RJourney – Cannonville, UT (Bryce Canyon)

RJourney – Cannonville, UT

Before we set out on this trip, several of our friends asked us what we were looking forward to seeing most.  For me (Justin), the national parks in Utah and Arizona were very high on the list. Bryce Canyon was the first and was probably my favorite of the bunch (so far).  Driving in and seeing the red rocks for the first time had me feeling giddy like a kid seeing their favorite character at Disneyland. Kandace even scolded me for trying to take video while I was driving doh!  Like many other tourists we had to pull to the side of the road to take pictures of the scenery and document this natural phenomenon. And of course everything looks so cool reflecting off of Olive!

We booked several of our stays months in advance however when booking Bryce there were not any campsites available in the park so we opted to stay at RJourney (Formerly a KOA) in Cannonville, which is about 20 minutes outside of the park. When looking for accommodations, we prefer to stay at campgrounds that have full hookups (water, electricity and sewer).  State and national parks don’t always have full hookups which means giving up one or more of these luxuries.  Although Olive is set up to be fully off grid and we can absolutely operate without hookups, it sure is nice having all three whenever we can. RJourney is a small campground just off the main road with only about 30 RV sites.  They have a pool, laundry services, nice private room showers, a propane fill station and tent camping as well.

After setting up camp, we beelined it to the park to check out the sights. Sato came along for the ride as the trail along the canyon rim is dog friendly.  If you are planning on a visit to Bryce with you fur friend the rim trail is the only trail where they are allowed (on leash of course). We did see some small dogs on the trails in the canyon but their owners had them in their backpacks which I guess is ok.  If you have a larger dog like we do, packing them on your back just isn’t an option 😉.  We planned on a full day and a half of hiking and rather than leaving Sato in the camper all day with the A/C on, we decided to board him overnight. Little did we know, there is only one dog boarding company within 30 miles of the park. Paws Dogs is about a 50 minute drive on the outskirts of Panguitch to the middle of nowhere but fortunately they do offer pick up and drop off near the entrance to the park which is super convenient. With only one boarder in the area, there is definitely a business opportunity there, so who knows, maybe we will end up in Bryce taking care of dogs when this is all over 😉.

We dropped off Sato in the early morning and then set off to explore the canyon. The views from above are incredibly spectacular and pictures just don’t do them justice.  You really have to see it with your own eyes to appreciate the beauty that mother nature created here.  There are several trails that lead to the canyon floor and many of them connect forming large and small loops for a build your own adventure type of hike.

Hikes we explored:

Red Rock Trail just outside the park and west of Bryce Canyon – easy hike and an up close and personal experience with the red rocks.

Bryce Canyon Rim Trail – Upon arriving we started at Sunset Point and walked around for a bit with Sato just taking in the views of the canyon and the hoodoos!

Wall Street – We hiked down the switchbacks.  It was our first day there and we were not up for a super long hike so we went back up the switchbacks and saved the longer hikes for another day.

(Looking down on the switchbacks at Wall Street Trail)

Queens Garden Trail to Navajo Loop. Our “choose your own hiking adventure” on our first morning was Queens Garden to Navajo Loop. The main attraction on the Queens Garden loop is the hoodoo that (if you use your imagination) looks like a queen riding an animal. Queens Garden loop connects to Navajo Loop which takes you back up to the rim trail.  Both Navajo Loop and Wall Street Loop start out with switchbacks so if you are returning back up from the canyon floor note that these are a lot more difficult going up than going down.  They are both amazing trails and totally worth the experience.

(Can you see the queen?  looks like she is riding a camel – what animal do you see?)

(Thor’s Hammer – near the top of Navajo Loop)

Mossy Cave – Not a cave and not mossy, but it is a super easy hike with a small waterfall at the end!

Fairyland loop trail to Tower Bridge –  super peaceful hike that is less popular and less traveled than the others so if you are looking for a moderate hike without the crowds this is a great place to start.

Viewpoints we visited:

Inspiration Point (upper and lower) – absolutely incredible views from 8,000 foot elevation

Sunrise Point

Sunset Point

Bryce Point

Mother Nature is a powerful force and it’s evident how the hoodoos of Bryce Canyon got their shape – millions of years of rain, snow and strong winds. We experienced wind gusts up to 50mph while we were there that shook the camper pretty good. As we hiked through the towering sandstone structures of Bryce Canyon, we truly felt like we were on another planet. Meandering through the hoodoos was a magical, spiritual and emotional experience with a series of take your breath moments. If Bryce Canyon isn’t on your bucket list perhaps it will be now.

Pro Tip – If you are planning on a trip to Bryce Canyon, we highly recommend buying your groceries before you get into town.  Although there is a general store in Bryce and in the nearby town of Tropic, expect limited supply and crazy high prices.  Avocados were $5 each!  We love avocados, but not that much!  The local stores are great for items you may need in a pinch but you are better off getting all your supplies in Panquitch or Cedar City before heading into Bryce.

If you have been to Bryce and would like to share any other tips with our readers, please drop a comment below.

Cheers!