Bryce Canyon NP

After Zion we spent some time in Red Canyon/Dixie National Forest and Bryce Canyon National Park.  We had great weather, great riding, and great hiking.  And no bugs!

Hiking in Dixie National Forest.

Mountain biking the Thunder Mountain Trail in Dixie National Forest.

Mountain biking the Cassidy/Casto Canyon Trails in Red Canyon.

Hiking the Fairyland Loop Trail in Bryce Canyon NP.  It was absolutely beautiful.

As we were hiking we heard a faint hiss and rattle and crossing the trail was this rattlesnake!!!!

Hiking the Queen's Garden/Navajo/Peek-a-Boo Loop in Bryce.

Sunset over the park.

Up early to catch the sunrise.

It's almost June and while we've enjoyed spring in Utah, it's time to head to Northern California and the Pacific Northwest.  Redwoods here we come.  We're taking our time on the 18+ hour drive from Utah to California and will do some mountain biking in Nevada along the way.

Zion NP and a little more

It's been a great few weeks full of lots of activity - hiking, biking, and backpacking galore.

Luke's solo trip (while KBo was in Denver) in the Mt. Charleston Wilderness.

Campsite No. 1

Views along the hike. Weird to see snow at the top of a mountain when it's nearly 100 degrees in the valley.

Campsite No. 2...on the summit, in the snow.  Good time for K-Bo to be away!

Next stop - Snow Canyon State Park in southwest Utah.  Ironically, no snow.
 

Our living room...and bedroom.

Hiking in Snow Canyon.

Desert tortoise.

Mountain biking Stucki Springs outside of St. George, Utah. 

From St. George, we headed to Gooseberry Mesa for some more mountain biking.

View into Zion from our campsite.

 

MTBing.

Finally we make it to the Park.  Our first day we went hiking into the Narrows.  Over 70% of the hike is in 50 degree water, from knee deep to waist deep, at least on Kristin.
 

 

Out of the Narrows, on to the top of the canyons.  Our first backpacking trip together since last October!  We're so excited for this summer and getting back to what we love the most - humping a huge pack 3,000 feet up and 7+ miles in to the wilderness.
 
Hiking the first part of the West Rim trail was a little crowded until we passed Angel's Landing...which we left for our hike out.

Camp is somewhere up there.

Up up up.

View back down into the canyons from camp. 

Day hiking around the West Rim and Telephone Canyon.

What goes up, must come down.  And now for the foot pounding 3,000 ft decent.

Side trip to Angel's Landing on our hike down. 

Top of Angel's Landing.

We took one day off, drove to the north side of the Park, and then headed in for backpacking trip No. 2 in to Kalob Canyon.

Let's go in there...

The hike in.

Camp.

Day hiking to Kalob Arch and in to Beartrap Canyon.

And now we rest...for one day at least.  We're giving our feet a break before heading to Bryce Canyon and Capitol Reef for more backpacking, mountain biking, and hiking.