Highlights:
Highlights:
– Easy access to free camping in the National Forest
– Spectacular rock formations
– All-you-can-eat buffet
We continued from Zion National Park in our tour of the Mighty Five parks of Utah to Bryce Canyon, which is less than two hours away. Upon arrival in the evening, we had just enough time to catch a sunset over the beautiful orange hoodoos (the peculiar rock formations that make the park famous) before leaving to scope out a camping spot in the nearby Dixie National Forest. We were pleasantly surprised to find many dispersed camping sites in the forest, even some big enough for camper vans and RVs, and we quickly set up our tent for the night. On the way in, we had seen signs for an all-you-can-eat buffet, and after a week (or more) of variations of beans and rice, we were ready for something new. We walked from our spot in the forest to Ruby’s Inn, where we discovered that a long wait for the buffet. Not discouraged, we perused the Inn’s well-stocked store and opted for some snacks and desserts and a few beers instead, vowing to return the next day for the (cheaper) all-you-can-eat lunch buffet. This inn had, in addition to rooms to stay in, a huge gift shop, food and camping gear shop, post office, and restaurant. We happily returned to our campsite and settled in for the night. After being awoken by loud screams (that’s a story for another time, but we think it was a Mountain Lion), we decided that we would only stay for one night in Bryce Canyon.
Despite this, our day in the park was beautiful, peaceful, and quiet, as there were few other visitors there. We spent the morning hiking amongst the hoodoos, pointing out rocks that looked like different figures and searching for the most famous lookalikes (Queen Victoria, for example). The park is relatively small, so we were able to do a handful of short hikes and see most of the park in a day. Our favorite hike was the Queen’s Garden/Navajo trail loop, which you can begin at either Sunrise or Sunset Point. It features the oft-photographed red rock switchbacks, beautiful (mostly flat) trail amongst the hoodoos, and great views of the wider landscape from the starting and ending points. At only 4.6 km, this is a perfect quick hike to do before you make your way back to Ruby’s Inn for an all-you-can-eat lunch buffet ($17/adult)!
We really loved Bryce Canyon in the autumn, although it was much colder than Zion, because of the solitude. While there are fewer amenities open than in the summer, the lack of crowds was really lovely, and we felt that we really got to enjoy the beautiful rock formations to their fullest.