Hoodoos!

This morning, we slept in a bit later than the itinerary called for because we were up late :) But we were still on the road by 6:45am!

Our destination? Bryce National Park. Also known as hoodoo-world :)

We first went to the visitor's center for the Junior Ranger booklets. Once the lady spent 15 minutes explaining the detail and requirements of the booklets at this park (they are different at each one), we decided that we likely would not be able to complete the booklets at this park and would consider just buying badges from the store if the kids earned them :)

After bathroom breaks and re-filling the camelbacks, off we went on our hike! I had read about the Wall Street to Navajo Loop/Queen's Trail hike as the "one to do", and others we ran into talked highly about it as well. I knew it would be a bit strenuous at 3 miles total, including a lot of elevation. But boy, was the beauty worth it!

(the top of Wall Street - a lot of switchbacks!)

(at the bottom of Wall Street!)

(oranges snack break!)

(do you spy Aaron and Brie?!?)

(do you spy Aaron and Brie again??)

(all finished! phew the last part up was a doozy!)

The really funny thing about Bryce was not that it was super crowded (although that did surprise me - I did not know Bryce was so popular and well-known!), but that it literally seemed that the majority of the people there were European! I swear, nearly every single person we passed on the trail, and it was a lot of people, spoke another language. It was insane! At one point I really did start to feel like I was in Europe and not even in the United States anymore!

The kids were troopers on this hike, although it was super hard. Even for me, I was pretty winded. But we finished!

Afterwards, we did decide that the kids had earned badges even if we weren't able to complete the Junior Ranger books this time. So we let them pick out pins :)

There are a few things we did not get to do that I had intended to - like drive around to all the scenic points in the park or do the Mossy Cave trail - but all in all it was an excellent day and we were ALL tired at the end. So I was perfectly fine to go with the flow and just head to our next resort next to Zion National Park.

The other exciting part of the day was the four hours total we spent on the road! It was INSANELY gorgeous out there. I tell you, I honestly think that the drive between Capitol Reef to Bryce to Zion might be the most gorgeous drive in America. Granted, I haven't been to the northwest yet. But the wildflowers are in FULL bloom right now - you feel like you are driving through a sea of yellow and bright greens in a postcard. I imagine this might also be like what some parts of Europe I have seen in pictures look like. Because we were so tired, I did not pull over and take pictures except once or twice, so most of them are from the car windows and not that great quality :/ But you really must believe me that the drive was just crazy beautiful and I would love to do it again someday!

(a lot of Utah has "free range" cows! Tons and tons of cows all up and down the mountain, in the woods, and on the road, ha)

(cow crossing! at the top of a mountain!)

(cold brie bee!)

(the whole drive has these gorgeous yellow flowers all up and down the road! soooo pretty!)

(more yellow flowers!)

(and more yellow flowers!)