Tourist First: Utah: The Magic of Bryce Canyon

Wednesday, May 4, 2022

Utah: The Magic of Bryce Canyon

Hoodoos rise from the depths of Fairyland Canyon, part of Bryce Canyon National Park.

On our April 2022 road trip from San Diego to Denver and back, we visited two similar yet quite distinct national parks: Arches and Bryce Canyon. Both are focused on stone formations shaped by thousands of years of wind and weather. At Arches, visitors are at a relatively constant elevation, able to walk easily to, around and even through the famous arches and other attractions. At Bryce, visitors must descend into the canyons (and then later climb out) to see the hoodoos and other attractions up close.

At the edge of the canyons, a rim trail gives visiters a literal overview of what they'll later see hiking into the canyons, An 18-mile drive reveals most of the park, though significant parts such as Mossy Cave are reached via other highways. The "town" of Bryce Canyon City is a gas station, a handful of toruist shops and a few hotels. The nearby town of Tropic (where we had dinner our two evenings at Bryce) offers a bit more, but it is out of reach of the free shuttle bus that can pick you up at your hotel and drop you at any number of trailheads. In April, the bus wasn't essential because parking was plentiful in the park, but when things get crowded in the summer, the bus may be the way to go.

A short drive east of Bryce on Utah 12 takes you past the Mossy Cave trailhead, through the town of Tropic and eventually to Kodachrome Basin State Park, perhaps the only park in the United States named by a photographer. It offers a well-marked nature trail as well as the sorts of formations seen at Bryce itself.

We had most of one afternoon and all of the next day to explore Bryce with enough time to visit Kodachrome as well. Here are some photos:

This stone formation is visible from the Mossy Cave Trail at Bryce.

A view from the Rim Trail.

Trails take visitors into the depths of the canyons, wending around hoodoos.

An observation point reveals only a portion of the canyon.

Hoodoos often appear to have rocks balanced on top.

What would be an arch at Arches National Park is
called a "natural bridge" at Bryce.

Some trails into the canyon are reserved for horses.

This formation, thought to resemble Britain's Queen Victoria,
is at the end of the Queen's Garden Trail.

Another view of the Queen's Garden Trail.

Chimney Rock at Kodachrome Basin.

Future hoodoos appear ready to emerge from a cliff face
at Kodachrome Basin.

Dead juniper trees are part of the ecosystem at Kodachrome Basin.

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Argentine Patagonia

They are called what they look like: Mexican hats. They occur naturally in the highlands above the town of El Calafate. The water in the distance is glacier-fed Lago Argentino. An hour's drive east of El Calafate, near the headwaters of the lake, visitors can hike on the Perito Moreno glacier and take a boat ride among icebergs that have fallen off the several glaciers in the Parque Nacional des Glaciares. El Calafate is basically a summer (Nov. to Feb.) tourist town, and there are a number of hotels at all price points. We stayed at Esplendor El Calafate, a very stylish hotel with a full restaurant and bar. The South American picker-upper drink mate is available at breakfast. The hotel is an uphill walk from the commercial area, but that's not much of a drawback. Click on the photo to visit the Esplendor online.

Dominica

Probably the greenest island in the Caribbean, in terms of color and ecological awareness, is Dominica, just north of Martinique. It was named by Columbus, who sailed past it on a Sunday. The island nation is one of the poorest in the Western Hemisphere, but it is rich in friendly people and natural attractions, including a boiling lake, hot and cold waterfalls, a parrot jungle and hill after hill of dense green jungle. There is also a cable-car ride through the jungle canopy (http://www.natureisland.com/AerialTram.html). I wrote about Dominica years ago, and much of that article is still relevant: http://www.nytimes.com/1997/10/26/travel/winter-in-the-sun-an-island-where-less-is-more.html?scp=2&sq= Unfortunately, one of the hotels I mentioned, Petit Coulibri, has since closed. Fortunately, there's still a wonderful eco-resort called Papillote Wilderness Retreat http://www.papillote.dm/), four acres of lush gardens, hot-spring-heated soaking pools and modest cottage rooms.

Palm Springs

Palm Springs, Calif., is a great destination for nature lovers -- Mount San Jacinto State Park is a wonderful gondola ride (shown above -- click on it to visit its website) away, and Joshua Tree National Park is a short drive away. It's also a great destination for naturists; there are several major clothing optional resorts in the area -- and for fans of Mid-Century Modern architecture. For a dose of mid-century style, stay at the Orbit In (http://www.orbitin.com/), which does ask that you keep your clothes on.

Pompeii

If you're driving from Naples to the Amalfi Coast, and it's hard to imagine anyone who wouldn't want to visit the Amalfi Coast, you should plan to spend a night in the modern city of Pompei, adjacent to the ancient city of Pompeii. Above are the murals depicting an unknown ritual in what's called the Villa of the Mysteries in Pompeii. If you can, devote most of a full day to exploring the site. Afterward, you'll want a good hotel. Click on the image for info about Hotel Amleto, a small and friendly hotel in the heart of the new town and an easy walk from the ruins.

St. Vincent

This is one of the "rooms" at Petit Byahaut, an isolated (access by boat only) eco-resort on St. Vincent, the largest island in the country of St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Bequia, mentioned above in this column, is one of the Grenadines. The photo above is of the living deck and doesn't show a relatively enclosed area that had a real bed. Did you notice I said "had"? That's because the place has closed. To read about the property in its heyday, click on the image for a New York Times article I wrote. The article has a link to a slide show with more images of the resort.