Day 15: A trip to Bryce Canyon National Park

The weather forecast was for one more hot day in the Zion area, so we decided to go where it was cooler---Bryce Canyon.  And yes, it was sunny, windy, and about 70 there, a nice change from the heat of the past few days.  

We had planned to go to Bryce anyway; it is Dan's favorite park in Utah.  We got a fairly early start and enjoyed the drive through the famous tunnel through a mountain in Zion, to get to the east side of the park.

The east side of Zion is drier, more desert-like, with huge rock formations.  It's hard to believe the way that the rock layers have shifted at all different angles!

We stopped for a burger and fries at a funky diner in Hatch, UT, then headed into Bryce Canyon National Park.

It was very busy with tourists, but not nearly as crazy as Zion had been on Sunday.  We were able to get a parking spot near the Lodge and walk to the rim.  

Bryce is somewhat more dog-friendly than other national parks, so we were able to walk Ranger along the rim, on the paved sections. He was also welcome on the bike trail that winds through the park.  It was good to be able to not leave him in the car while we toured.

We had been here before (maybe 12 years ago?) but the view was just as impressive as when we first saw it.  I took way too many photos; how can you capture those hoodoos?

Best day of the trip, so far!