The Nye Family: Bryce Canyon

June 12-15th we took a vacation to Bryce Canyon. We had never been there and over the last few years we've tried to go to at least one national park in Utah each year. So after rescheduling from earlier in the year due to weather we took off. We started off on a Sunday and our first stop was in Fillmore, Utah. This was the state's first capital and this was the first state capital building. We also found out that it was named after the 13th president of the United States, President Millard Fillmore.

These were a couple of cabins by the capital building.

Mossy Cave

Our second stop was after we got to Bryce and close to our hotel. This was a trail to Mossy Cave.

This was our first snake sighting. We weren't sure if it was a baby rattlesnake or not so we had to warn the kids to stay far, far away from any snakes that they see since baby ones are more dangerous than the adult ones.

Sunset Point

Our next stop was actually inside the park. We stopped at Sunset Point and looked around a bit but didn't do much since it was still Sunday.

I was very paranoid about the kids getting too close to the edge because it was a LONG drop to the bottom.

Day Two

Queen's Garden

On the second day we started out hiking the Queen's Garden Trail. The hike down was not too bad...because it was all downhill. Later you will see where it got a little tougher since we would be going all uphill.

This is the reason why they call the trail Queen's Garden. If you look at this rock formation it looks like a queen sitting on her throne. It's supposed to be Queen Victoria and she's looking down on all the rock formations, hence the Queen's Garden.

Wall Street

This is the uphill part but the coolest part at least in my opinion.

These two trees were GIGANTIC. If you notice they had no leaves on the bottom parts. That's because there is very little sunlight that reaches the bottom of the slot canyon here.

Here is when we start up the slot canyon.

Notice that the way to get up the canyon is thankfully by lots and lots of switchbacks. I can't even imagine if it was a straight shot up the canyon. You could just bury me right there at the bottom.

This was looking out a little "window" out to the other side of the canyon.

When we got to the top!!!

Old Bryce Town

This was the little tourist stop before you entered the park. They had a rock shop which we all were happy about since our tradition is to always find a family rock to remember our vacations, an ice cream shop and other little places to look around. Then of course they had the fun things that our kids to do like these things below.

Like the finger in the picture? It's the only we have with Austin in these things.

Yeah...he's just lucky we got him back out and took him with us.

Day Three

Peek-A-Boo Loop

Day three we decided to go on a trail called Peek-A-Boo Loop. Curt mapped it all out. We had to start by going down Wall Street again then it curved around this other mountain and came back up to Wall Street.

Here we go veering off of the Wall Street path to go towards Peek-A-Boo. Austin loved the signs because he would point to each of the letters and either count them or tell us what the letters were.

Austin was such a good hiker. He only had to be carried just a few times until the end then he had had enough.

We loved all the different colors with the sky, then the rocks and the sand. It was cool to see it even in the rock formations themselves.

Notice Austin has a stick in this picture? He was such a good hiker as long as he had at least one (most of the time two) stick in his hand. Some he would bang together and others he would pretend they were guns but they kept him busy and his feet moving. What a good little hiker!!!

Here is our second snake we saw. Curt was up ahead with the three older kids and I was back with Austin. Curt said as he was walking by this tree and bush he heard a rattling noise and thought at the very first, "Is that a rattle snake?" Then he thought, "No, it's probably just Carson dragging a stick or something." He looked back and Carson didn't have anything. So he stopped and had the kids stop to see where the snake was. They found it under the tree in strike position. They carefully moved away and warned us as we were coming up to them. The kids thought it was scary but cool at the same time. They were warning everyone that they came across that there was a rattlesnake down by the tree. Personally, this was my first rattlesnake I've ever seen out in the wild. It was kind of cool but only because I knew where it was and I kept my distance.

Rainbow Point

After our long (and I mean long) hike up the Peek-A-Boo loop - it took us at least three hours if not longer - Curt wanted to go look at some other places. He and the kids hiked the small hikes at Rainbow Point and Bristlecone Loop. I stayed in the car with Austin since after his long hike he decided to crash.

Inspiration Point

This was our last stop for the day. We were all so tired but wanted to get one last look in.

This was the highlight of Austin's trip. Everywhere you looked you could see squirrels. Austin would chase them and loved to say "Squirrel!"

Day 4

Butch Cassidy's Homestead

On our way out of town we saw on a map that there was an old homestead of where Butch Cassidy grew up really close by. SO we thought we would check it out. When they say small they mean small. It was just an old cabin out in the middle of a field wtih no sign even saying, "Butch Cassidy Homestead, Turn here," or anything of that sort. After driving by and then having to stop to ask for directions we finally found it. It's just this little, tiny cabin with a shed and then farm equipment which I'm willing to bet wasn't Butch Cassidy's. Since the kids were already driving us crazy we told them that this is where we were going to drop them off to live. They freaked out...which of course was hilarious to Curt and I. Then they caught on and knew we were just joking, although I think there was still a bit of skepticism on their part until they got back in the car.