Sunrise at Bryce Canyon National Park
It’s funny. When we are at home, I’m (almost) always the first one out of bed. Nisheet is not a morning person. But, when we are on vacation, the roles are reversed. Nisheet has to drag me out of bed. And sometimes there is just no hope. That was the case for our last morning in Bryce. We were supposed to go watch the sunrise from Bryce Point, but Nisheet had to go without me while I snuggled under the warm blankets (it might have been July but it was in the low 40s).
Ruby’s Inn Cowboy’s Buffet and Steak Room
When Nisheet got back, we packed up our camp and went in search of a hearty breakfast in town. It’s a tiny town, so there aren’t very many choices. We ended up at the restaurant at Ruby’s Inn. Not the best, but it hit the spot with a nice big breakfast of toast, hashbrowns, eggs, and bacon. Nisheet had a monster breakfast burrito that was quite tasty too.
Ruby’s Inn also had a general store that is much larger than the one in Bryce Canyon. So if you are in search of camping gear or any other supplies you forgot at home, check this place out. It is more expensive than Walmart but a heck of a lot more convenient.
See how tired I look in the picture below? I definitely needed that extra hour of sleep!
Red Canyon
After breakfast we headed to Red Canyon in the Dixie National Forest. I still can’t figure out why not many people stop here. It is gorgeous! And since it is located between Bryce and Zion, so many people pass right by. Such a shame they don’t stop! Plus, who can resist a picture with Smokey the Bear?
We popped into the Red Canyon visitor center and asked which short hiking trail they recommended. The ranger showed us a map and pointed us in the direction of the Pink Ledges and Birdseye Trail. Together they are less than 2 miles. Perfect to stretch our legs and see a little bit of Red Canyon.
The Pink Ledges trail was a fun interpretive trail with numbered posts and a pamphlet explaining what you are looking at. It was really easy, and it still allowed you to see the hoodoos up close. Win-win! And, if you are thinking this must be just like Bryce since it has hoodoos and everything, you are wrong. Just go to both.
After a little ways, the Pink Ledges trail connects with the Birdseye trail. And then I’m not sure what happened. Somewhere along the way we followed the wrong trail and ended up on top of a mountain with loose pebbles. We questioned the path when we were practically rock climbing, but we were having fun, so we just continued. When we got to the top, we knew we had obviously taken the wrong trail, but what could we do at that point but press forward? I didn’t want to climb back down the way we came up! And, the views! Gorgeous!
The picture below doesn’t do the little mountain justice. I was seriously afraid of sliding down either side of the narrow ridge we were walking on. And when we got to the other side, I realized our fate. The easiest way down was to scoot down the entire mountain on our behinds. Oh boy. But we made it!
Zion National Park
After Red Canyon, we had a short drive to Zion. It only took an hour or so, and we were entering the park on the eastern side. There weren’t any lines for the entrance. There were barely any cars on the road. Wasn’t this park supposed to be ridiculously crowded? Well… as we later found out, not many people travel beyond the visitor center and the Zion Canyon Scenic Drive (where the shuttle bus takes you). And both of those are on the southwest side of the park. If you go anywhere else in Zion, it will be almost empty.
There are loads of pulls off on UT-9 which crosses Zion, and you will want to stop at all of them. The scenery is breathtaking. And being only an hour from Red Canyon, the landscape is drastically different.
Our main stop was at the Canyon Overlook Trail. I’ve heard parking is madness, but we pulled into a spot right near the trailhead (near the tunnel). If you are coming from the east, be on a lookout for the parking as it is before the trail. If you pass the trail, you’ll have to drive through the tunnel, turn around, drive back through the tunnel, and then park.
The trail itself is fairly easy and only about 1-mile round trip, and the view at the end is stunning. In fact, it is almost comparable to Angels Landing. Almost. So, if you don’t want a long strenuous hike, are short on time, or have kids along, then this is the hike for you. Actually, no matter what your plans are, I’d recommend you making time for this hike. Even if you do plan on hiking to Angels Landing.
Flying Monkey Pizza
After the Canyon Overlook Trail, we took our time driving through Zion, and then headed to dinner in Springdale, just past the western entrance to Zion. It is an adorable little town with free parking along the streets and tons of cute restaurants. We ended up going to the Flying Monkey for pizza because (A) pizza, and (B) great yelp reviews, but were less than wowed. So maybe pick a different place if you are eating dinner in town. Or perhaps just don’t order the roasted veggie pizza because others seemed to be enjoying their meals. I’m probably a weirdo for craving veggies during vacation anyways.
