moving up-country

On Sunday morning, we didn't get up until 7:30 a.m. and were pretty much the last ones out of the motel parking lot at 8.  We drove up to Bryce Canyon National Park, through scenic Red Canyon which had suffered massive washouts the week before when the area received 1-1.25" of rain in 45 minutes.  There were huge mounds of rock and gravel on the shoulders that had been cleared off the road; the hillside to the east was carved into deep channels from the run-off; and some of the bike path had simply been washed away.

At the entrance to the park, we paid for our annual pass, poked around for a few minutes at the visitors' center and then headed out on the scenic drive for the Swamp Canyon trailhead.  We decided to do the Swamp Canyon/Sheep Creek loop clockwise, starting out on the Sheep Creek connecting trail.  The trail passes through grassy meadows before descending below the rim to meet the aptly-named Under the Rim trail (which we would be doing the next day - stay tuned!).

Trailhead

We turned right and went south on the Under the Rim trail for about 1.1 miles (between the Sheep Creek backcountry campsite and the Right Fork Swamp Canyon backcountry campsite), then turned right again onto the Swamp Canyon connecting trail.  This section of the trail was dirt and sand and fairly level and we hoped it boded well for the next day.

Pretty meadow start

The Swamp Canyon connecting trail climbed steadily, passing by a bubbling spring and through nice stands of pines.  It brought us back up to where we started, making a nice loop to stretch our legs.  Hike stats:  4.56 miles; 1:34 hiking time / 1:48 total time; 2.9 m.p.h. moving average speed / 2.5 overall avg.; 810 feet of climbing.

Big burned-out tree trunk

After a post-hike beer, we drove out to the end of the scenic drive at Rainbow Point, hoping to find a place for lunch.  The parking lot was full, though, so we headed back out to Fairview Point, where a downed log with a view made for a good, informal picnic spot.  Despite the busyness at Rainbow, there was hardly anyone around: we had only seen a couple people during our hike (during prime hiking time of 10 a.m. - 12 noon) and the other overlooks weren't that crowded either.  No complaints - especially when I later heard that Zion National Park was slammed this weekend.

Green trees, blue skies and pale cliffs

We checked in at Ruby's Inn RV Park and Campground where I had reserved a little cabin (#4 (note: #2 is less sun-baked in the afternoons)) for the next two nights.  This kind of place really isn't our scene but because of our hiking plans, I wanted to be close to the park and we wanted a secure place to keep our bikes.  The cabin was perfect: tiny, with a table, benches, double-bed bunks, electricity and a front porch.  There are also over 200 RV sites, numerous tent sites and some teepees available for rent; your rate includes showers (no coin op!) and running water in the bathrooms; there is a laundromat and small swimming pool on site; and while there aren't any restaurants right in the campground, Ruby's Inn has several dining options within walking distance.  There's also free BCNP shuttle stop right at the entrance.  For those tourists who don't spend a lot of time in the outdoors, this introduction to camping must be a delight.  For us, it suited our purposes.

Just right!

The rest of the afternoon and evening was spent getting settled.  We laid out our clothes for the next day's hike and packed our packs, all the while working on getting hydrated by alternating 12 oz. beers with 12 oz. of water.  Dinner was rice and beans on the campstove, eaten on the little porch as the sun started to set.  As the sky darkened, the stars began to come out, as did a number of little bats, snacking on the insects swarming over a nearby pond.  Despite the robust human population in the area, it wasn't too noisy and we were able to go to bed early.  Big day on the morrow.

H's pack prep