LYFE IN TOW

Bryce Canyon National Park is not far from Zion, which worked out well given that I didn't leave Springdale until around 4 pm. I almost waited and went the next day, but I wasn't tired and felt like driving.

I booked a campsite near Bryce to have a place to land. I arrived after dusk, so I'm glad I planned a bit and didn't have to drive around in the dark looking for a place to stay. The campground was a little "out there," and the roads getting to it were long and washboard-y. On my way, though, I passed some forest land where other people were camping, so I decided to stay at my reserved site only one night and relocate to the forest land the next day.

A constant challenge with forest land is finding a location with mobile service. One spot may have two bars, and if you move 10 feet to a different spot, it may have no bars. I wanted service because I needed to be in touch with Airstream of Utah and research upcoming destinations.

This particular area was heavily occupied, full of ATV's. I don't love camping near these guys because there are constant sounds of motors running and engines revving, but I sacrificed. It wasn't too bad, especially with this sunset.

Bryce Canyon National Park

I took one day to chill, read, and write. The next day, leaving my Airstream at the campground, Addie and I headed to Bryce Canyon. This was going to be a “drive-and-see”-type visit. The park stretches north to south and is easily drivable. After a trip to the visitor center, we knew what we wanted to see, and we hit the road to see it.

The drive was an out and back, with stops along the way to get out and check out different viewpoints of the canyon. The main points are Sunrise, Sunset, Inspiration, and Bryce. The landscape is stunning and, depending on what time of day, can look very different.

I won’t lie…I wanted to hike down into the canyon—however, Addie. Although I did less activity at Bryce, Addie was with me for it, which was enough for me. Plus, you’d be surprised at how exhausting driving a park and getting in and out of the car can be. It makes for a long day!

Capitol Reef National Park

About two hours away from Bryce is Capitol Reef National Park, which was my next destination.

Capitol Reef is a geologic and historic national park. It’s known for it’s “Waterpocket Fold,” a 100-mile long warp in the earth’s crust, formed by a mountain-building event 50-70 million years ago. The name of the park originated from:

Capitol: The Navajo Sandstone white domes that look like the tops of capitol buildings.

Reef: The rocky cliffs, like an ocean reef.

Much of the history of the parkland is preserved. The Fruita Historic District hosts what is now known as the Gifford House. The homestead features other buildings and land development appropriate to Utah farm homes of the early 1900s.

The park’s scenic drive runs east/west and takes you through the Waterpocket Fold. The rock formations are incredible. Addie and I stopped off the road in a few areas for a little fun with my tripod and iPhone camera.

It was Saturday, and time to start making my way back to Salt Lake City. I had one more stop along the way, which was Pando, aka, “The Trembling Giant.” Stay tuned for more on this.