Mine tunnel
exploring a dark mine tunnel by headlamp. this is the horn silver mine---now abandoned---located near Milford,Utah. Wesley and I didn`t venture too far back,since there was a maze of interconnecting tunnels and getting lost would have been easy.we passed the horn silver mine on our way to Bryce Canyon National Park.
Mine shaft
old wooden ladder descends to a deeper level of the mine
Old Frisco mining town
the boom town which sprang up around the horn silver mine was called Frisco. a few crumbling wooden buildings remain at the mine site
Moon over Frisco
Bryce Hoodoos
upon arriving at Bryce Canyon National Park,we hiked the fairyland trail. It winds amongst tall colorful rock spires known as hoodoos.
Fairyland Trail
the thin line of the trail can be seen below. there were some steep climbs and descents on this trail. all trails in Bryce descend rather steeply from the rim.
Fairyland trail
the trail winds past more hoodoos. pine trees are found all along the trail.
Mt Rushmore???
somehow the hoodoos in this area reminded me of Mt Rushmore!
Looking down from the rim
after completing the 5 mile fairyland trail,we ascended steeply back to the rim. wesley and I still had a hike of about 3 miles back to our start point along the rim. the rim trail also had some steep ups and downs.
Wesley hiking the rim trail
View from the rim
the colorful hills and rock spires of Bryce Canyon in the valley below. Bryce is not a true canyon but rather an ampitheater encircling these features.
Trees and Hoodoos
we hiked back along the rim trail to our start point ,then descended another trail from the rim.this was the queen`s garden/navajo loop trail
Happy Bryce hiker!
Wes hikes down the trail towards the queen`s garden
Hills and Hoodoos
colorful rock spires(hoodoos) tower over the folded landscape
Hoodoo cliffs
hiking here is spectacular as the trails pass dramatic features.
Cliffs and valley floor
view down towards the bryce valley floor from higher up along the trail
Rock window
the trails at Bryce sometimes pass thru small tunnels in the rock
sign on the rim
Pillar
Bryce Canyon hiker!
Bryce trail tunnel
The Queen`s Garden
colorful vegetation on Bryce Canyon floor. the name is derived from a nearby pillar or "hoodoo" that is said to resemble a statue of Queen Victoria.
steep section of trail
Origin of the name
Warning!
fortunately Wes and I were not "treated" to any falling rocks!
Steep ascent on this trail
The ascent continues
the trail ascended thru a steep narrow canyon. easy to see why rock falls could occur here.
switchbacks and trail tunnel
moon over Bryce
Hoodoos and shadows
late afternoon here on the rim
Hoodoos seen from the rim trail
we began our hike in early morning sunlight the next day traveling along the rim trail.
flat tableland
amidst the vertical maze of the hoodoos,a flat tableland can be seen in center of photo.
Vertigo!
looking down from one section of the rim trail
Lone spire
Nature`s cathederal
a few rock arches as seen from the rim,rather like a natural cathederal!
Start of the Under the Rim trail
this trail leads down from the rim into a more remote area of Bryce Canyon. several overnite campsites are spaced along the 23 mile trail.
the Hat Shop
a few miles along the trail,we encountered these unique rock formations. balanced rocks resemble hats atop the stone pillars.
Hat shop and ridgeline
the trail followed this ridgeline past the hat shop before descending further
Tired Bryce hiker!
Wes relaxes in the warm mid day sun by the hat shop as we stopped for a lunch break. I always remove his dogpack at lunch and rest stops.
Under the rim trail
this trail affords both views of the hoodoos and vistas of Utah wilderness.
White towers
hiking back along the rim,we viewed this unique formation.