciting at all! Tomorrow will be another adventure!
Our goal today was to explore Olympic National Park. It was another early start because we wanted to have a lot of time in the park. It is 922,650 acres of various wilderness terrain. We downloaded for offline use the park information from the NPS app. It was very helpful because we didn’t have cell service for much of the park.
From our campsite we crossed Puget Sound and drove along Hood Canal which is one of the four main basins of Puget Sound. Annas Bay is located at the mouth of the Skokomish River at the bend at the south end of Hood Canal.
Hood Canal
Hood Canal
Annas Bay
Driving along the Hood Canal
Before heading into the park we learned that we need to fill up our gas tank when we see a gas station. This was the first station and mart that we saw on 101, near Sequim, WA before the entrance to the park! And it was very busy! There were totems around the station and are representative of the S’Klallam Tribe. The S’Klallam Tribe community is located nearby.
Longhouse Market & Deli and Gas Station
On our way to Olympic National Park
Arriving to the park
We stopped at the Olympic National Park Visitor Center which wasn’t open but the park rangers were set up outside with maps. We used the map and the trail information to guide us through the park. The Beaumont Cabin is located at the visitor center. The cabin was built in 1897 and was moved here in 1962. The Beaumont family lived in the cabin for about 40 years. It sat on a government homestead site of 160 acres about a mile from its current location.
Beaumont Cabin
Once in the park we headed toward the Hurricane Ridge Visitor Center. The panoramic views of the Olympic Mountains. Hurricane Ridge is located in land of the S’Klallam people.
Our road to Hurricane Ridge as we travel on Hurricane Ridge Road.
Driving on Hurricane Ridge Rd.
Hurricane Ridge Views
Some non-human visitors!
When we left Hurricane Ridge we drove to Elwha River Valley. We parked and walked the Madison Falls Trailhead. As you walk the trail you are in the homeland of the Lower Elwha Klallam people.
Elwha River
Elwha River
Why the gate is there.
Part of the Madison Falls Trailhead
Madison Falls
Madison Creek
Our next stop was Crescent Lake which is a freshwater lake that was carved by glaciers. The lake is 12 miles long and 624 feet deep! The Crescent Lake Lodge is near where we stopped. We parked and got our packed lunch and sat on a log by the lake and enjoyed our meal looking out over the water. After eating we walked around the grounds and went into the lodge. The lodge was built in 1915 and the lobby has a beautiful stone fireplace and it is furnished with antiques. It has a sun porch that looked so inviting but we had more to see and do in the park!
Our log for lunch.
Lake Crescent Lodge
Lake Crescent
As we travel in the park our next stop was the Sol Duc Valley. We hiked the Sol Duc Falls trail and we were rewarded with the falls which was really flowing!
Sol Duc Falls
Along the Sol Duc Hot Springs road is a viewing platform for visitors to watch the salmon leap up the cascades to spawn in the Sol Duc river. Of course that time of year is September and October for the Coho Salmon and March through May for the steelhead trout!
Salmon Cascades (not today!)
There is a short loop trail where we hiked through the deep green Olympic Old Growth. It was a peaceful walk.
Ancient Groves
We continued around the park to the Hoh Rain forest.
In the Hoh Rain Forest we hiked the Hall of Mosses trail and the Maple Grove trail. At the trailhead we saw the sign below. Needless to say we were paying attention as we hiked along!
Bear Warning
Below are pictures of large ferns, moss covered trees and the Taft Creek. The moss is everywhere and really covers some of the trees but the moss doesn’t hurt the trees. The moss feeds on air and light.
Maples
Moss covered arch
Taft Creek
Some of the coniferous tree trunks were huge as you can see from the picture below!
The tree trunk is wider than Dave’s arm span.
The Hoh Rain Forest is named after the Hoh River which runs from Mt. Olympus to the Pacific coast!
Hoh River
Our last stop in the park was along the Pacific Ocean with a lighthouse in the distance and the sun getting low in the horizon.
Olympic National Park was definitely the most diverse park we have visited with four regions: the alpine areas, the Pacific coastline, east side drier forests, and the west side temperate rainforest! Several times as we drove around on route 101 we would leave Olympic national park and then we would enter back into the park and the entrance gate. Our drive back to our campsite was uneventful and we were exhausted after a long day exploring Olympic National Park.
We were on our way to Mt. St. Helens National Volcanic Monument by 7:00 AM. As we left the campground and got on the highway below is the view we saw of the sky!
