Bryce Canyon National Park
Personal Notes:
2004 Canyon Country Tour
This page presents our personal notes on our visit to Bryce Canyon National Park in Utah during our 2004 Canyon Country Tour.
Monday, September 6, 2004
Bryce View Lodge
2:25 p.m.
We entered the Ruby Inn area. We were able to check right in at the Bryce View Lodge, across Highway 63 from Ruby’s Inn, and set back a bit off of the road. Our rooms were 4266 and 4267, right next to each other, in building four, on the second floor. Each room had two queen sized beds. The rooms cost each couple $69.30 per night.
We moved our stuff from the Trooper, put on our boots, and then walked across the road to Ruby’s Inn, where we boarded the free shuttle bus for Bryce Canyon National Park.
Bryce Point to Sunrise Point (Rim Trail)
We rode the bus out to Bryce Point where we got off, looked around, then walked the 2.2 miles to Sunrise Point, where we caught the shuttle back to Ruby’s. The main overlook points were crowded, but we mostly had the trail to ourselves. We took our time along the rim and got an eye-full of the amazing views. Anne and I had not seen the amphitheater this late in the day this late in the year. The low angel of the Sun gave the panicles and hoodoos a different look.
5:45 p.m.
On the shuttle ride back toward Ruby’s we saw deer in a meadow.
Ruby Inn Area
6:30 p.m.
We got back to Ruby’s and decided to eat there. After dinner we bought breakfast items at the store for tomorrow’s breakfast. We then walked to the tourist trap across the road from Ruby’s. We took photos of each other looking through old west facades, and from an old jail cell. We had a few good laughs. Then we walked back to our rooms and called it a night.
Tuesday, September 7, 2004
8:10 a.m.
We ate our breakfasts in our rooms. Then, we loaded up the Trooper, and while Anne and Hana checked us out of our rooms, Mirek and I took photos of some of the old trucks sitting around near the motel. Then we drove into the Park We spotted several mule deer along the road and in a meadow.
Navajo Loop Trail / Wall Street / Queen's Garden Trail
8:17 a.m.
We parked at the Sunrise Point parking area and hiked along the rim to Sunset Point where we picked up the Navajo Loop Trail through the Wall Street area, then up the Queen’s Garden Trail. It was only three miles round trip. It was chilly and windy on top, but the temps were nice down in the canyon and we took a lot of nice photos. The morning Sun seemed to put a glow on everything. The sky was clear, with only a few thin clouds on the horizon. There were a few people, but not too many.
Sunrise Point
10:30 a.m.
We finished our hike back at the Sunrise Point parking area. We used the restrooms near the General Store there, then went in to buy a few souvenirs, some ice, and snacks. A lot of items are already on sale, since the main tourist season is already over. So we picked up a couple more t-shirts at a good price.
11:07 a.m.
We left the General Store and drove back north through the Park on Highway 63.
Fairyland Canyon Overlook
11:19 a.m.
At the northern edge of the Park we stopped at the Fairyland Canyon Overlook (elevation 7,758 or 2,365 meters) for one last glimpse of the fantasy world below. We left from there and caught the Highway 12 Scenic Byway once again, heading east.
