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A Cozy Morning at the Holiday Inn Express
Though we went to bed quite late last night because of our dramatic evacuation from the Red Cliffs Campground—packing up our tents in a hurry amidst a looming thunderstorm and finding refuge at the Holiday Inn Express in Washington, Utah—we all enjoyed a wonderfully deep and peaceful sleep.
Waking up refreshed, Steven and I even took some time to enjoy the hotel’s swimming pool before checking out at 11:00 AM.
Passing Through Zion Once More
Leaving the hotel just before checkout time, we pointed our car toward our next great destination, driving back through Springdale and passing right over Zion National Park.
- Views from Above: This time, we made several scenic stopovers along the winding highway to take photos of the dramatic canyon vistas from high above. It was a fascinating contrast to the day before, when we had experienced the very same canyon from down below while wading through the rushing waters of The Narrows.
Journey to Bryce Canyon and Weather Delays
Leaving Zion behind, we continued our road trip eastward toward Bryce Canyon National Park, a drive that took us about two and a half hours through stunning, shifting landscapes.
- Bryce Canyon History & Geology: Established as a national park in 1928, Bryce Canyon isn’t actually a true canyon, but rather a massive natural amphitheater created by headward erosion along the eastern side of the Paunsaugunt Plateau. The park is world-famous for its iconic hoodoos—tall, thin spires of vibrant red, orange, and white rock formed by frost wedging and water erosion over millions of years. Long before European settlers arrived, the Paiute people lived in the area, explaining the hoodoos in their traditional stories as “Legend People” turned to stone by the trickster coyote.
- Setting Up Camp in the Rain: Upon arrival, we headed straight to the North Campground to set up our tents. However, the weather had other plans for us; a fresh round of rain rolled in, forcing us to spend some downtime cozying up inside our tents while passing the storm.
Bryce Point and Evening Routine
As soon as the rain finally stopped and the clouds parted, we wasted no time driving over to Bryce Point.
- The View: Despite the recent downpour, the post-rain atmosphere made the colors of the canyon pop with incredible vibrancy. Standing at the rim overlooking the vast amphitheater filled with thousands of glowing, pink-orange hoodoos was an absolute visual masterpiece.
- Camp Dinner and Early Rest: Returning to camp after sunset, we cooked up a simple, comforting dinner of noodles and fresh salad. With full stomachs and a chill in the mountain air, we retired to our tents, resting up and preparing ourselves mentally and physically for an upcoming hike among the hoodoos tomorrow before we eventually hit the road toward our next destination: Moab.
- — Hector Pascua
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