Bryce. Finally.
Rick has heard about this place from his kids, his uncle, and me (and I’m sure others) as one of the most spectacular parks, unlike all others. Today, he knows why.
Overnight, we weren’t sure if it was going to happen. We were again plagued by the restless night when we climb significantly in altitude. We listened to the rain falling on and off all night. So when the alarm went off bright and early, we had to decide. And the answer was yes, let’s try it.
We arrived at the park in early daylight, parking in the main area for the “ampitheater”, as it is known. The rangers weren’t at the gates yet, only a few cars in the lot, and so we had the ideal conditions, again. It was COLD but not raining.
I immediately had memories come rushing back, looking at the little picnic area next to where we parked Livvy. Back in 2018, I was trying to put my life back together after devastating sadness several years earlier. I decided that what I really wanted to do was hike in a National Park. I was so grateful that Leukemia Lymphoma Society had a Team In Training Hike Event in Zion/Bryce, and so I quickly signed up. Unlike the other participants who solicited donations, I knew that this adventure was part of my healing and so I paid my own way to do it. I was just so grateful to have the whole trip planned for me, the right virtual coaching to be ready for it, and to have resources/people to accompany me every step of the way. I loved it, and it was an important part of my healing. It also solidified for me that I loved hiking, and I was hoping that I would have the opportunity to come back someday and experience this in a more personal way. Today is that day!! And I am so grateful.
We went immediately to Sunset Point to appreciate the views. Tears, quite a few of them for me.
From there, we enjoyed the park’s scenic drive which took us up yet another 1,000+ feet. As we climbed, we were literally in the clouds so visibility was really lousy. And it was even colder, seeing more snow on the landscapes and in the crevasses (you’re welcome, old time MNS friends). We had thought about a great little hike at the top, but that will have to wait for another day. That’s probably a good thing since we were really feeling the cold and altitude by then.
As we came down the approx 15 miles back towards the central part of the park, there were a few breaks in the clouds and we enjoyed some nice views. But we know that our next visit is supposed to be clearer and we look forward to that.
We enjoyed a stop at the visitors center (super crowded) and of course the sign…
It was an incredible adventure, even though the temps remained in the 30s while we were out there. Once we stopped moving, we were really cold… but the 4 layers each did us a lot of good on our hike! We needed some time to warm up, and are continuing to adjust to the altitude, but are excited to get back there tomorrow for the same kind of fun in the same kind of cold.
While the rain was supposed to be out of here, we are listening to it coming down again as I’m typing. Thankfully it was dry most of the day while we took Daisy on a good walk, and Rick was able to cook a delicious meal outside again. Hoping for a dry evening and clear skies, since we love the hoodoos and the incredible views that this park offers.
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