Our next destination was Bryce Canyon, but on the way we stopped off at Kodachrome Basin State Park. It features many chimney formations and, believe me, these are not the most phallic pictures I could have chosen!

Kodachrome Basin

Kodachrome Basin

Kodachrome Basin

Kodachrome Basin

According to our guidebook (Frommer’s): “If you could visit only one national park in your lifetime, make it Bryce Canyon”.  I believe there’s something in that – on arrival, we drove the scenic trail along the rim and our jaws dropped at every new vista.

Bryce NP

Bryce NP

Bryce NP

Bryce NP

Bryce NP

Bryce NP

Bryce NP

We then settled in for two days of solid hiking. The first day, we did the “must-sees”: the *Queen’s Garden / Navajo Trails and the Rim Trail to Bryce Point and back. As you can see, it was busy!

*Use your imagination to see Queen Victoria in the second picture.

Bryce Amphitheatre

Queen’s Garden

Bryce NP

Bryce NP

The second day, we tackled the Fairyland Loop, classed as strenuous. In the heat, I was wary of walking 8 miles with 2309 feet of descent / ascent but I needn’t have worried. The climbing was not a straight slog up and down, but more of a rollercoaster, and the perceived difficulty put most people off so we hardly saw a soul all day. It was wonderful – something new round every corner.

Fairyland Loop Trail

Fairyland Loop Trail

Fairyland Loop Trail

Fairyland Loop Trail

Fairyland Loop Trail

Fairyland Loop Trail

Fairyland Loop Trail

Bryce Canyon 2010

After this, it was on to our last Utah park: Cedar Breaks.