Bryce Canyon National Park
Less well known than its neighbour, the Grand Canyon, Bryce Canon National Park, one of five in the state of Utah, nonetheless is canyon-worthy. Opened as a national park in 1928, it boasts several sets of accommodation, including the well known Bryce Canon Lodge and Bryce Canyon Grand Hotel.
Bryce Canyon’s canyons are not so much the thing here as its moonscape hoodoos; that’s what draws visitors from near and far. The hoodoos are natural spires, in this case red stone, that that protrude from the ground standing around five feet tall to 10 storeys. They are oddly shaped, created by erosion, and turn even more red at sunset. One that finishes in the image of a hammerhead is aptly called “Thor’s Hammer”.
Bryce Canyon boasts a natural amphitheatre, carved into the edge of the Paunsagunt Plateau, a great spot to sit at night and be startled by the brightness of the stars against the pitch black canvas of night. But be aware of animals; the squirrels and prairie dogs are harmless, but mountain lions and pronghorn deer roam this park.