August 2 was our first full day at Bryce Canyon National Park. We awoke to a temperature of 50 degrees Fahrenheit. That was reason enough to be there in August!
That morning we did “The World’s Greatest 3-Mile Hike” which is the combination of two shorter trails. One trail is the “Queen’s Garden Trail” and the other is “Navajo Loop.” We could not do longer hikes on this trip because of my ankle problems and because 4 miles is about the limit of our 5-year-old.
Here are the pictures. Most will enlarge if clicked.

This is why it is the "Queen's Garden Trail." The hoodoo formation on the left is said to look like a profile of Queen Victoria on her throne. (I'm not sure why it could not be any queen.) My daughters thought the formation just to the right of it, a little lower, looked like the head of a dragon. (This impressed them more than the queen.)

This was the first experience my daughters had with cairns. They loved it, and the oldest one got into putting a stone on any one she could find--usually doing something difficult to balance. These cairns were in the bottom of the canyon.

This little area enchanted me. I loved the way the hoodoos and trees, similarly-shaped, were all together in a garden of sorts.

I think this is "Wall Street." So named because not much sky could be seen through this part of the hike.

This is near the top of the path out. This is QUITE a climb. Thankfully the scenery is spectacular, so it's fine to stop frequently to take pictures (rest). I think the hike would be easier to enter this way (Navajo Loop) and leave the way we came in (Queen's Garden). People were going down in this place in flip flops. I would not recommend that.

We made it out! One 5-year-old was very, very tired! She walked most of the way herself, even the last, uphill part.

