Hoo Doos of Bryce and Mossy Cave Hike - Utah

Bryce, Utah
Bryce Canyon National Park


The nights are cold, sometimes in the 20s but we got lucky with warm days.  Well, 50's warm.  We drove the main drive through the park and while many of the side roads were still closed due to snow, some were open.

Our first view.  I was really excited to see snow here.  It was July, 20 years ago, when we were last here and winter brings a totally different view.

There are many amazing hikes and sites in Utah's parks, but to me, nothing can compare to the colors of Bryce.  Orange, Pinks, reds, greens and that deep blue sky!

The famous Hoo Doo's!

An old, dead, bleached tree. Still majestic.

 

 Lee and Trace

 

The sun coming and going behind clouds would cast bright colors here and there.

 

We took a drive out to Bryce point.

Steve has a twin.  Who knew?!

Hurley loves to catch snowballs!

 

 

 

 The famous Natural Bridge, 8627 feet elevation.

We still had plenty of time left in the day so we took a small hike to Mossy Cave.

 

 The scenery was fabulous as soon as you parked and started the hike.

 

As we hiked on, I looked up and saw these cute rocks that looked like they were kissing.  So we did too.  Ya, cheesy, I know.

Pussywillow's starting to bloom.

A pretty waterfall that looked like chocolate milk.

Veni, Vidi, Vici!

This part of the trail leads to a waterfall that flows over Mossy Cave.  While it may be mossy in the summer, it has ice formations under it where the water seeps and freezes.  Very, very cool!

"This grotto forms as un underground spring permeates the bedrock and water slowly dissolves the calcite and muds of the Claron Formation.  During the short spring and summer season, in the otherwise arid landscape, a cool, moist environment becomes a perfect place for mosses to grow.  By late fall, icicles begin to form from as water continues to seep through the rock.  Sheltered from the sun, even as the days are growing warmer and longer these icicles sometimes last until June!"

A single dead leaf hanging on.

Lots of windows and arches.

Then we took the trail further to a really pretty waterfall where the colors reminded me of Neapolitan Ice Cream.  Strawberry, Chocolate and Vanilla colors.

We had more time in our day since the snow had kept us off some of the viewpoints so we decided to drive to Cedar Breaks National Monument.  We weren't sure if it would be open but we're up for the drive.  Well, we forget the elevation is closer to 10,000 feet and there is still several feet of snow.

 The Aspen were sparkly white against the pines.  It was 39 degrees up here.

So I guess it shouldn't have been a surprise when suddenly the turn off just ends.  No more plowed road.  The park is close obviously.  Still about 4 feet of snow.  Oh well, it was a pretty drive.

 

On the way back I took a picture of this cute hillside where all the roofs were very colorful.

Next we hike the Fairlyland Trail.  One of the few not totally covered in snow.