Tag: Bryce Canyon National Park

Stage 1: National Park to Park Highway Tour

This summer 2016 we’re taking a seven week road trip to tour the National Park to Park Highway. But before we even get there we wanted to make sure we could do it. So we’ve divided our National Park to Park Highway Tour into two parts. Part one will be a one week tour of Utah starting May 30, 2016. 

George A. Grant, Photographer (NARA record: 1226390) – U.S. National Archives and Records Administration

Zion National Park
Zion National Park was part of the original National Park to Park Highway. The 1920 road followed the Arrowhead Trail from southern California into Utah. Unfortunately the 1920 Auto Tour group never made it to Zion National Park because of poor road conditions.


 We wanted to visit because not only was Zion National Park the only National Park in Utah in 1920, it’s a beautiful place! We’ve visited before and especially enjoyed biking the Pa’rus Trail, Riverside Walk and swimming in our secret swim spot on the Virgin River.

In addition to Zion National Park we’ll be visiting Bryce Canyon National Park and Cedar Breaks National Monument on stage one of our National Park to Park Highway Tour. Although Bryce Canyon and Cedar Breaks weren’t part of the National Park to Park Highway, they still have an interesting history.


 Utah Parks Company
In 1923 the Union Pacific Railroad formed a subsidiary, The Utah Parks Company, in order to promote tourist travel to Zion, the North Rim of the Grand Canyon, Bryce Canyon and Cedar Breaks National Monuments. The railroad built a spur line from Lund to Cedar City, Utah and from there employed white touring buses to take tourists to these remote locations. 

Image from desertpearl.com/en/story/history

The Utah Parks Company built lodges and cabins in Zion National Park, the then Bryce Canyon National Monument and the North Rim of the Grand Canyon in the 1920s. Their financial investment in the parks was substantial. Some sources report the Utah Parks Company discriminated against private automobile travel to these parks because of the large stake they held there. Luckily that is not an issue today. With the popularization of automobile travel and improved roads now more people than ever can visit these uniquely beautiful places.


 Our Utah Parks Company Tour
Visiting Zion National Park, Bryce Canyon National Park and Cedar Breaks National Monument seemed like the perfect “dry run”  camping trip to test our sage brushing (1920s term for car camping) skills. Although this tour technically came after the 1920 National Park to Park Highway tour, it included some major sites that we did not want to miss on our adventure.

On May 30th we’ll set off with our Woom Bikes and Burley Bike Trailer for some biking on Zion National Park’s Pa’rus trail. We’ll be hiking Navajo Trail and Queen’s Loop in Bryce National Park and enjoying a Star Party at Cedar Breaks National Monument. And we’ll be letting you know how it goes every step of the way.

We’d love to have you along for the ride on our National Park to Park Highway Tour. We want your input on what adventures we should include. Do you have a favorite hike or bike ride in one of the National Parks on our route? What adventures do you recommend? Leave a comment or contact me on instagram, twitter or facebook. We’d love to hear from you!

 

Bristlecone Pine Loop, Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah

Two things come to mind when I think of Bryce Canyon National Park – High altitude pine forests and red rock hoodoo formations. The Bristlecone Pine Loop incorporates both. Starting at over 9000 ft elevation, the trail winds through ancient forests of pine and spruce trees to beautiful overlook areas where hoodoos can be seen for several miles. 
Big E didn’t want to go on a hike, he wanted to have a picnic. Instead of coercing him, it just took us more than a mile to find the picnic area. Luckily, Big E was interested in pine cones, chipmunks and hoodoos enough that he wasn’t constantly asking where the picnic tables were. Little g fell asleep in the car and Mountain Dad soon snoozed off with her. 

