“A Hell of a Place to Lose a Cow”

The second stop on our anniversary tour of Southern Utah was Bryce Canyon National Park. If I had to choose between the two (the other being Zion), I think I might just pick Bryce Canyon as my favorite.

The canyon (not really a canyon at all, more of a strange plateau of sorts) was named after Mormon pioneer Ebenezer Bryce, who was the first to build a road into the canyon from the tiny nearby town of Clifton, Utah. It was Ebenezer who once said that the canyon was “a hell of a place to lose a cow.” I love that sentence! I’m guessing Brother Bryce was probably talking from experience. I’m not going to test it myself, but I’m fairly certain his statement could be proven accurate.

In my opinion, Mike and I happened to be in Bryce Canyon at just the right moment in time. It was a bit windy and cold that day (nothing unbearable), a light, delicate snow was falling. Because of the weather conditions not many tourists were out and about. It felt, at times, as if we were the only two people on the planet, in this strange, unearthly place. It was quiet and still…haunting, is a word that comes to mind.

It was one of those days that I could live over and over again if I had the ability. If only.

We followed the winding trails down amongst the Hoodoos, the geological formations that make Bryce Canyon the mind-blowing place that it is. I couldn’t help imagining what it would have been like to be a native, an explorer, or a pioneer from long ago and stumble across this place in my travels.

I loved the burnt oranges and reds, the shapes and textures, the formations that are unlike anything you can see anywhere else. I was totally sporting my tourist face (jaw dropped, eyes popping) the whole day.

Also, this place is a photographers dream (not that I can be called a photographer), but I had fun with my camera anyway…

Once again, being with Mike was the factor that sent the whole experience over the top for me. Mike is much more in his element in the out-of-doors, and that tendency is rubbing off on me, I think.  After all these years.

A young man from Argentina was kind enough to snap this photos of us at Inspiration Point. I don’t know the young man’s name, but I was much obliged.

Next Stop: Escalante, Boulder, and Hell’s Backbone.