Day 2 - Bryce Canyon National Park

The kids arrive at Bryce Canyon National Park.  

Sunset Point offers vistas of some of the most famous and breathtaking of Bryce Canyon's hoodoos.

Directly below the point and to the south, the Silent City rises from the canyon floor, a maze of hoodoos and fins packed in tight formation.

Here are Chris and the kids at the Navajo Loop Trail head.

 You start by hiking down Wall street a narrow canyon with high rock walls on either side.

During our hike down the trail we caught a glimpse of the horseback riders.  We are scheduled to do the same ride tomorrow.

Andrew climbing on another rock!

On the way down there are several switchbacks to help you on your decent.  

 The kids and Chris find an alcove for another photo op!

This is called the two bridge area as you can see the horizontal bridges across the formations. 

The upper center is Bryce Point, one of the most scenic vistas of the full amphitheater and all its wonders amaze the visitor. Bryce Point is famous for its extraordinary sunrises.

The kids gather around "Hike the Hoodoos Benchmark".  Its a kids challenge - a way to stay healthy and have fun in your National Park.  From here we decided to hike "Queens Garden Trail"

As we were walking, we came upon an area that was filled with what is called an Inukshuk.  The inukshuk is a stone landmark or cairn built by humans, used by the Inuit, Inupiat, Kalaallit, Yupik, and other peoples of the Arctic region of North America. It may have been used for navigation, as a point of reference, a marker for travel routes.

Here the group travels through a small slot canyon.

Hoodoos go through several stages:

First they start as plateaus and water erodes away the sides until they become fins. Once the things become fairly skinny, holes will erode in the middle of them, creating a window. Finally, after more erosion, the top of the windows will break away leaving a hoodoo in its place.

Chris carries Samantha while Andrew climbs the wall.

As we head back up the canyon we navigate several switchbacks nearing the top.

The kids decide it break time before finishing our hike.

We started our hike from the left of the trees in the middle of this picture.  The total hike was about 3-miles. 

Since the kids were scheduled to attend an astrology program in the evening we decided it was time for a campfire and smores.  

Trey seems to be liking the smores.  Smores are Graham Crackers, melted Hershey Chocolate and roasted Marsh Mellows all combined into one delicious sandwich.  

Samantha or Sydney, I can't seem to tell them apart, decides to have a juice with her smores.  To the right arm rest of her chair,  you can see her metal stick used for roasting the marsh mellows. 

Andrew starts roasting his marsh mellow while holding his juice drink.

Chris decides to relax and enjoy the experience.  Due to overcast clouds, the evening Astrology viewing was cancelled.