Sunrise to Sunset @ Bryce Canyon

Yesterday was our last full day at Bryce Canyon. I was not happy with the photos I had taken earlier at Sunset and Sunrise Points. So, I decided to try again, this time leaving the RV earlier in the day hoping to have better light and not so many shadows in the photos.

I had been thinking about what I would like to remember about Bryce Canyon. Earlier I had hiked down Fairyland Canyon and had only shot Sunrise and Sunset Points from the rim. I wanted to hike the loop and record what ones experiences going down into the canyon and coming back up from the valley.

So, bear with me, I am including over 130 photos of the over 1,000 that I took. It is my intent to show not only the panoramic views most of us are familiar with but also closeup views of down in the canyon as well. I had been to Bruce Canyon before with my children and parents; but then we were in a hurry and I only looked over the rim from Sunset Point. I soon learned that I had not earlier done justice to the true Bryce Canyon experience.

Yesterday, I would often wait for people to walk into the photos because then I believe the observer can get a true perspective as to how enormous and majestic Bryce Canyon really is...

It is hard for me to believe that this tree can survive in such a harsh environment!!

Above the starting point of our hike from Sunset Point going down into the canyon. This is where I took photos on my trip here in the 1980's and my first time on this visit.

When most people think about Bryce Canyon I believe the above image is what comes to mind.

That's Evin way out in front of me ahead of a couple walking together. She's in a hurry to get this hike over with!!

Evin looks up and calls out, "Won't you come on?!?!"

In the center of the above photo is the formation that is often the image of Bryce Canyon on tee shirts and posters:
"Thor's Hammer".

As I finally catch up, Evin is getting ready to start the trail down into the slots of Bryce Canyon. "Driver's walking stick" really came in handy.

One can't get this experience or perspective getting out of their car and only looking over the rim. Soon Evin is out front ahead of me.

Here she finds someone to walk with.

On our hike we kept running into a couple, Teresa and Ed. Evin enjoyed talking with Teresa and I enjoyed Ed because he likes to take photos almost as much as I do. In this photo we are in the bottom of the canyon. It is all uphill from here!!

These people are coming down from Sunrise Point. On the far right you can see Evin heading upwards toward the rim.

Ed taking a photo.

Teresa and Evin kept leaving Ed and me behind taking our hundreds of photos. Ed had to change batteries in his camera.

The hike is 2.2 miles from each starting point and an additional .5 miles if you want to get back to your car.

The above formation is supposed to resemble "Queen Victoria".

I kept calling out to Teresa, Ed and Evin to stop and turnaround. Didn't all of the shots of them to be butt shots!! Evin cooperates a lot better when we have company!!