Morning sky!
On our way to Mt. St. Helens
On our way, we stopped at Coldwater Lake. The lake was created from the eruption of Mt. St. Helens in 1980. It is located in the heart of the blast zone in Gifford Pinchot National Forest. We parked and walked the Birth of a Lake Interpretive Trail. The path has interpretive signs that explain how the eruption of Mt. St. Helens debris avalanche dammed the Coldwater Creek that created the lake! The lake was very clear and we noticed beautiful flora!
Birth of a Lake Trail
Indian Paintbrush
Max Chrysanthemum
Cutleaf Beardtongue
Big Lupine
Coldwater Lake- very clear
Clearwater Lake- south end
Clearwater Lake
Clearwater Lake with Mt. St. Helens in the background.
Clearwater Lake
Mt. St. Helens Viewpoint
We arrived at the Johnston Ridge Observatory but it was closed so we walked around the area and the trails nearby. It was an eerie feeling when you know that it is still active. If the Visitor center had been opened we would have been able to see the functioning seismograph and the live feed of current activity of Mt. St. Helens.
Below is a picture of what was left of an ancient forest that was filled with 150 foot tall trees. The blast was so powerful and filled with debris that it struck this hillside traveling at 500 mph and stripped the trees of their limbs, bark and snapped the trunks so only these stumps were left!
What’s left of the 150 ft. tall ancient trees after the blast!
Close up of the crater
Locations from Mt. St. Helens
The Mt. St. Helens Eruption Memorial is made of granite and lists the names of those killed on May 18, 1980 by the eruption of Mt. St. Helens.
Mt. St. Helens Eruption Memorial
After our visit to Mt. St. Helens, we headed to Mt. Rainier National Park. On our way we stopped at the overlook for Riffe Lake. The lake is a reservoir that was formed by Mossyrock Dam in 1968. The towns of Riffe and Kosmos no longer exist and their residents were relocated because the towns would be submerged by the lake.
We spent the afternoon and early evening at Mt. Rainier National Park!
Entering the park
Mt. Rainier
Mt. Rainier is the tallest volcano in the Cascade Mountain Range and rises 14,410 feet and 25 glaciers extend down the mountainside. A lot of snow was still present.
Snow covered Mt. Rainier
Mt. Rainier with a cloud floating in front.
There was still a lot of snow along the road and some trails. The snow was about 8 feet along the side of some roads.
A lot of snow.
The Kautz Creek Trail gave us more views of Mt. Rainier and the surrounding area.
A waterfall we passed in the park was Christine Falls. It was on the Van Trump Creek and was 69 feet tall. The higher tier had a 32 feet drop and the lower tier dropped 37 feet.
Christine Falls
The Nisqually Glacier was located on the southwestern face of Mt. Rainier and because it was one of the larger glaciers it can easily be seen! With climate change, the glaciers are shrinking dramatically. One study stated that from 1971 to 2006 the Mt. Rainier lost 14% of its glacier cover. We have to wonder what the percentage of loss is today, fifteen years later.
Nisqually Glacier
Narada Falls has two tiers and its total height is 188 feet and its width is 50 feet. The trail down to the falls has a steep 200-foot descent. The path was narrow due to the snow and ice and it was extremely slippery. We needed our hiking poles which we didn’t have with us for traction! Of course the best viewing is from the bottom. It was too dangerous for us to make it all the way down so our pictures are from the top. We read online that later in the summer the snow and ice will be gone.
Narada Falls
Our next stop was the Paradise Inn and Visitor Center. It was busy at this stop. The Park Rangers were stationed outside the Visitor Center which was closed due to Covid-19 but the restrooms were available. It was fun to watch people throwing snowballs in shorts and t-shirts, we saw people sledding down small hills while using their jackets as sleds, and hikers carrying their skis and snowboards to hike and ski!
Paradise Visitor Center
The Reflection Lakes were still snow and ice covered. We could see a little of the water as we walked around the area. It is a popular area for photographers because of Mt. Rainier’s reflection in the water. There wasn’t any reflection happening when we were there! LOL
Reflection Lakes
There was snow drifts that had trees bent over and buried and you could see how the wind and snow stripped trees and bent them so that the trees are at a slant.
Tree stuck in the snow
Bent trees
Snow!
We drove the Stevens Canyon Road which is 19 miles long and it is only open seasonally. It was a beautiful drive and we saw more waterfalls in the canyon.
