Become a hoodoo guru…

No… not a member of the 80s Australian rock band [although I hear they reunited and recently released a new album in 2010]…but rather an authority on these fascinating  rock formations found in abundance in Bryce Canyon.

Hoodoos

Hoodoos…these awe-inspiring natural totems appear to have somehow emerged magically from the desert floor, whimsically arranged and tinted with colors too numerous and subtle to name. It seems hard to believe that mere natural forces were behind these creations, as they are the result of two weathering processes that continuously work together in eroding the edges of the Paunsaugunt Plateau – frost wedging and erosion due to a type of acidic rainfall. Regardless of their geological cause…when you stand in the canyon and gaze out at this ‘unreal’ landscape…you can’t help but experience an ethereal feeling.

This mystical land of rock is just one of the incredible sights to behold in Southern Utah’s National Parks. And it’s not just for rock peeping either! The area is also an adventure sport playground. How often do you get to work out surrounded by such majesty?

A challenging day hike to Angels Landing will find you at 5,790 ft, at a place where the mountain outcropping soars almost 2,000 ft above the valley floor and offers a sweeping panoramic view of the park. Then it’s off to explore the Narrows hiking along (and in) the Virgin River beneath the soaring canyon walls. Another great hike takes you up to Observation Point, which stands tall at 6,507 ft, where you have the chance to take in more stunning views of the valley from a different vantage point. And that’s just the hiking!…

Hiking in the Parks

Looking to spin out those legs after the hike? Head out to Bryce, hop on your bike and pedal out to Rainbow Park and enjoy the scenic vistas that surround you. Prefer more of a challenging ride? Why not try the perfect out and back to Mt. Carmel Junction which has you climbing out and then cruising back down with a long gradual descent into the valley (with plenty of time to check out these amazing multi-hued cliffs as you pass by…). Is your gym your current place of worship? Well…after you visit Cedar Breaks National Monument and experience DuVine inspiration witnessing its incredible rock amphitheater from a roadside perch at over 10,000 ft and continue your descent  into the town of Panguitch…you might want to switch gyms!

That’s right…a visit to the Parks of Southern Utah is truly uplifiting…literally and figuratively. See, unlike the Grand Canyon…here it is all about looking UP not down…and you also can’t help but feel you’ve witnessed something magical and mystical.

You may start your tour in Las Vegas…(where some prefer to proclaim “ what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas”) but once you have experienced Zion and Bryce…all you’ll want to do is tell everyone what  you’ve done.

Biking in the Parks

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