Bryce (part 2)

In the last post, I alluded to the beauty of Bryce Canyon in morning light.  I think we picked the perfect viewpoint, ironically named Sunset Point.  And although you might think sunrise would be best, we arrived about 9 and just look . . .

(It really was just that color.)

We had planned to do a 2.5 mile hike, all downhill, and left Diana's truck at the lower end.  We started down from Sunset Point past Thor's Hammer.  Funny that all today's kids know who Thor is.  I guess movies are good for something.

We continued down on the switchbacks.

Where we could see lots more red cliffs coming up.

Soon we were walking through the trees at the bottom of the canyon.

With colorful cliffs visible through the trees across the way . . .

And towering over us.

After arriving at the truck and retrieving our car from Sunset Point, we decided we still had a little pep left.  We ate lunch then stopped at a pullout on highway 12 for the Mossy Cave hike.  It's a picturesque short hike where you can get the feel of walking among the hoodoos without even going into the park.

This sweet little waterfall is part of the 10-mile Tropic Ditch which brings water from the East Fork Sevier River to the valley below.  Completed in 1892, most of the canal was hand dug but they did utilize natural waterways when possible, including this formerly dry wash of Water Canyon.

Triple windows, cool.

There is also a mossy cave for which the hike was named, but I wasn't impressed.

However, we weren't done sightseeing yet.  We finished up with a stop at Inspiration Point for a late afternoon look at a good bit of the park.

Now that's a lot of hoodoos!