Bryce Canyon National Park claims to have the largest concentration of hoodoos found anywhere on the planet. Hoodoos are columns of rock, the top of which is harder than the material lower on the column. It’s the hard top that protects the formations.
From Fairyland Viewpoint, located just before the official park entrance, to Rainbow Point, the park is full of orange-cream colored rocky columns. Some of them evoke images of animals or people.
Bryce Point is perhaps the most famous viewpoint due to the high concentration of formations and the expansive view, but I also enjoyed Fairyland Point because it was more serene that Bryce Point and a smaller version of it.
The farther you drive in the park, the less crowded it gets (although the park really isn’t that crowded compared to Yosemite or Yellowstone). Rainbow Point at the end of the park didn’t have that many people, but the parking lot is so small that I was turned away the first time I drove there/ Yovimpa Point, just up the road, has far few visitors and a beauty and charm of its own. After spending some time at Yovimpa, I went back to Rainbow and found plenty of parking.
Thunderstorms were a daily occurence when I was there. Around 3:00 PM each day, the skies let loose with rain and thunder. But by 6:00 PM, conditions were good for viewing the park. Except for the skies. The clouds never cleared at night to give a great view, although Bryce is known for its dark skies and astronomy program.
There are a number of good hikes in the park, some on the rim and some into the canyon. Canyon hikes provide a great “looking up” view of the formations.
After seeing so many hoodoos, the trees start to have faces!
