Bryce Canyon, Scenic Drive, Sunrise Point, Sunset Point, Navajo Loop Trail, Peak A Boo Loop Trail, Amphitheater, Bryce Point

Bryce Canyon

After we had fetched our fresh muffins at about 8 o´clock, we started towards Bryce Canyon.

Fantastic motives for pictures waited for us.

The day did not start perfectly because Ronny woke up with strong toothache, but he had to bear it. It was very stormy, so that we were worried whether it was really wise to drive the #12 through the Boulder Mountains and the Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument. The road is highly recommended in travel guides, but in some travel reports about the USA we got to know that this road is difficult to drive on. We thought, what the hell and turned onto the #12 and we did not regret it at all. It really is a fantastic route with wonderful views and it is not that difficult. We had already driven on more difficult roads. The largest gradients and steepest curves were between Boulder and Escalante. Altogether it took us 3½ hours to get to the Bryce Canyon NP.

Having arrived in the park, we first got a site on the North Campground ($10). There were only a few left. We just chose a site which had quite a gradient and that we should still notice later on. Then we had to buy groceries because in Torrey there had not really been a supermarket and in the towns on the way to the Bryce Canyon likewise. There are in general hardly any possibilities to buy groceries along that route. Thus we tried the General Stores in and outside the park. We were speechless when we saw the prices. We only bought the things that we needed most. After a short stop at the visitor center we drove along the 18 miles long Scenic Drive and made stops at the several viewpoints. Unfortunately, meanwhile some clouds had come up, so that the sun came through only rarely. Nevertheless, we still made a short walk to the sunset at the Sunrise Point, which is actually the best viewpoint for the sunrise. But in the Bryce Canyon you can enjoy the impressive nature from each point.

25th of May. The night was somewhat uneasy for Anke because we stood on quite an inclined surface (despite balancing blocks). She always had the feeling the motorhome would roll away. We skipped the sunrise in order to sleep longer once again. Fortunately, you can register for a camping site only for one night at a time, so that we could look for a better site for the next night. By the way, you have to do the registration yourself. You just pick a site that´s still available, go to the registration board at the entrance, put the registration form as well as the fee for the camping site into the box and mark your site as paid (with a section of the registration form).

At about 10 o´clock we started our hiking tour throughout the Bryce Canyon because we expected to have fantastic views there. From the Sunset Point we went down the Navajo Loop Trail. This first part of the way was crowded with Japanese people with camera tripods. The trail itself is very steep and narrow, but also very interesting with fantastic motives for pictures. Then we continued on the Peak-A-Boo Loop Trail, which we followed through the whole amphitheater of the Bryce Canyon up to the Bryce Point. Here it became more quiet then. The bright blue sky with some white clouds created the scenery for marvelous pictures. From the Bryce Point we took the park shuttle back to the campground. We were lucky because it was the first day, at which the shuttle drove.

Back on the campground, we had to drive to the dumping station. That is alway a bit of a mess, but what must be, must be. Then we wanted to have a shower at the General Store. But we finally did not have a shower there because they wanted $2 for the shower in quite a dirty surrounding. That was a bit too much. Luckily we could also fall back on our RV for taking a shower and besides we had refueled fresh water. For the sunset

we went to the edge of the amphitheater, but as on the previous evening there were many clouds in front of the sun. The shuttle should actually take us back to the campground, but it did not come. After 30 minutes of waiting in vain, we asked a couple to take us back to the campground. They were so kind to do so. As final of the day we made a romantic campfire, from the gathered wood of course. That was pure camping idyll.

Our Tips

If you drive from the East to the Bryce Canyon, you should definitely take the #12 through Boulder and Escalante. One drives through a fantastic landscape with stunning views.

In the Bryce Canyon NP it´s the best to camp on one of the two campgrounds Sunset ($12) and North Campground ($10) in the park. Both are very simple without hook-ups, but however beautifully situated in the forest. Since the Bryce Canyon is a very popular national park, you should arrive there as early as possible because both campgrounds are assigned on a first-come, first-served basis and can be booked for only one night at a time. If you stay longer, the first thing you do in the morning is to reserve and pay the camping site.

If you can avoid it somehow, do not buy groceries in the park because the prices are extremely high. We think it´s wise to fill up your supplies already in Moab (Arches) since there you still have the opportunity for shopping and getting gas.

You can experience the Bryce Canyon in its whole beauty if you walk through it. Which way you choose through the amphitheater of the canyon depends on your preferences and your physical condition.