National Parks
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Bryce Canyon National Park Scenic Drive
Bryce Canyon National Park is one of those places that is absolutely stunning when seen from above. So if you would prefer not to do any lengthy or strenuous hiking, there are still so many ways to enjoy Bryce Canyon. There is only one entrance to Bryce Canyon, on Hwy 63. This highway can be accessed by either Hwy 22 or Hwy 12. Hwy 63 is the Bryce Canyon scenic drive, and continues for 18 miles through the park, ending at Rainbow Point. The road is situated in such a way that you can’t really see much scenery while driving, because of the trees, but there are multiple overlooks along…
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Hiking in Bryce Canyon National Park
I’m so happy that our National Parks are getting so much attention lately. We have 5 gorgeous National Parks here in Utah, and it’s so fun to get out and see what they have to offer! Last year we visited Zion National Park, and this year we decided to try Bryce Canyon National Park. Both are gorgeous red rock, but Bryce Canyon is unique in that it is made up of formations called Hoodoos. Hoodoos are formed when water freezes into ice and expands in the crevices of the rock plateau. It breaks down the rocks into walls, which further erode to form windows in the walls, and then eventually…
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Yellowstone National Park
Yellowstone National Park is a wonderland of natural color! If you’ve never been there, I invite you to see what you’re missing! Yellowstone is located mostly in Wyoming, with tiny slivers overlapping Montana and Idaho. It is a large area of beautiful lakes, rivers, canyons, waterfalls, and mountains. Underneath all of this beauty sits a dormant supervolcano called the Yellowstone Caldera. At some point in history, the volcano collapsed and formed the caldera (a large basin-like depression). The caldera then filled up with water, and Yellowstone Lake was formed! Although the volcano is dormant, there is a massive hotspot under the whole region. This is why there are so many…
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Hiking in Zion National Park
Zion National Park is located in Southern Utah. It is full of hiking trails and gorgeous scenery. Whether you are old or young, there is something for you to do in Zion! Parking and shuttle information We visited Zion in late October, during the kids fall break from school. Surprisingly, there weren’t a lot of kids in the park the day we were there, but that doesn’t mean it wasn’t crowded. We arrived about 11:00 AM, and all of the parking spots at the visitor’s center were taken. Hint: Arrive early! If you are visiting in the summer, plan to be there by 8:00 AM or earlier. There is a…
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Three fabulous hikes in Zion National Park
There are many beautiful places on the Earth, and Zion National Park in Utah is one of the best. There is something about the contrast of the red rock with the green vegetation that takes my breath away. Because of all this beauty, Zion is a popular Park for visitors. In the year 2000, Zion started using a mandatory bus system to shuttle visitors along Zion Canyon Drive. This system is in effect from March through November. Hint: The bus system is easy to use, as there are only two separate routes. The first bus route is from the nearby town of Springdale to the Zion Park Visitor’s Center. The…
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National Parks
Since 1872, when Congress established Yellowstone National Park as the first in the nation, Americans have been in love with their National Parks. The National Park service was created on August 25, 1916 to protect the 35 National Parks and Monuments then in existence. Today, there are over 400 areas within the National Park system, including Parks, Monuments, Trails, Heritage areas, and Recreation areas. I grew up in Utah, a state that is home to five beautiful National Parks. I can’t remember a time in my life when my family didn’t visit National Parks during the summer. The National Parks in Utah are all made of gorgeous red rock, but…
