Utah Skyline Recreation Guide 2009

Kids are Kings and Queens of the Mountain at Bryce Canyon Photo courtesy: Barry Glazier Bryce Canyon is free of light/air pollution for a clear view of the stars and solar system. Kids and families consider Bryce Canyon a “must-see” among the National Parks located in Utah. Bryce is part of the “three musketeers” of National Parks comprised of Bryce and Zion in Utah and the North Rim of the Grand Canyon in nearby Northern Arizona. Bryce Canyon National Park was established in 1928 and named after Ebenezer Bryce, a Scottish immigrant shipwright turned cattleman who moved to the area in 1875. Seated atop the 8000-foot pine covered Paunsaugunt Plateau, the view from the rim of Bryce Canyon offers breathtaking panoramas of spectacularly carved and colored canyons below. Ice and rainwater have cut into the soft, crumbly Claron Limestone, leaving behind a labyrinth of spindly rock spires, slot canyons, windows, and ﬁns—collectively called, “hoodoos.” Iron and manganese have stained the rocks in a splashy array of red, orange, purple, pink, yellow, and white. Sunrise is arguably the best time of day to experience Bryce Canyon, when lowangle light paints the rocks with rich and dramatic color. Summer is the most popular season for visitors. Winter is also a wonderful season to enjoy crosscountry skiing and snowshoeing. Rental equipment is available at Ruby’s Inn in nearby Bryce Canyon City. The small town is home to shops and dining along with a nightly rodeo. Kids can see over 150 species of birds and dozens of mammals, including mule deer, ground squirrels, bobcats, ringtail cats, foxes, elk, and the federally-threatened Utah prairie dog. Bryce Canyon’s high elevation, clean dry air, and distance from large cities, makes it one of the best places on earth to stargaze. Rangers offer free astronomy programs and moonlight hikes during the summer. Be sure to visit the Bryce Canyon Lodge, part of the “Loop Tour” of Zion, Bryce Canyon, Cedar Breaks, and Grand Canyon’s North Rim. Of the four original lodges, the Bryce Canyon Lodge is the only one still standing. Bryce Canyon NP (435) 834-5322 www.nps.gov/brca Check out the night sky at Bryce Canyon. Light pollution is at a minimum - views of the stars are incredible. 13 http://www.nps.gov/brca http://www.UtahSkylineRecreationGuide.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Utah Skyline Recreation Guide 2009

Utah Skyline Recreation Guide 2009 Table of Contents Utah’s ‘Life Elevated’ Playground Experience Moab Zion National Park Turns 100 The North Rim of the Grand Canyon Family Fun at Lake Powell King of the Mountain at Bryce Canyon Sanpete County’s Open Atmosphere Cedar City / Brian Head The Mormon Miracle Pageant Healthy Tips for Kids / Join Us in Utah Rent a Cottage, Cabin or Town Home Amazing Earthfest Education Utah Skyline Recreation Guide Map Kanab’s Hidden Treasures Cedar Breaks / Shakespearean Festival Share Sevier County with your Friends A History Lesson on Red Canyon Capitol Reef / Four Corners Utah State Parks Castle Country’s Rocks & Dinosaurs Utah’s Canyon Country Grand Staircase Wonders & Colors Coral Pink Sand Dunes / Pipe Spring St. George / Springdale Recreation Utah Rodeo Champions Millard County / Great Basin NP Dinosour Discoveries in Utah Bear Lake’s Year-Round Recreation Filmed in Utah / Unique to Utah Discover East Zion This Year

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