Stevens Ridge
Along Stevens Canyon Road there is Box Canyon. There is a short trail that we did. Box Canyon is a 180-foot deep, 13-foot wide chasm in the rock that the Cowlitz River flows.
Box Canyon
Cowlitz River
180 feet down
Falls Creek Falls was also along the Stevens Canyon Road.
Falls Creek Falls
It was a long day with visiting Mt. St. Helens National Monument and Mt. Rainier National Park but we enjoyed every minute!
As we leave Spokane, we only see flat land and no mountains in the distance as we travel on Route 90. We drove past Sprague Lake which is alongside the freeway. It’s listed as offering some of the best fishing in the area.
Sprague Lake
Driving on I-90
There was a scenic overlook along I-90 near Quincy, Washington. We pulled over and saw beautiful views of the Columbia River. We no longer have flat land!
The Vantage Bridge on I-90 that crosses the Columbia River.
Columbia River in Washington
The scenery along the highway was definitely amazing.
Mt. Rainier
We also saw the Cascades mountain range in the distance as we were driving by the cities of Thorp and Cle Elum, Washington and continue along I-90.
Mt. Stuart
Cascades
We arrived in Olympia by late afternoon because traffic was so heavy from Seattle to our campground. When we checked into our campground the owner told us that the last several days they have had three inches of rain but it was blue skies when we arrived.
American Heritage Campground
Campground office
Our campsite in the background.
After settling in to our campsite, we cooked some dinner and then ventured off in the car to walk along the Pacific Ocean shores.
On our way we drove through Aberdeen which some consider the “Gateway to the Olympic Peninsula” because it is located at the southern end of the peninsula and Olympic National Park.
Aberdeen, WA
Ocean Shores, which is in Grays Harbor County, has a long beach and when we visited it was peaceful and a great place to unwind after a day of traveling!
This morning we were up early and on the road by 7:30 AM to head to Spokane, Washington. Our route took us into Montana, state number 9!
In Montana we passed over the Continental Divide which runs through the Bitterroot Mountain Range.
Continental Divide in Montana
We also passed the town of Lima, Montana which has a population of a little over 200. It is named after an early settler whose home was in Lima, Ohio.
Lima, Montana
The Clark Canyon Reservoir in Dillan, Montana is also the site of Camp Fortunate. In 1805, Lewis and Clark set up camp and also met the Shoshoni tribe. The leader of the tribe was Sacajawea’s brother and she recognized him when they met and that helped Lewis and Clark to be accepted as coming in peace.
Clark Canyon Reservoir
Along Interstate 90 in Montana we saw many canola fields. It is a popular rotational crop with wheat and barley. When you see these fields the yellow is vibrant!
Canola Fields
Technology can be such a wonderful thing! Our son did a FaceTime call so we could talk to and see our granddaughter! We loved it!
FaceTime with Erin and Ryan
When we left Montana and we’re back in the panhandle section of Idaho we crossed into the Pacific time zone. We still feel like we are on Eastern Standard time so the three hour difference is messing up our sleeping!
Entering Idaho
Murray Gold Fields
Area of the Murray Gold Fields
The Murray Gold Fields is where a permanent gold rush camp was established in 1884 and the town of Murray flourished for over ten years.
When we pulled off the highway for a rest stop, there were a lot of prairie dogs running around and in and out of their holes outside our RV. It was fun to watch them! We were able to get a picture of one of them.
Prairie Dog
By afternoon we crossed into the state of Washington, our tenth state!
Washington
We checked into our campground and noticed our hot water tank cover was missing. It had to have jarred loose as we were driving. Many of the highways were very bumpy and rough. Dave called the RV manufacturer and they are sending a new one to where we will be staying in Oregon. They told us how long it would take to get shipped and we figured Elkton, Oregon is where we will be camping with friends! In the meantime there wasn’t a cover.
On our way to our Spokane KOA we saw a wine cellar. It was calling our names to stop by for a tasting. So after setting up camp, we hopped in the car and drove to the Latah’s Creek Wine Cellar. It was a great way to end the day tasting Washington wines. One could also tour the adjoining winemaking facilities but that was not open when we were there for our tastings.
Our first stop today was a visit to Tire Discounters in Provo to get our tire fixed. It turned out that the tire had a bad valve stem. Thank goodness it didn’t take too long to be repaired. Once it was attached to the RV we were off to our next campground in Idaho Falls, Idaho.
