Located approximately one hour from Zennest, Bryce Canyon National Park is named after Ebenezer Bryce, a Mormon settler who built his home near the Bryce Amphitheater.
Bryce Canyon was made a national park on September 15, 1928, and covers a total area of 35,835 acres. The lowest elevation found is 6,620 feet located at Yellow Creek, while the highest elevation can be found at Rainbow Point, 9115 ft.
While Bryce Canyon is not technically a canyon, it is a series of about a dozen natural amphitheaters that eroded into an escarpment of the Paunsaugunt Plateau. A series of amphitheaters extends more than 20 miles north-to-south within the park. Bryce Amphitheater is 12 miles long, 3 miles wide and about 800 feet deep.
Due to the exceptionally high air quality, you will find beauty at night with some of the darkest night skies in the United States. The stargazing is extraordinary on a clear night.
The famous Hoodoo formations were formed chiefly by the repeated freezing and thawing of water. The red, orange, and white colors of the rocks provide spectacular views for park visitors. The rock layer that forms the hoodoos are the Claron Formation, this layer has several rock types including siltstones and mudstones but is predominantly limestone. The hoodoos are up to 200 feet high.
There are more than 400 native plant species that live in the park and contain three different life zones in the park based on elevation. Spruce/fir forest are in the highest areas, Ponderosa Pine forest in mid-elevations, and Pinyon Pine/Juniper forest in the lowest areas.
Let’s chat about all the creatures that can be found in Bryce Canyon; foxes, badgers, porcupines, marmots, squirrels, chipmunks, elks, mule deer, black bears, mountain lions, bobcats, and coyotes can be found in the forest and meadows. You can find approximately 175 different species of birds frequent the area. Eleven species of reptiles and four species of amphibians have been found including the great basin rattlesnake, short-horned lizard, side-blotched lizard, striped whipsnake, and the tiger salamander. There are over 1,000 different species of insects overall.
If you are looking to explore Bryce Canyon during your stay, there are eight marked and maintained hiking trails that can be hiked in less than a day, with an entrance fee that is $35 per vehicle per week.
Overall, Bryce Canyon is a unique, must-see while visiting Zennest. Get out and explore the great outdoors of Utah.