Day 3 - Bryce Canyon

Thanks to our great cooks, we start the day with a delightful breakfast:  Pancakes, Eggs, Bacon and Hash Browns, followed by Samantha and Sydney's birthday!

The kids enjoy breakfast at Dave & Kathy's Diner.

Trey was in charge of the birthday cake decoration.

Andrew was in charge of the cupcake decoration, while the girls each decorated their own cupcakes.

Sydney did a great job with her cupcake.

Samantha with her cupcake.  Happy Birthday Girls!

Mossy Cave is the trail you want to go to if you have a very short time and want to do a little hike. Or, if you have kids that do not like to break a sweat on a hike, this is a perfect little stroll where you can get a canyon experience without the hike down.

As you come down off the low ridge, you see the first of a couple bridges that will take you across the creek.

As you step across the second bridge, look to your right and you will see the waterfall. A few steps off the bridge and you will see the trail junction to either go left up to Mossy Cave or go right to the waterfall.

We noticed that snow was still noticeable in the Cave area.

Here you get a great view of the hoodoos above and across from Mossy Cave.

  

Chris and the kids pose for a photo along the trail.

Look up to see some windows in the sandstone formations above. If you feel up to it, you can climb up to these and look through the windows at where you are now.

Beautiful views in all directions as you can look through the window down on the trail you came up on and down toward the waterfall and beyond.

After we safely walk back down the slope, we decide its time explore some more of the canyon.  

Chris has a moment for a photo.

The kids were very active and crossed the creek many times.

We arrive at the corral for our 2-hour horseback ride in Bryce Canyon.  

Samantha on Crazy Alice.

Andrew on Dynamite.  It was Dynamite's first trip down into the canyon with a rider on board.  That is why you will see a lead rope from Matt to Dynamite.  It was a wild ride to be sure for Andrew.  Dynamite didn't like to stay right on the trail - just like Andrew when he is hiking.

Sydney on Croppy.

Trey on Raspberry, Chris on Pango.

Kathy in the rear of this photo on Tuffie.

Here we are exiting the corral and heading to the trailhead.

You head down the trail into the canyon.

Taking photos while riding is not an easy task but I managed to get a nice shot of one of the Hoodoos along the trail.

Here's Matt, our Wrangler, talking about the canyon.

We are almost done and Matt asks if we had a great time during our ride.

We all take our time getting off the horses.  No injuries, that's great!

Dave riding Kimber.  

Matt with Samantha and Sydney. 

Matt with Trey and Andrew.  It was amazing that the kids were never scared.  This ride definitely convinced me that I would never ride a mule down into Grand Canyon.  I do not care how old I am, I am walking!