On our way we saw individuals paragliding. It was beautiful to watch them.
Paragliding
When we stopped for gas Dave noticed that one of the bottom storage bins where he kept his toolbox was not locked. When he used his tools to put the tire back on the spot for the spare he put his tools away but forgot to lock the bin. It was a misfortune but easily fixed. We’ll stop at a hardware store and replace those tools.
Idaho- state number 8!
Mid-morning we crossed into Idaho which is our eighth state. So far we’ve traveled 2300 miles and that doesn’t include the miles on the Prius. There were a lot of potato fields along our route. A lot of the crops had irrigation systems and we saw a lot of water being used. It’s been hot and dry so the fields of crops need water!
Irrigation System
Irrigation of the potato fields.
Once we checked into our campground and set up we drove through Arco which was the first city lighted by nuclear power and its population is under a thousand. This town was along US Route 20.
Arco Baptist Community Church (US National Register of Historic Places)
This historic route is the longest U.S. highway in the country at 3,365 miles! It begins in Boston, MA and ends at Newport, Oregon along the Pacific Ocean.
US Route 20
We didn’t see much traffic along Route 20.
Along Route 20 is the EBR-1 (Experimental Breeder Reactor-1) museum. Unfortunately we couldn’t stop and visit because it is temporarily closed due to COVID. It is where the world’s first nuclear power plant generated electricity in 1951! It became a National Historic Landmark in 1966. The EBR-1 was built at the National Reactor Testing Station and was followed by what is now called the INL(Idaho National Laboratory)! It was eerie driving along this route and seeing the signs for the INL everywhere and wondering what they were doing in all of these buildings! We then got on the INL.gov website and saw that they are involved in many programs, such as nuclear energy, energy and the environment, national and homeland security. Their website mentions that their isolated site is good for their programs.
The eerie clouds over the sign for EBR-1!
Radioactive Waste disposal!
A small part of INL land!
A visit to Craters of the Moon National Monument is filled with lava flows and cinder cones. We hiked around the area. It was 95˚ and a full sun was beating down on us as we hiked the black surfaces. We were melting quickly and drinking a lot of water!
We met with the Park Ranger to get a free permit to explore the caves which were former lava tubes. The questions we had to answer were to make sure that we don’t spread any diseases that would harm the bats particularly white-nose syndrome. It is a fungus that is deadly to bats.
The landscape is filled with hardened lava from lava flows. The lava found here came up out of fissures in the earth and sometimes spewed out of vents. The monument is a dormant area and geologists believe the area will become active in the next 1,000 years!
Inferno Cone
One of the trails we hiked.
One of the trails
Lava tube
Dwarf Buckwheat
Craters of the Moon National Monument & Preserve
After dinner we walked along the River Walk in Idaho Falls which follows the Snake River. The walk consists of the falls and 14 miles of river bank. We walked several miles along the path. Idaho Falls is named after the falls in the heart of the city.
This morning no one showed up at 7:00 AM to replace our flat tire. Dave called and finally someone showed up almost 4 hours later!
the inside tire
In the meantime we walked around Lakeside RV campground and did some reading.
We noticed the sky to the south was very hazy due to the wildfires in Utah. One of the wildfires was east of Salt Lake City. There was a fire weather watch and an excessive heat watch for the area. No campfires of any kind.
Hazy skies due to nearby wildfires
Finally the tire was replaced and we were ready to go exploring the area. Our first stop was Salt Lake City. It was noon when we arrived and it was already close to 100˚. We walked around downtown and spent most of the time at Temple Square. The square encompasses 5 city blocks and is the worldwide headquarters of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. There were beautiful gardens, monuments, church office buildings, the Tabernacle and other buildings.
Temple Square areas
When we left downtown, our next stop was Snowbird to ride the tram. Visiting Snowbird was also a recommendation. On our drive to Snowbird we drove through Little Cottonwood Canyon.
Little Cottonwood Canyon
Little Cottonwood Canyon
We passed avalanche signs and also saw areas of destruction from previous natural avalances. We would not want to drive these roads in the winter.
The drive to the Snowbird resort included many curves and some narrow roads with steep drops!
Snowbird
On our ride in the tram up the mountain we saw some skiers and snowboarders!
Heading up the tram
Skiers
looking down
The tram took us to the top of Hidden Peak. The temperature when we got off the tram had dropped to 70˚. It felt wonderful after all the heat from Salt Lake City. We had enjoyed our lunch at the Summit restaurant.
