Ebenezer Bryce, so-called discoverer of the canyon that bears his name, is reported as classifying it as "a hell of a place to lose a cow." There are a couple of things that don't strike me right about the above. One is that the area that Bryce "discovered" certainly was seen and known by other human beings long before Ebenezer, and the other is that for hordes of people who have visited, the scenic oddity and beauty of Bryce Canyon National Park have engendered thoughts more profound than those attributed to Mr. Bryce.

Bryce is truly a wonderland of nature's erosive handiwork, a vast array of fingers, spires and pinnacles, all of rosy hue, carved into fantastic shapes, some extremely delicate, others massive and sturdy, such as the well-named "Thor's Hammer."

A notable feature of the Bryce Canyon National Park scenery is the change of colors with the time of day and angle of the view. Cross-lighting, as the sun drops lower in the sky, can cause the rosy rock to glow.

Nature's tools for forming the odd scenery at Bryce are rain, snow, wind and temperature changes. When ice forms in the cracks and crevices of the relatively young and friable rock formations of Bryce, it expands with terrific force and breaks the rock. A good example of Bryce's fast erosion is the Wall of Windows, in which old openings are crumbling, and new ones forming unusually rapidly.

The National Park has lodging and campgrounds.
Horseback trips can be arranged at the lodge. One thing Bryce doesn't have is sufficient parking area for the constantly growing stream of visitor's vehicles. In June of 2000 the Park implemented a shuttle system in an effort to eliminate congestion, minimize damage to fragile resources, and restore serenity and natural quiet which are integral to the Bryce Canyon experience. The Shuttle is a convenient, user-friendly way to see the park, and best of all, it's FREE with the purchase of a park entrance pass!! The shuttle is optional and few people realize it is cheaper to ride the shuttle than to drive into the park. A 7-day park entrance pass including unlimited use of the shuttle unlimited use of the shuttle Driving your own car into the park costs $20. The shuttle operates May 15 through September 30, and makes stops at the various viewpoints approximately once every 10-15 minutes.

To reach Bryce Canyon from Kanab, go north on Hwy 89 for 65 miles and turn right on Hwy 12 into the park. Note: if it's your first visit, don't be fooled by Red Canyon, which you will pass first. Red Canyon is very scenic in its own right, but it's an opening act, not the main feature.

Climate: Bryce Canyon has an elevation of 8,000 - 9,000 ft. (2,500 - 3,000 m), Summer high tempratures are around 85 degrees farenheit, with lows at night averaging 45. Be aware that sunburn occurs quite quickly at these high altitudes, and protection is recommended (wide brimmed hat and sunscreen). In the winter, the average snowfall is 95 inches (3m), and Bryce Canyon National Park is an excellent place for cross-country skiing. Night tempratures at Bryce can drop below 0 during the winter.