This is actually part of the rim trail between Sunset and Sunrise point. This hiker, with bad ankles, was limping a bit by this point.
If you are interested in last week’s Bryce Canyon (which is not technically a Canyon, but I will address that later if I have space) episode, go here.
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August 31, 2009 at 3:43 pm
Geesh, Louise.. these photos are incredibly beautiful. I can’t believe how magical this place looks. The colours.. the patterns .. the beauty. Your daughter did so well.. and very observant to notice that dragon. π Beautiful post.
August 31, 2009 at 4:55 pm
What incredible beauty! I’ve not been there YET, and appreciate the glance.
August 31, 2009 at 6:03 pm
Wow, I want to hike that trail! Great shots and excellent narrative. I hope your ankles feel better now. And also, I really like your new haircut!
August 31, 2009 at 8:00 pm
I’m totally speechless. This post touches me and my love for nature. I am so envious!
August 31, 2009 at 9:41 pm
i agree with the kiddos. dragon.
August 31, 2009 at 9:58 pm
OMG! I’d forgotten just how spectacular Bryce is. You all did very good with the hike.
I’ve been thinking of where to go on my weekend, Zion to river walk, or Bryce. This really temps me before it gets any cooler there.
August 31, 2009 at 11:59 pm
Your photos are gorgeous!! You are making me homesick though… π
September 1, 2009 at 2:59 am
The natural structures are amazing. The shapes and sizes are awe inspiring. I am sure the excitement would have offset the heat. Thanks for sharing such beautiful photos.
September 1, 2009 at 6:19 am
Magnificent photos. I’m impressed with your 5 year old’s stamina. My children are lovely. In fact I would say amazing. But hikers they are not. I am awed by parents who manage to hike with their kids.
September 1, 2009 at 8:47 am
totally awesome .. and it does look like Queen Victoria .. she had that same shape .. sort of like the Red Queen in Alice
September 1, 2009 at 9:04 am
This place is really amazing! Perfect and beautiful pictures my sweet friend, thanks so much for sharing!
God bless you
LΓ©ia
September 1, 2009 at 11:50 am
Magnificent photos of this amazing place. I’ve not been there in more than a decade but have wonderful memories of many visits to Bryce Canyon so it’s all the more enjoyable to visit vicariously this morning.
Hugs and blessings,
September 1, 2009 at 12:45 pm
Very beautiful. No one can match the beauty of nature.
September 1, 2009 at 1:10 pm
Fabulous scenery!!!
September 1, 2009 at 2:05 pm
What a fantastic landscape. Specially the different colors red of these immense rocks are very impressive. As a citizen of the flat Netherlands I’m fond of mountains and rock formations.
I think I would be very tires at the end of the trail, but given the chance I would sure try to walk it.
September 1, 2009 at 2:13 pm
Incredible views! The colors are beautiful.
Oh, and I was more impressed with the dragon’s head, too. π
September 1, 2009 at 2:13 pm
Louise,
I really enjoyed your great hike and especially the incredible photos! It would be hard to pick a favorite but “Wall Street” is awesome! I can’t believe your little 5 year old did 4 miles – good for her. I love it when children are introduced to Nature early.
September 1, 2009 at 2:21 pm
Yes– I’ve done that trail once… Amazing, isn’t it… Making me want to see it again…
September 1, 2009 at 4:41 pm
The pictures are absolutely fantastic. I would certainly like to take that hike in person, but I thank you for your great pictures.
September 1, 2009 at 9:14 pm
Oh YEAH! Bryce is just so breathtaking! You must have had an awesome time – how could you not with all that beauty!!
September 1, 2009 at 9:56 pm
Wow!!!what a tour.We don’t have such scenery here in my world,thanks for the tour & for the wonderful photos,all of them:)
Have a nice day.
September 1, 2009 at 11:13 pm
Oh, Louise, what a splendid tour! The images are fantastic: I’ve enjoyed them one by one. Thanks for sharing!
September 2, 2009 at 5:56 am
This is one of the most beautiful posts I’ve seen in a long time. So expansive and colorful, scenic and majestic. Nice sharp shots!
September 2, 2009 at 7:33 am
Hello Louise,
What a grea tour and I enjoyed to see the coloyrs of the stones, a wonderfull ttrip that was!
Hatsjeeeeee!Hello How are you today?
I am sick and wish me well, I hope you stay healthy!Greetings from JoAnn/Holland
September 2, 2009 at 11:46 am
Wow what an amazing place!
September 2, 2009 at 11:56 am
Your world is incrdible. To be in that maze of red rocks…I would need an extra memory card or two.
September 2, 2009 at 2:04 pm
Stunning pictures! Lovely post.
September 2, 2009 at 8:05 pm
That is an amazing place. I imagine that it is so much more beautiful in person.
But it does look as if a person could get lost in a maze there.
September 3, 2009 at 6:07 am
Wow. You have some amazing photos. I so want to go there and take my kids. Too bad it is so far away from me.
September 3, 2009 at 4:48 pm
What a spectacular hike and your photographs are so good Louise. I am very impressed that your five year old managed that hike, I think I would have been tired at the end of it π
September 3, 2009 at 6:17 pm
The sky is that amazing western blue that I love. (We’re not having any of it now. The skies are hazy from smoke.) Love all the windows and notches in the rock letting the blue sky show through.
September 3, 2009 at 6:39 pm
Hi Louise; a terrific picture, love the rock formation. Art as good as in any museum. The sky could not be bluer and is enhanced by the red of the soil. Our outback has rockformations red soil and blue blue skies. A beautiful SWF.
September 3, 2009 at 7:01 pm
That Bryce sky is a perfect backdrop for the Natural wonders. You went at the perfect time!
September 3, 2009 at 7:06 pm
I think this type of terrain is unbelievable..what a contrast too! Can it get anymore blue than that!
September 4, 2009 at 2:27 am
wow to that contrast of colors!
September 4, 2009 at 6:12 am
I think Bryce Canyon is spectacular. I was there many years ago just after visiting the Grand Canyon. If I had to choose one over the other, I’d pick Bryce as my favourite.
September 4, 2009 at 9:49 am
Stunning scene here; it is an amazing place.
September 4, 2009 at 10:27 am
Wow, I like the colours really much!
September 4, 2009 at 3:08 pm
Lovely contrasts of textures, tones and light.
September 4, 2009 at 5:04 pm
Hi there. Each photo is so intense with beauty, timing- color and over all magic of this place. I visited Az (for the first time back in 2000..My two boys had moved over there for maybe seven years. Anyway, we took a trip to Utah and took in the sights..I love this place! This is a terrific reminder! Thanks for sharing your wonderful shots-
September 5, 2009 at 1:08 am
Thank you for sharing. When we went to Bryce, my knee was still awaiting surgery so I waited at the top while my husband hiked down (and didn’t take pictures). It’s so nice to finally see what I missed!
September 5, 2009 at 7:29 am
That’s blue all right! WOW! Our skies never look that blue over Detroit.
September 7, 2009 at 1:26 pm
Magnificent photos of a amazing place. Never seen something like this before.
I really enjoyed your great hike