Our last stop of the day was to visit the Great Salt Lake. The lake is the largest salt lake in the Western Hemisphere.
The Great Salt Lake
It was another full day once we were able to leave the campground.
We’ve been on the road for a week! It’s gone by quickly! Today we left Glendale, Utah and headed to Provo, Utah.
Driving along I-15 N
*Tip: When you’re traveling in a RV and going through various time zones and states, make sure you double-check your daily schedule. We left Glendale a day early and of course we had paid for our stay in advance. This can happen when you have been putting in long days and waking up early because of the time zone changes. The sad thing is that we didn’t realize it until we reached our campground in Provo! Luckily they had a cancellation and we could stay there an extra night!
After setting up camp, we unloaded the car and took off for Provo’s Bridal Veil Falls. It is a popular place for locals and tourists. The Bridal Veil Falls is a natural waterfall in Provo Canyon. After parking the car we walked along the paved Provo River Parkway trail. There were picnic tables, grills and grassy areas that were all filled by families enjoying a Saturday together!
Bridal Veil Falls from a distance.
The falls is 600 feet tall with two tiers.
Bridal Veil Falls
While at the falls we started talking to a local who is the retired CFO for Provo. He highly suggested we go up to the Sundance Resort and take the chairlift up to the top. When we were finished at the falls we did go to Sundance. The chairlift ride up was beautiful as we looked out at the mountains, ski trails and dirt bike trails.
Sundance Resort Chairlift
Views from the chairlift and at the top of the mountain.
Chairlift ride down.
This evening when we got back to the campsite, Dave was checking the air pressure on the RV tires and found that the inside back tire was flat. The rest of the evening was spent trying to get the road assistance here at our campground to replace the tire with our spare. By the time they got someone located it would be 11:00 PM and quiet time begins at 10:00 PM at the campground so we told them it would need to be 7:00 AM the next morning.
This morning we were up and moving by 5:00 AM to head to Zion National Park. We had heard how crowded the park has been and we wanted to avoid the crowds as much as possible. The sun rose over the mountains as we were heading to the park.
Leaving our campground.
Zion National Park in the background
In Zion, you can not drive through the park like we were able to do in Bryce Canyon National Park. You have to take the shuttle busses (from spring to fall). That’s where the line began. We were in line at the Visitor’s Center at 6:15 AM and even at that early hour we didn’t get on a shuttle until 7:38 AM!
Long lines at 6:15 AM!
The line was even longer by the time we got on our shuttle. Masks were to be worn in line and on the shuttle. The national parks were still being careful with the Covid protocols. We were happy with that even though we are fully vaccinated. Zion’s Visitor Center was open but you needed to wear masks and stay 6 feet apart.
Four shuttle stops were closed and that made the other stops busier and those trails did get busy with hikers! Two trails were closed due to a major rockfall! Stop 1 for the Shuttle was the Visitor Center where you had to park and wait for a shuttle.
The closed shuttle stops.
Stop 5 was our first available shuttle stop. This stop was for Zion Lodge and the Lower, Middle and Upper Emerald Pools Trails. We decided to do these hikes which were considered easy to moderate. There weren’t too many people on the trail as we headed for the Lower Emerald Pools. On our way we passed a mule deer eating some leaves and totally ignoring us!
Horseback riders starting out.
Along the path
Another view along the trail.
A mule deer ignoring us.
Virgin River along the trail.
The Lower Emerald Pools Trail
We were disappointed with the Emerald Pools. There wasn’t much water coming down and the pool wasn’t filled with much water. We decided it was from the high temperatures that the area has been experiencing and no rain.
What it normally looks like.
Not what it was when we visited.
What we saw.
A little trickle.
More like a mist, than a waterfall
A small, shallow pool
Lower Emerald Falls
We were on our way to the Upper Emerald Pools when we passed some hikers coming down and they told us to not waste our energy climbing the rest of the trail. They told us there was even less water in the pool and not much to see. We took their advice and hiked back down. It wasn’t a loop trail. By this time, the sun was really warming up the temperature! Again, water is a necessity and they have signs posted all over the park warning hikers about carrying water and making sure you have plenty of water!
We saw these signs around the park as well as the signs for carrying water.
We walked into the Zion Lodge and looked around and then walked the Grotto Trail to the next shuttle stop. It was only half a mile between the stops!
