We’ll be taking a look at the views along Bryce Canyon National Park’s Rim Trail. Although the trail is about 5.5 miles long, we’ll only be exploring the 3 miles that goes around Bryce Amphitheater. There are four major overlooks and we’ll see each one starting with Bryce Point, the highest overlook at the south end of the Amphitheater. Welcome to Bryce!
The road to and through Bryce Canyon National Park is UT-63. However, to get to Mossy Cave’s trailhead and the Water Canyon waterfall, we drive past the junction about four miles on UT-12. On our right is a small parking area and our destination. It is 8am and only five other cars are parked. Getting an early start is a must to secure parking here. This lot will soon be full and will be all day long. Plus the temperature is still cool and the trail inviting. Let’s go my friend!
Heading about 40 minutes northwest from my cabin in Bluff, UT, is Butler Wash Interpretive Trail. The drive up was beautiful, but black clouds are popping up on all horizons. The sun is bright with no clouds overhead, so let’s park and find the trailhead. What a view of Comb Ridge’s east side! There’s the trail, let’s go.
About eight miles west of Bluff, UT, US-163 cuts through a stunning monocline called Comb Ridge. This fold in the earth’s crust, developing 65 million years ago, is similar to folds we’ve seen and especially the Waterpocket Fold in Capitol Reef National Park. How do these rock folds develop? It is all about tectonic plates. What kind of plates? Let’s go . . .
