[John Morrow]

I have to admit, after everything up to this point, and not wanting to come home yet, I was spinning my wheels as to what to do next. On top of that, it was Friday night and I knew there wouldn't be an available campsite within 50 miles of Moab! The first answer: Get a free backcountry permit at Arches National Park and hike the shortest possible distance into one of their well mapped and established backcountry zones. The very map I write of is clearly visible at the counter of the visitor center and they were very accomodating in allowing me to go 1.5 flat miles down Courthouse Wash to a nice little slickrock campsite. Honestly, it felt a bit chlostrophobic after some of the other places I had hiked, but it would do. And I found a nice little exit route to get out onto the petrified dunes near sunset time.

Lots of beaver activity

Slickrock bench camp

Courthouse Wash

yellow flower

View of petrified dunes

paintbrush

downcanyon evening

Courthouse Towers above

morning reflection

In the morning I quickly hiked out, thinking it was indeed time to head for Washington. On I-70, I just couldn't do it. I couldn't leave. "Now what, I asked?" The second answer: Bryce, I figured, would be a nice little treat to myself as the trip end neared. Easy hiking, available car camping, quick walks from camp to the rim for my final sunrises, many ranger talks to chose, people watching of tourists, and I can never forget to mention: the breakfast buffet at the lodge!

Bryce afternoon

tomorrow's destination

The next morning I headed for the Fairyland Loop. I wanted something a bit different since I have hiked these main trails multiple times.. Thus, I detoured at the Tower Bridge to ascend Bristlecone Point, which is so clearly visible in the middle of it all from the major viewpoints.

IMG_3288

little arch

The Tower Bridge

toward Bristlecone Point

flowers in rock

white and yellow flower

Boat Mesa

view from Bristlecone Point

IMG_3319

The Sinking Ship

yellow flower

Fairyland

The Fairyland of Rocks

purple flower

more Fairyland

great formations

forms and colors

I had a few hours on Monday to hike before the long drive home. Fortunately, if you remember NWHiker, Dean, gave me ideas on Peakbagger.com to go hit a couple easy points of prominence south of Bryce Point. These were fun because it is kind of like just continuing along the Rim Trail where it terminates at Bryce Point, albeit with no trail. But also with no people! Solitude is hard to come by at Bryce but this was a perfect way to get my last fix in by hiking up Pt. 8370' and Pt. 8406'

Over toward Pt. 8370'

looking south to Rainbow Point

South view from Pt. 8370'

some sun!

Yellow Creek valley

Bryce National Park, miles south of Bryce Point

pronghorn

pronghorn 2

the male

looking at Pt. 8373'

another little arch

view from Pt. 8406'

cool final look, more arches

But one of the real treats of this Bryce visit was running into fellow NWHikers Lin, Rainie Too, and company in the campground! Accomplished canyon trekkers they be, we all shared experiences in canyon country, including storied locations like "The Maze" and "Buckskin Gulch" and others I have yet to visit. Hopefully I will find a common date in the future to share a canyon hike with these great folks. Argh, it is all over now, for another year......

[silence]

Can't wait to get back there again .. hopefully in late fall .. thx so much John .. your SW TR's are always inspirational!

[Abert]

We missed each other by two days at Bryce. But how do you find the special places that I always seem to miss?

[Jim Dockery]