October 13, 2014 Monday  Zion National Park and Bryce Canyon National Park

We got a good night's rest and awoke early to get started for the two hour drive to Bryce Canyon National Park.  The highway to Bryce takes you through the heart of Zion so we got to see additional parts of the park.  It was early in the am and, as we learned, the hues change all day as the old Sol travels across the sky.

 And there were more tunnels; one was over a mile long!

As we drove through the twists and turns and tunnels of Zion Missie started telling us about an animal she could see walking along the side of a mountain we were approaching.   As she described what her eyes were seeing we realized she was looking at a Mountain Lion!!  Wow! This was a first! We confirmed later with a Ranger that yes, indeed, there are Mountain Lions in the park.  Score a big one for Missie!

We did not get a photo of Missie's lion but we started seeing other wildlife.  This one is difficult to see but there is a Bighorn Sheep right in the middle of this photo.  This sheep was on the side of a mountain and quite a distance from us but we could make him out.

Mr. Bighorn Sheep

But shortly after we took the above photo we spotted more mountain sheep.  One on top of a point and the others in the valley below us.

Great photo by Missie!  And, thank you, Ms. Bighorn Sheep, for this wonderful pose.

As we left Zion we traveled along the highway in Utah.  For several weeks, we've been seeing the colors change.

Aspen and Fir by Missie

Before arriving at Bryce we went through another park.  The Red Canyon was just a taste of what was to come.

Finally we arrive at Bryce  Canyon National Park!

What we all learned is that many of the parks we've been in were created by a sea that split our continent.  The sea rose and fell many times, each time leaving deposits of mostly dissolved limestone.  Then a large area, covering several states (Colorado, Utah, Arizona, and New Mexico) and called the Colorado Plateau, rose the land. The former sea beds, with many layers of sediment, were now exposed to snow, rain, & wind erosion.  As the loose sediments were carried away by the erosion, what was left is what you see in Bryce Canyon. 

These structures are called Hoodoo's.  As they wear away, arches, spires, and other shapes are formed.  One of the most famous is called The Natural Bridge, which has been the subject of many magazine articles, brochures, etc.

The Natural Bridge

Bryce Canyon is really not a canyon.  It is a plateau that runs along a parallel.  You travel down the road and have stops along the way to view different sights.  The plateau runs about 20 miles long. One interesting area at Bryce Point is called The Wall of Windows.  You can see why in the photo below. 

The Wall of Windows

Inspiration Point

An Inspired Elizabeth Cooper!

Lib getting some inspiration at Bryce Point

The park gets its name from a chap named Bryce who built a cabin on top of the plateau where he and his wife had 14 children.  He was sent to the area by the Mormon Church to create a Mormon Community.  He got one started and, as duty called, he left to somewhere else to start another community.  His cabin remained and was known as Bryce's Cabin which morphed into the name given the entire area.  

Sunrise Point

We finished our tour late in the day and took the two hour drive back to our RV Park in Virgin, Utah.  We tried to compare Zion and Bryce but its hard to do because they are so different.  Zion has beautiful canyons and walls of salmon and red.  Bryce has these incredible Hoodoos.  One lasting part of Bryce is that we now ask each other: "Hoodoo?"  and reply "Idoo!"

Tomorrow we are off to the Grand Canyon.

Now, "Idoo" got to get off this computer and get started on another day.  We are now into our third day in Phoenix and I am trying to catch up on this blog.  Missie flew home yesterday and we are sad she is gone.   Maggie sat by Missie's side for days and she really misses her buddy.

Off for the day!