Here are the photos from my visit. You can see some of the trail splits where people didn't know what to do. At the tunnel between Navajo and Queens there was mass confusion. It took me 2.5 hours to do the entire loop including the short rim walk from the parking at Sunset.

Next time, Panecott!

https://picasaweb.google.com/kiwifann/Bryce2013#

It was cold when I was there (late April). Glad I had brought my hat and gloves with me, and didn't wait until later in the day to start. Luckily there was an overcast so hiking mid day wasn't unpleasant and my photos didn't wash out. (Although the majority are set on "vivid" so the colors are not really THAT bright).

It's really not important in which direction you went as long as you came down either Sunset or Sunrise Pt and went up the other.

With Wall Street being closed there aere no choices as to which side of Navajo Loop to take.

mlgb,
I took a very quick look at your photos (I'll come back tomorrow AM and take a better look). Great shots!!!!

The map on #27 show it perfectly with NL and QG.

From what I saw they look just like what I saw.

Maybe I'll have to go back again (for a fourth time).

You can see mine at:
www.travelwalks.com

Beautiful photos, mlgb and Myer. Thanks for posting. mlgb, I was there on 5/6 and 5/7, so I must have just missed you by a week or so.


Myer, I was wondering how your experiences in the other Utah parks compared with Bryce and Zion. Would you say they are all equally impressive, or are some superior to others, or just different, etc.

Thinking ahead to my next trip!

Here is an old trip report panecott. You can see Meyer and I conversing back then!

http://www.fodors.com/community/unit...rip-report.cfm

I liked Capitol Reef in the fall (especially the apple orchard), Arches and Hovenweep NM. Got a good off season rate at the Red Cliffs Lodge. I wouldn't mind going back. Route 12 is justifiably famous.

Bryce is one of a kind but once you see a Bryce Point sunrise and hike NL & QG, you've seen most of what Bryce has to offer.

Zion is larger, has more diverse hiking and is really beautiful. But there are other beautiful places as well.

I've been to Bryce 3 times and Zion twice. Mostly because I was with different people. I wasn't board and could go back again.

For some reason Capitol Reef and Canyonlands aren't my favorite places.

However, around Moab there are several excellent ativities / sights. We spent 4 1/2 days in this area.

I was surprised that I really liked Dead Horse Point.

Corona Arch was our only defeat. A very tame looking side-slope freaked us out "after" we had gone past the part with the chains!! There's a weekly train coming from an old potash mine and it went right by us.

We did a half day of rafting. Fun.

We drove over Lasalle (sp) Mtns and stopped to throw some snowballs.

We drove along Rt 128 and hiked to Fisher Towers. I took a look at mlgb's link with her trip report. I remarked on her distance photos of Fisher Towers. I assume she didn't hike there.

Almost everybody has seen those spots and don't realize it.

The photo mlgb has of Castle Rock. That view makes a cameo appearance in about 50 of the old westerns. Well over 100 were filmed around Moab.

Fisher Towers and Dead Horse Point. Citibank has a commercial that ran about a month or two ago and also a year and a half ago around Xmas time. It's called Citi Accessories and can be found on Youtube.

It starts with a girl saying that she's going on vacation with her boyfriend and what girl doesn't need nylons (climbing rope) and new shoes (climbing shoes), etc.

Then you see them both reaching the top of a climb (very brief). That's Dead Horse Point.

Then the commercial quickly shifts to focus on the female who is just getting to the top of the Corkscrew (Ancient Art) at Fisher Towers. She's then standing right on top.

The view is from a hellicopter.

I was at the bottom hiking and when I got to the Corkscrew about 900 feet above me I saw a rock climber just reaching the top. He spread his arms out. I yelled up for him to turn around. I took photos and he yelled down his email address.

Some things you remember for a long time.

Arches.

We spent about 2 1/2 days in Arches NP. I could easily go back there again. I'd like to get my daughter and possibly her husband to go but I'm working on Yellowstone for my daughter and granddaughter first.

Most of Arches has a similar feel but very different. The view of a sunset at Delicate Arch is another of those you remember. Fiery Furnace ranger-led hike. Double Arch, Balanced Rock, Landscape Arch and more.

I'll get back to mlgb's photos later today.

Thanks for the great report, mlgb, and your info, Myer.

Sounds like Arches is a must, and I will do some more research on the other areas. Because of the overcast skies while I was at Bryce, I didn't get to see a sunrise or sunset, so I definitely have to go back for that -- as well as the Navaho/Queens Garden/Sunrise Point loop!

mlgb, your photos look great from just a quick look. I'll go through them when I have more time. Work always seems to interfere with these things!

I noted with interest your comment about the stretch on Route 12 between Boulder and Escalante being the most beautiful. When I was at Escalante I stopped at the InterAgency Visitors Center and the woman at the desk said the same thing.

Unfortunately, it was getting late so I headed back to Bryce without continuing the drive. So, that's another reason to go back - plus I also want to return to Zion. Maybe a longer trip next time.

That part of Rt 12 is famous.

However, there are some sights between Bryce and Boulder.

Willis Creek slot canyon is 10 miles below Cannonvile that's just east of Bryce. The drive there is an adventure but walking thru the slots (at least 5 for good height) is very easy (min 2 hours).

Ten miles down Hole-in-the-Rock Road is Devil's Garden (not to be confused with devil's Garden in Arches). Great rock formations (min 1 hour).

Lower Calf Creek Falls. Easy hike but a few miles and not much shade until you get to the beautiful falls (min 3 hours).

On Rt 12 the signs that got me were "Curvey Road, Steep Grade"

Yes, there was plenty to see, probably should have planned on an overnight somewhere along the way. I was especially sorry I missed the Falls - I recall having seen them among your photos.

mlgb, beautiful photos. I enjoyed many of your albums, not just Utah. Loved the food and markets. Patagonia is my next "Big" trip. Hope to "talk" to you when I start planning.

A couple of years ago I took my daughter to SW Utah. When we go alone we always negotiate. She wants less days and I want more.

We spent 3 days plus travel.
The night we got there we slept in Escalente (the town). On day one we went to Devil's Garden, Lower Calf Creek Falls and Willis Creek. We did not rush anything although it was a very full day and she fell asleep in the car. We got to bryce Canyon just missing sunset.

The second night we slept at Bryce. On day 2 we got up in the dark for a spectacular sunrise at Bryce Point, took a short nap and hiked Navajo Loop & Queens Garden. The we made what turned out to be a mistake. We went to Cedar Breaks to do a hike to a waterfall that turned out to have no view at all. Because of that we got to Zion too late to hike to Canyon Overlook.

The third night we slept in Zion. On day 3 we hiked up Angel's Landing as far as Scout's Lookout. She wanted to go on and I "convinced" her not to go. After coming back down we hike Riverside walk and then relaxed on the main lawn and listened to a ranger talk on birds.

Three full days.