Rim Trail @ Bryce Canyon National Park

Name: Rim Trail
Location: Bryce Canyon National Park
Distance: 1 mile round trip from Sunrise Point to Sunset Point
Level: Easy
Dogs allowed? Yes, but only on the paved area
Note: Inspiration Point is also welcome to dogs too, but can only be accessed from the Rim Trail through the shared-use path. That's the paved and painted trail that's shared by bicyclists and pedestrians. You can also drive to Inspiration Point.
Directions: About a mile after the Visitor's Center, make a left towards the Bryce Canyon Lodge. There are a few parking lots you can park at, but how close you'll be depends on how busy it is.

History: Bryce Canyon National Park is home to the largest collection of hoodoos (irregularly-eroded rock spires) in the world. How lucky are we as Utahns to have this monumental landscape in our own backyard? Before this area was full of hoodoos, it was full of water between 40 and 55 million years ago. 

The hoodoos were formed from erosion out of the cliffs where rows of narrow walls/fins form. Frost-wedging enlarges cracks in these fins, creating holes or windows. As the windows grow, their tops eventually collapse, leaving a column. Rain further dissolves and sculpts these limestone pillars into bulbous spires called hoodoos.

The delicate climatic balance between snow and rain ensures that new hoodoos will emerge while others become reduced to lumps of clay.

Review: There are more than 65 miles of hiking trails in Bryce Canyon National Park. But only one mile of those trails are welcome to dogs. For the purpose of this blog post, we'll only be talking about that one, which is the Rim Trail from Sunrise Point to Sunset Point.

It's great that Bryce Canyon even offers a hiking trail for dogs, since many national parks don't. The Rim Trail is 11 miles round trip in totality, going to and from Fairyland Point on the north end of the park to Bryce Point on the south side. But only the three middle points: Inspiration, Sunset, and Sunrise are open to our four-legged furry family members.

The great thing about this hike is it gives you great panoramic views of the Bryce Amphitheater. So even though our family was limited to just one trail in the entire park, we were still able to get some stunning views of the hoodoos. As you walk from Sunrise Point to Sunset Point or vice versa, you'll notice the view of the landscape shift, which is super rad.

The entire dog-friendly pathway is paved so it's very hard to miss where your pup can and cannot be. We ran into a bunch of other furry families here. The pups enjoyed getting their sniffs and smells on.

It's a bummer that we couldn't go down into the amphitheater and hike the trails that take you through the hoodoos since dogs are not allowed down there. There's definitely a lot of limitations if you have your fur baby with you. But since our trip down to Bryce Canyon was short and quick, it worked out great for us!

Final notes: Bryce Canyon can get busy and full quickly on the weekends and during the holidays. We went during Memorial Day Weekend, but we arrived early in the day. We noticed on our way out though that visitors were being turned away. It was a little difficult to find parking, but they have multiple lots so you have options. Remember that Southern Utah gets really hot in the summer time, so consider keeping your pup at home or somewhere safe if temperatures will be high. Consider going to Kodachrome Basin State Park nearby if you have another day you'd like to spend in the area and want to bring your dog along.

Panorama Trail @ Kodachrome Basin State Park

(At the top of Panorama Point)

Name: Panorama Trail

Location: Kodachrome Basin State Park (Cannonville, UT)
Distance: This trail can be done either as a 3-mile or 6-mile loop
Level: Easy (Moderate in some parts that are optional)
Dogs allowed? Yes, but must be leashed

Note: Cell signal is poor in this area
Directions: After entering Kodachrome Basin State Park from the Visitor's Center side, drive 0.45 miles until you see the parking lot for the Grand Parade Trail. Park there and the Panorama Trailhead is just across the street

History: Kodachrome Basin State Park was named by the National Geographic Society in 1949 with consent from the Kodak Film Corporation because of its color and contrast.

Perhaps its most unique feature - the park has nearly 70 monolithic spires that range from six to 170 feet in height. It also has towering sandstone chimneys that change in color and shadow with the day's mood. 

Each rock layer in the landscape reveals a chapter in Kodachrome Basin's history, such as when this desert was once covered by vast inland seas and raging rivers. It reveals times of great violence and upheaval and times of relative peace as well as how the relentless power of wind and water shaped the landscape you see there.