Bristlecone Pine Loop trailhead is located at the Rainbow Point Parking Area in Bryce Canyon National Park, literally the last stop on the road. I chose the hike after reading the book 50 Best Short Hikes in Utah’s National Parks by Ron Adkison. In general the book has great short hike suggestions and trail info, but the author using ‘we’ verbs throughout the descriptions really got on my nerves. WE will not be returning via the right fork, Ron. I will be returning with my son.
The hike was easy, fun, and beautiful, plus it’s part of the Parks’ Hike the Hoodoos program, where Junior Rangers can get a special prize for hiking up to three miles within the park. Just bring photos or rubbings of three different sign medallions to the visitor center.
Bristlecone Pine Loop
Distance: 1 mile round trip
Time: one hour
Difficulty: Easy, relatively flat terrain. Interpretive signs gave Big E and me plenty of things to think about along the way.
Tips: Big E found the picnic area on the east side of the parking lot, just south of the trail head. 

Navajo Trail, Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah

Navajo Trail trail offers the essence of Bryce Canyon National Park’s amazing red rock formations in a short spectacular trip. Starting at Sunset Point, the 1.3 mile loop winds through high cliffs, past beautiful vistas and down red orange trails into the belly of the hoodoo beast.
The tots and I started this hike from above on the rim trail, where views of the canyon can be seen for miles. Big E started down the Navajo Trail, along with a stream of other hikers. Because of Navajo Trail’s short, quick access to these amazing rock formations, it’s a popular day hike in the park.

I can see why. The red cliffs rose quickly as Big E and I descended the trail. Through tunnels and red rock we enjoyed the beauty of the land. There were some steep drop offs on the series of switchbacks we descended and a steep climb up on the way out. Unfortunately, we ended the hike prematurely thanks to a diaper bomb set off by little g.
I would’ve loved to explore this beautiful area more. Can’t wait for our next visit.
Navajo Trail
Length: 1.3 miles round trip
Time: approximately 2 hours thanks to some steep sections
Tips: Don’t forget your camera, there are beautiful photo spots on this trail.

Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah

Bryce Canyon National Park is one of the most visually stunning places I’ve ever been. It’s beautiful red rock hoodoos mix with high altitude pines on the canyon rim, as if it can’t decide if it’s in the desert or mountains.

The drawback of visiting Bryce Canyon National Park is its remote location. With no large cities nearby for lodging and food, Mountain Dad and I chose to stay at Zion Ponderosa Ranch Resort, located on the east side of Zion National Park because it was fifteen minutes away from Zion and an hour and a half away from Bryce Canyon.
Bryce Canyon National Park has a beautiful 18 mile one-way scenic drive, where pull outs allow visitors to view amazing rock formations for miles in every direction. Mountain Dad and I decided that in addition to the drive we would hike, eat at Bryce Canyon Lodge and take in the views at overlook places.

Now, I’m a frequent national parks visitor so I was surprised by two new aspects of our visit.  The first, dinner at Bryce Canyon Lodge introduced me to the Healthy Parks, Healthy People initiative. The idea is to highlight how the National Parks can contribute to a healthier population and planet. 
As part of the initiative, Forever Resorts, the concessioners in charge of the Lodge and its restaurant, made a point to offer low-fat, vegetarian and gluten-free options, with meat procured from local sources. The Lodge at Bryce Canyon Restaurant is Green Restaurant Certified but what surprised me the most was this line from their children’s menu: 
“Our menu reflects healthy choices and cooking procedures for our junior rangers, eliminating fried and processed food.” Cool.

The other great thing about Bryce Canyon National Park’s commitment to Healthy Parks, Healthy People was the Hike the Hoodoos program, which Big E and I discovered on the Bristlecone Loop Trail. There are nine interpretive signs with special medallions scattered throughout the trails of the park. 
To participate in Hike the Hoodoos, hikers must make a rubbing or take a photo of themselves with at least three of the signs in order to receive a special reward from the rangers at the Visitors Center. Three signs requires a minimum of three miles of hiking, but makes the hike more fun by turning it into a scavenger hunt.
I was impressed with the new developments at Bryce Canyon National Park and loved seeing the beautiful rock formations as Big E and I explored the place. I can’t wait to go back and delve more into the hoodoos. Maybe next time we can go on snowshoes.