On Monday morning of June 19 we left our cozy trailer in Junction, UT and set out for Bryce Canyon, an hour south. Twenty minutes later we turned around because I had forgot to load the chilled Camelbacks from the fridge to the van. Back we went and then we set off again. We would have been making good time had it not been for that forty minute set back. Oops. So frustrating!
At any rate, we made it. We bypassed the main entrance of the park and opted to start with my number one choice hike, the one that had water in it, "Mossy Cave Trail." I had seen Pinterest pictures of a river in Bryce Canyon, something I didn't know existed. I did my research and planned to go since the kids always do better hiking near water.
My only fear was that by mid-June the water would be dried up.
Nope! It was perfect!!!
Looking back from the bridge toward where we started.
A little further up from the bridge and looking back again.
We crossed another bridge and looked up stream and were surprised by this waterfall! Of course we had to visit it but we thought we'd better see the Mossy Cave first.
Lame!
Yep, there was moss.
They should rename this trail Amazing Waterfall hike and skip the cave.
After fulfilling our duty we set out to discover how to get to the top of that waterfall. There were several trails.
We made it!
It was so beautiful. Gah! The first Mormon settlers here had diverted the river to flow over this place and I'm glad they did.
Bryce Canyon is famous for it's strangely eroded rock formations called hoodoos. These are just some of the outliers from the main portion of the park.
Terry hiked down with the good camera to take our picture from below the waterfall.
Dat's us. Ezra was bored and had taken off already.
And I took a cell phone pic of Terry below!
Me and the kids hiked back down and across the bridge where Terry snapped this one before helping us down into the river.
Hiking up to the waterfall.
Almost there...
We made it!
Terry carried Ezra and then Samuel behind the waterfall because you just gotta have the full experience. Evie and Noah came too.
Evie and Daddy.
Even mommy did it.
From my perspective again.
Since we were already wet we thought we might as well hike back down the river.
One last selfie by Daddy.
I took pics of the kids as they walked in the water. Ezra.
Samuel. I got him that hat at Once Upon a Child especially for this trip. I wanted one like it for all the kids but couldn't find more. Hats were an absolute necessity. Here by the river I think it was mid-80s but in Zion it was always above 100 degrees. Our heads needed shade.
Noah.
Evie.
One last look behind.
We rounded a couple corners and came in view of the first bridge again and I had Noah stop and take a photo of Terry and I since it was our anniversary that day. Happy 13 years to us!
I loved the water probably even more than the kids. It was so different than Black Hills streams - no algae!
Clinging to the sides when the water got a little rougher.
Evie started playing with the mud, which was clay-like, to entertain herself and freaked Noah out.
Back to the first bridge.
Under the bridge.
Looking back one more time. Next Terry took Samuel to use the pit toilet and we played in the water while we waited. When we loaded up we broke out lunch and drove to the main entrance of the park. Part Two in the next post since this is so long already...
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