It’s hard to go wrong in southern Utah if you’re in search of the spectacular. Drive east Utah Highway 12, for example, a 130 mile road that starts just north of Zion National Park and ends at the gate to Capitol Reef National Park. Along the way it crosses Grand Escalante Staircase National Monument and Bryce Canyon National Park. The road itself is more spectacular that places in other states that have achieved national park status.
Bryce isn’t particularly large as national parks go. In fact, you could see all the roadside stuff in an afternoon if you hurry. However, what you see from the road is only going to whet your appetite. I took this picture not far from my parked car, standing on the rim of the canyon looking down one of the trails people use to access the canyon floor by either foot or horseback. Several trails lead down into the canyon, accessed from various points along the rim. Another trail more or less follows the rim. The latter is nice for the views and for the fact that you don’t have to climb back out of the canyon.