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I hiked the hoodoos at Bryce Canyon

Wall Street Navajo Loop Tairl Bryce Canyon National Park UtahTruth be told I haven’t done much hiking in Bryce this season, or last, but I asked for a project day and hiked the hoodoos in uniform.  Good reminder about the beauty of Bryce Canyon National Park and how fortunate I am to work there.  Even climbing up Wall Street.

trees SR14 West UtahWent to Cedar City last week to shop, which I don’t like to do, but at least the drive is pretty.  After last week’s cold snap I wondered what the Aspen would look like at the almost 10,000 foot pass.  Many were turning a tarnished bronze.  Not a good indication for the gorgeous gold that I’d like to see, especially against the black lava flow where the Aspen grows from near Navajo Lake.  Much construction on the SR89 drive south so thought I’d return on the slightly longer I15 north and SR20 east but the interstate was backed up past the entrance ramp in town, so bagged that idea.

Joann and her granddaughter visited for a couple days.  Love to see friends at the park, even if we can’t officially hug hello.  Sadly, I was working so only saw them briefly.  They joined my Rim Walk about the cultural history of Bryce Canyon along with a family and 78-year old lady who just hiked the trail I would the next day.  What an inspiration.

I’d asked by supervisor for a project day to hike the hoodoos, and Sunday was that day.  I was both excited and nervous.  The Queen/Navajo Loop is only 2.9 miles plus a 600 foot change in elevation.  That’s not much, but more than I’ve done in a while.  I figured to take about six hours as I’d be in uniform stopping to answer visitor questions, and sauntering at my typical slow pace taking lots of photos along the way.  One of my biggest concerns was carrying enough water as I use a fanny pack that’s pretty small.  My arthritic shoulders can’t handle a backpack.

Get ready for photo overload

hoodoo wall trees Queen's Garden Trail Bryce Canyon National Park UtahStarting at Sunrise Point, the Queen’s Garden Trail drops rapidly into the hoodoos quickly bringing them to eye level.  It’s a harsh yet beautiful landscape with textured and crumbly limestone often layered in various shades of orange, red, pink, and whites.  The day was clear with Southwest deep blue sky at mid 70°s.

trees hoodoos horizon Queen's Garden Trail Bryce Canyon National Park UtahMany visitors are satisfied by only a short walk downwards into this fairyland environment.  Probably just as well as they often carry no water or wear inadequate footwear.  The downside, how impacted the nearby off-trail areas that create social trails, many chained off or with signs doesn’t seem to stop people.  Why?  It hurts me to see all the social trails and disrespect for the rules made to protect the land, the place people come to enjoy.

trees hoodoos Queens Garden Tairl Bryce Canyon National Park UtahContinuing down trail, literally, still provides views both down and distant.

trees mounds plateaus Queen's Garden Trail Bryce Canyon National Park Utah

hoodoo Queens Garden Trail Bryce Canyon National Park UtahOften patches of trees appear only to thin out for the dramatic surround of more hoodoos.

Suzanne Queens Garden trail Bryce Canyon National Park UtahPSAR Suzanne patrolling the Queen’s Garden Trail by tunnel

Queen Victoria hoodoo Queen's Garden trail Bryce Canyon National Park UtahQueen Victoria

A hoodoo that, presumably, resembles a statue of Queen Victoria provides a “destination” for the 1.8 mile round trip down and up of the Queen’s Garden trail.  It’s a 500 foot side trail right after a human-made tunnel through a hoodoo wall.  I encourage people to name hoodoos whatever they want, then take a photo and challenge their descendants to find them in the future.

hoodoos plateau valley Queen's Garden Trail Bryce Canyon National Park Utah

hoodoos Queens Garden Trail Bryce Canyon National Park UtahWhat is a hoodoo you ask?  A native word pronounced “oodoo” by the local southern Utah Paiute meaning rock people.  I certainly see shapes and faces in the hoodoo towers of weathered and eroded limestone.  The above reminded me of the Three Stooges.

hoodoos on hill trees Queen's Garden Trail Bryce Canyon National Park UtahEarly European American settlers saw castles.

hoodoos trees Queen's Garden Trail Bryce Canyon National Park UtahThe trees are often as shapely as the rock.

looking up trees hoodoos bottom Queen's Garden trail Bryce Canyon National Park UtahShortly after the Queen, the trail continues down into the forested base of the hoodoos and perspective changes to looking up at their towering shapes.  A stiff neck could ensue if not having to look down to keep from tripping over errant rocks and roots.

forest hoodoos near junction of trails Bryce Canyon National Park UtahA beautiful stroll across a gentle terrain under forest shade most welcomed after the sunny exposure coming downhill.