(Indian Cave has these ghastly-looking hand prints in the rock)

Review: This is a great trail to take if you only have enough time to choose one trail with your dog in Kodachrome Basin State Park. Don't let the mileage scare you. The trail is mostly flat and only gets steep if you choose to explore some of the features, such as Panorama Point.

Out of the five trails available here, Panorama Trail is the longest one with the most sights to see. The other four trails are all less than 1.7 miles long, so might as well do this one if you have the time.

(Panorama Trailhead)

The trailhead was pretty easy to find. Once you enter the park, follow the road for about 0.45 miles until you see the parking lot on your right (if you're coming from the Visitor Center) for the Grand Parade Trail. Once you park there, just cross the street to begin the Panorama Trail. These two trailheads are just across from one another.

(Behind the scenes of the picture I took of Dug in front of Ballerina Spire)

(Can you see the ballerina's pointed foot?)

The some of the main features that you can see on this trail is the Indian Cave, Ballerina Spire, Hat Shop, Secret Passage, Cool Cave, Mammoth Spire, and Panorama Point (in that order too). If you decide to pass on Cool Cave, you can shave about 1.5 miles off your hike as well as another 0.6 miles if you pass on Panorama Point. But if you have the time, I'd recommend checking it out.

We went during Memorial Day Weekend and expected a lot more people here. When we hiked the Panorama Trail, I would say we only cross paths with a handful of other people, hence why I called this place a hidden gem since it probably gets overshadowed by the nearby Bryce Canyon National Park.

(You can see how windy it was in this picture based on Jason's hair.
We opted for a selfie since no one was around to take our picture)

(Panorama Point)

(Flip around to get this other beautiful place at Panorama Point)

(We're guessing the strong winds knocked the sign over)

On the day we went, it was super windy but it helped us understand how these formations came to be. We're talking about millions of years in history that shaped this landscape through wind and sand. However, it made Panorama Point a little harder to endure because of how much higher up it was. We tried to get a picture with both of us and the dog, but there was no way a tripod would be able to stand in that wind.

(Entrance to the State Park)

(Hat Shop, where groups of hoo doos literally look like a shop full of hats)

(Cool Cave)

(Mammoth Spire)

Our dog definitely enjoyed it. On a hot day, there are plenty of areas for shade depending on where the sun is. There's trees, caves, and and of course, all of the formations that provide large patches of shade if you're on the opposite side of where the sun's hitting.

Weather: Overall, what you need to know is that spring time (April, May, and June) generally has very pleasant temperatures for recreational activity. It's warm in the daytime, but can drop into the 20s overnight so keep that in mind when you're camping. We camped at a place called Ruby's Inn RV Park and Campground (it was the only place left with available sites), which is down the street from Bryce Canyon National Park and it was FREEZING. But we were prepared.

(Along the trail, you'll cross over some gulches where evidence of flash floods can be seen.)

Summer time (late June, July, August, and early September) are the hottest months in the park. Daytime highs are in the 90s to near 100 degrees. So bring lots of water (one gallon per person recommended and don't forget a supply for your dog too!) and hike early or later in the evening if possible. However, nighttime temperatures are perfect for sleeping and often drop into the 50s.

Summer thunderstorms can bring frequent and extreme cloud-to-ground lightning strikes. Seek shelter anytime there are thunderstorms in the area as they can produce large amounts of rain and lead to flash flooding in low-lying areas, washes, canyons, and streams.

In the fall (late September and early October), warm days and cool nights are the norm with daytime highs in the 70s and overnight lows in the 30s. By the middle of October, nights can get very cold. Come winter (December to March), daytime highs are not often much above freezing point. Overnight lows can be well below zero. Heavy snow can occur, which make traveling and outdoor activities dangerous, if not impossible.

 (Lots of pretty cacti along the way)

 (Check out this eerie face in the formation)

Final notes: Be aware that you can run into rattlesnakes, scorpions, and poisonous spiders in this area. We didn't run into any, but always look before putting your hands in or under vegetation. Always carry a light if you begin hiking during the later part of the day and have a chance of returning after the sun sets. Check road and weather conditions before you go and make sure your car is suitable for the terrain if you're going during rough weather. Know that there is no cell signal in this area so always let someone know your itinerary or where you're going in case anything happens.