Utah - Day 9: Bryce Canyon National Park
Sunday, May 9, 2021, was dedicated to exploring Bryce Canyon National Park. After checking out of Stone Canyon Inn, Heidi and I drove to the park to hike the Navajo Loop and Queen’s Garden Trail. Renowned as the park's most popular hike and highly recommended by the National Park Service for first-time visitors, this trail offers a unique combination of the distinctive hoodoos found along the Queen’s Garden Trail and the iconic switchbacks of the Navajo Loop Trail.
Around 12:30pm, Heidi and I parted ways, with her heading back to Salt Lake City, while I continued on to the second leg of my journey.
I began the solo portion by driving Bryce Canyon Scenic Drive, the main park road, south to Rainbow Point, the southernmost viewpoint. After capturing photos, I turned around and drove north to Fairyland Point, the northernmost viewpoint, stopping at scenic overlooks along the way.
I reached Fairyland Point around 3:30pm. After capturing some photos there, I proceeded to drive to Zion Park Motel, the hotel I stayed at while visiting Zion National Park.
I arrived at Zion Park Motel around 5:45pm on Sunday, 05/09/2022. I chose this affordable option because it’s just one mile south of Zion National Park, and cost $408.69 for three nights in May 2021. Though the rooms were a bit dated, I didn’t mind as I’d be spending minimal time in the room. The bed was comfortable, which was perfect!
After checking in and freshening up, I went to Oscar’s Cafe, a popular spot for generous portions of authentic Mexican food. Following dinner, I walked to Sol Foods Supermarket for additional supplies before calling it a night.
