The Owl Chronicles

April 28-May 8, 2019
Day 8

Day 8 turned into a fantastic day.  Yesterday we had seen an article promoting free tours of Bryce Canyon.  We signed up.  Before our 1:30 pm tour we headed to Bryce Canyon Overlook and hiked a 1.2 mile piece of the Canyon Rim Trail....spectacular first look at the Hoodoos!!  They are incredible. 

The trail was a little up and down but was continually on the rim of the amphitheater which we learned today is what Bryce Canyon is.  Technically it is not a canyon but a series of amphitheaters....the park only has 1 rim which if it were in fact a canyon it would have 2 rims.

We left the trail at Inspiration Point and took a quick shuttle ride to the Lodge where we had lunch and then waited for our tour bus to pick us up.  The Lodge was built in the 1920's and looks just as you would expect a 'cowboy' lodge to look.  (Everything around here is 'cowboy' this and 'cowboy' that.)

The tour bus showed up around 1:40 pm and Randy our bus driver and tour guide was fantastic.  It sounds like he has spent his entire life roaming the country working in different sorts of tourism positions.  He was a really great story teller and kept us laughing most of the trip.

The bus headed south in the canyon for about 40 minutes and made its first stop, which was an hour long at Yovimpa Point and then a walk across the road to Rainbow Point.  Randy knew everything about the geology, biology, etc, etc. that we were seeing.  We OWLS agreed that it was 3 hours well spent. 

Once off the bus we still had a little energy left so headed toward Tropic, our home base for this leg of the trip, and stopped at Mossy Cave, which was a .4 mile hike.....quick and easy.  Interesting history at this trail...the trail follows along the Tropic Ditch which took 2 years to dig by hand in the late 1800's.  When the Mormans first settled in the area they lacked water, so diverted a bit from the Sevier River to meet their needs.  The town of Tropic is still, to this day, dependent on that source of water to meet most of their needs. 

The day ended at the local pizza joint for a well earned pizza!!!  Tomorrow is our last day in the Park...then we head back to Phoenix and the flight home.  Not ready for that.