The Place

Actions

Everything you need to know to take a trip to Bryce Canyon

Posted at 2:49 PM, Dec 21, 2016
and last updated 2016-12-21 17:04:15-05

After centuries of existence, and decades of inspiring quiet awe, the hoodoo known as 'The Sentinel' succumbed to the erosional forces that continue to define the landscape of Bryce Canyon. Large sections of The Sentinel have fractured before. The most major of these transformations occurred in July of 1986 when a paddle-like section of the formation crumbled and was found on the trail below. Subsequent years of frost-wedging, wind, and rain reduced the remaining spire to a gravity-defying form recognizable to more recent visitors. "This is a hoodoo people would stop and look at and wonder if it would fall and if they would see it,' said Ranger Joel Allen. Bryce Canyon stands out because you can snowshoe into the Hoodoos and it's an unbelievable family experience.

Bryce Canyon has a fun section in the Junior Ranger program (free) called "Benchmark Rubbings" or "Medallion Rubs". It's motivation for kids and adults to hike/snowshoe to find the medallion. When you locate the Medallion, you Rub/transfer the medallion onto the junior ranger book with a pencil.

Hiking info from the Bryce Canyon Park Ranger:

All of the markers should be accessible as long as the road to the end of the park isn't closed for snow removal.

Easiest sites include: Mossy Cave, Rim Trail, Queens Garden and the Bristle Cone Trail.

Moderately difficult includes: Tower Bridge, Navajo Loop (Wall Street Section is closed for the Winter).

The challenging markers are on the Peekaboo Trail and at Bryce Point. North-facing slope conditions on these last two trails tend to make the trails very icy.

For more tips from Kamille Marshall go to diverge outdoors