Bryce Canyon - Hiking the Hoodoos!

With the sun high in the sky, and the snow rapidly turning the clay to deep mud, we enjoyed a messy day slopping around the trails in Bryce Canyon.  One of the things to like about Bryce is the size - it is small and intimate compared to huge parks like Yosemite or Yellowstone, and it is simple and friendly compared to walking a technical slot canyon in Zion.  However, it still offers interesting trails and thrills and chills if you seek them out.

You can also take the easier road, and let a horse do the walking for you!

We wandered around a number of trails in a few days in Bryce - the Queen's Garden, Navajo Loop, and the Hat Shop come to mind.  With the melting snow, there was a lot of mud, but the scenery and the sheer drop-offs going up and down the cliff walls kept things interesting.

After a while, the hoodoos and the cliff walls started to take on an almost otherworldly, organic feel....like an alien garden or Planet of the Muddites.

The view is always spectacular as you rise up out of the canyon, out of breath from the climb.