Nichole McDaniel Art Travel Adventure

Utah

Day 7 - Sunrise at Bryce Canyon and VEGAS!

Day 7 - Sunrise at Bryce Canyon and VEGAS!

After a beautiful night of stargazing, I thought it would be a memorable next morning watching the sun rise over the canyon. We woke early and could tell it was a crisp morning. We should have worn pants and long sleeves! With our camping chair, tripod and camera we felt ready for a to capture the sunrise. What we didn't account for was the wind and how cold it would be. Ben kept me company for about 10 minutes and decided it was too cold. He enjoyed enough of the sunrise. I froze but managed to stay another 10 minutes to get the shots I wanted. I was chilled by the time I got to the cabin. It was probably around 7 so we curled up in bed to warm up and get some more rest.

Day 6 - Bryce Canyon National Park -Exploring & Stargazing

Day 6 - Bryce Canyon National Park -Exploring & Stargazing

The great thing about our cabin was its proximity to the Rim Trail where we had walked earlier in the day (about a 3 minute walk). We grabbed our camping chairs and enjoyed our beers while watching the sunset and the stars slowly emerge, one by one. I don't know if I have ever seen so many stars. I grabbed my tripod for my camera to attempt a little astrophotography. I know they aren't great compared to other photographers, but I was excited to test it out and capture this cool experience we shared together. I will definitely be exploring the stars more with my camera. I can see how addicting it can be.

Day 6 - Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah

Day 6 - Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah

Now that we had time to explore the hoodoos and the canyon, we decided to hike Queens Garden Trail and a portion of Navajo Loop, which is a great hike 2.9 mile loop and highly recommend. It is easier if you have appropriate hiking shoes. I had my adventure shoes on, Ben did not. There were sections where we were a bit more careful!

Day 5 - Sunset at Bryce Canyon

Day 5 - Sunset at Bryce Canyon

When I glanced at the map, I thought if I were able to get to the Natural Bridge by sunset it would be a great place to photograph. I arrived about an hour before sunset, took a couple photos, and decided to venture on. In the park there is a road that takes you all the way through it. Bryce Canyon has some beautiful, easily accessible view points. Near the end of Bryce Canyon are Rainbow and Yovimpa Point, providing views of the rock layers called the Grand Staircase. The elevation here is 9100 ft and you find yourself surrounded by Blue Spruce, Douglas Fir and White Fir trees. I was fortunate and there were really only a few cars in the parking lot. I was able to walk around and take in the views with only a couple of other tourists.

Day 4 - Historical Downtown - St. George, Utah

Day 4 -  Historical Downtown - St. George, Utah

St. George was named in honor of a Mormon apostle named George A. Smith. After urging early settlers to eat raw, unpeeled potatoes to cure scurvy, he became known as the Potato Saint. George Smith was a first cousin of Brigham Young, who had winter home in St. George from 1873-1876. We were able to stop by and walk the grounds but the inside of museum was closed.

Day 4 - Quail Creek State Park, Utah

Day 4 - Quail Creek State Park, Utah

The lake isn't very big and there wasn't too much to explore, which was nice in comparison to other, more crowded lakes nearby. It was pleasant how quiet it was and we were able to relax and take in the surrounding mountains. Each of us enjoyed taking a moment to cool off in the water. This was one of the most memorable parts of the trip for me. Just taking it in and enjoying time with Ben.

Day 5 - Zion National Park, Utah

Day 5 - Zion National Park, Utah

I had visited Zion in April 2019 and was really looking forward to going back to do some of the hikes. This was not the right time for hiking. The Narrows had bacteria, part of Angel's Landing was closed, and the park was very crowded. That being said, it was only 45 minutes away. Driving through the park was still very fun and a sight to see. The winding road provided for a breathtaking drive with plenty of pullouts to stop and admire the view. Zion is amazing if you haven't been, I recommend staying in the park or in Springdale to enjoy Zion.