Walking along the Grotto Trail
We got on the shuttle at The Grotto and road up to the last shuttle stop before it loops around. Here we did the Riverside Walk trail. There were a lot of people along this trail. Many families because it is an easy walk and round trip a little over 2 miles. This trail follows along the Virgin River.
Along the Riverside Walk Trail
When we got back to the shuttle stop we rode it back to the Visitor Center so we could get our packed lunches in the cooler in the car and get more water! We found a picnic table in the shade to eat our lunch. As we were eating we watched car after car driving by looking for a parking spot. This was the reason we arrived early and we were so glad we did!
After lunch we walked over 2 1/2 miles on the Pa’rus Trail. The temperature was 84 degrees and full sun. There wasn’t a cloud in the sky and this trail didn’t have shade!
Harmful algae warnings in the park.
Walking along the trail.
Along the trail.
Interesting bark of a dead tree.
When we finally left the park, vehicles were still trying to find a parking space. This was late afternoon. Our spot was gone as soon as we pulled out.
We stopped at the pull off to look at the Checkerboard Mesa, named because it resembles a checkerboard. There was horizontal cross-bedding from the ancient sand dunes and then there was vertical cracking from the expansion and then contraction of the sandstone during winter. We kept our eyes open for the Desert Bighorn but we didn’t spot any!
Checkerboard Mesa
Hiking shoes that don’t look very gray anymore after two days of hiking! 😁
We were ready to get back to the campground and relax after two very long days and little sleep! Even though we were exhausted, we loved every minute of our adventures so far!
Today we left early from our campsite to visit Bryce Canyon.
Our view as we left the campground!
The mountain bridge was cool to drive through on our way to the canyon.
Through the mountain we go!
We arrived at the Visitor’s Center just after it opened.
We got in line to sign up for the park’s astronomy Night Sky presentation. The 10:00 PM session was full so we are signed up for the 10:30 PM talk.
There was a sandwich board that suggested visitors download the National Park Service app.
NPS app
It was worth downloading because you can save any park you want for offline viewing which we used a lot because many locations we visited or stayed didn’t have cell service. The app allowed us to see the trails and located where we were on the trails or we could read about what we wanted to make sure we saw at the parks. We would recommend adding this app to your phone if your trip involves visiting national parks.
The first thing we did was drive the 18 miles to the end of Bryce and back. Along the way we would stop at the various pull overs and viewpoints. The sky was clear blue and the temperature was very warm by afternoon. One of the first things we saw were the prairie dogs running around and having fun. We pulled over and watched them. As we were watching a badger came running over trying to get one of them. They would warn the others by making noises and when the badger came flying over to their hole they would dive in and the badger couldn’t reach them. It kept running from one home to another. It was fun to watch especially since the badger didn’t get any of them while we were watching!
Prairie Dogs @ Bryce Canyon
Video of the Badger VS the Prairie Dogs (taken from a distance on a phone)
Some of the beautiful Bryce Canyon scenery as we drove along the main park road and stopped at the viewpoints. No filters or editing was done to any of the pictures from our phones.
The night before we packed our lunches and cooler. Sunset Point was a perfect place for lunch at a shaded picnic table.
Where we ate our lunch.
After lunch we started our three mile hike into the canyon. The Navajo trail loop was where we started and then joined the Queen’s Garden trail. The elevation change was 600 feet. It was so beautiful and not too crowded with people. We took our time when the trail was heading back up the canyon. We carried water which is a necessity in the hot sun!
Our trail led us through many hoodoos which are tall skinny spires of rock that protrudes from the bottom of a basin and vary greatly in their sizes and shapes!
A companion on our hike!
Thor’s Hammer
Looking back at the trail that we hiked up!
After spending a full day in the park we stopped at Red Canyon on our way back to our campground.
Red Canyon is about 9 miles from Bryce Canyon and is part of the Dixie National Forest. One can go hiking along the trails and there isn’t an entrance fee.
We rested up until we needed to head back around 9:00 PM to Bryce Canyon for the Night Sky Show with the park ranger. They used red lights to lead us to our area for the presentation. The ranger had a laser pointer that had a long enough range that we could follow and know the constellations she was talking about and explaining. By the time the presentation was over we could see the Milky Way. It was so dark that we could see really well. We didn’t have city lights to interfere. We were glad that we attended. Tomorrow will be a long day after staying up so late!
