The Pink Cliffs of Bryce Canyon National Park are a phenomenal series of fourteen amphitheaters, carved into the palette of pastel limestone along the Paunsaugunt Plateau.
At Bryce, the principle form of weathering is “freeze-thaw” as water gets into small cracks, freezes and expands at night. Thus, the animated rock sculptures begin to take form. The rose coloured spires, pinnacles, windows, and arches began as mud and silts deposited in streams about 55 million years ago.
Well-traveled paths throughout this martian landscape lead up and down through the ancient Paiute territory. To the North American Natives, this land was sacred. Today, the majestic anomaly along the southwest’s Grand Staircase, is accessible to the world. With trail names like Queen’s Garden, Fairyland, Peekaboo Loop and Hat Shop, traces of Native heritage seems all but lost. However, an early morning start on an empty trail will take you back to the time when only the whispering wind and streamers of light moved through the Hoodoos.
Much like the ways in which erosion has shaped this landscape, a visit to Bryce will shape your view of the Unites States. I hadn’t expected to be so rapt with the rugged beauty and incredible scale of this National Park. Take your time here, breath it all in, and explore all that Bryce Canyon has to offer!