Ranger Gaelyn bottom near trails junction Bryce Canyon National Park UtahI opted for lunch at a twisted root along the trail taking in the breathtaking surroundings.  Not far ahead a junction of trails gives options for additional mileage to the three mile Peek-a-boo trail, and two choices up the Navajo Loop, .6 miles on the Two Bridges side or our recommended .7 Wall Street side.  When advising visitors of the clockwise route on Navajo Loop Trail, either from top or bottom, many don’t know the movement of hands on a clock anymore because of digital.

I call Wall Street the icing on the hoodoo cake for a most unique experience similar to a slot canyon although not formed the same way geologically.  Traversing between two hoodoo walls provides shade at the end of a hike.  And although it’s steep, also safer because it’s easier to roll an ankle going down steep than up.  Navajo Loop trail is the shortest hoodoo hike in Bryce at 1.3 miles and also where almost one carry-out a day occurs.  This happens for a variety of reasons being short and therefore considered easy without taking into consideration the rim is at 8000 feet in elevation, the trail changes 500 feet in only a little over half a mile, it’s steep and requires footwear with good grip, and the hot arid environment means increasing water intake.  Disregarding these conditions often causes problems for unprepared visitors.

trees along dry wash hoodoos Navajo Loop Trail Bryce Canyon National Park UtahAvoiding the extra three miles I continued a bit more through forest and upward views at the rock people.  A visitor with go-pro on a selfie-stick joined me for maybe five minuets before I stopped to answer questions and he continued up the trail.

tree hoodoo walls Navajo Loop Trail Bryce Canyon National Park UtahUpon reaching the base of Wall Street I heard guitar music reverberating softly against the rock walls.

guitar player Wall Street Navajo Loop trail Bryce Canyon National Park UtahA slight climb brought the musician and his photographer into view.  I tried unsuccessfully to video a bit of the unexpected entertainment.

Wall Street Navajo Loop Trail Bryce Canyon National Park UtahShort switchbacks make the long climb seem less steep to me.  Yet I still stopped frequently with the excuse to take another photo.


I hiked the hoodoos sticker on water bottle Bryce Canyon National Park Utah

Talked to over 100 cool folks who were mostly prepared.  Turned around four people with dogs along the way, and one wagon near the top of Wall Street.  Took 5 ½ hours but I hiked the hoodoos for three miles. Not bad for me.  And best of all, my legs didn’t hurt a bit afterwards or the next day.  Maybe next time I’ll tackle the Peek-a-boo trail.

 

 

Pink Cliffs valley haze Yovimpa Point Bryce Canyon National Park UtahThe next day I opened the visitor center and after a couple hours answering questions the schedule sent me to the end of the scenic drive with my favorite view from Yovimpa Point, and thank goodness it wasn’t hazy enough to totally obstruct the view.  My supervisor arrived to observe my 12:30 Grand Staircase geology talk and I thought it was the worst one I ever presented.  I am usually not bothered by staff observation.

A guy blatantly went around the fence in front of me to take a photo and when I asked him to come back he at first ignored me completely, then finally did. His wife apologized for him. What an ass.

tree in Natural Bridge Bryce Canyon National Park UtahStopped to rove at the Natural Bridge overlook, which is really an arch and not a bridge.  Always a good place to interact with visitors.  Besides, I keep on checking up on this tree.

My Friday on Tuesday included the evening program where I talk about the wildlife at Bryce Canyon.  Because it’s getting dark earlier that now happens at 8pm instead of 9pm.  No heartbreak being done a little earlier in the evening.

And today, my first of three days off, working on this post.  Then some chores to take care of and maybe a mini road trip tomorrow to have a propane tank re-certified.

hoodoo tree Navajo Loop Trail Bryce Canyon National Park UtahRandom thoughts

Will the future of our species, provided it survives into the future, wonder why we didn’t see the demise of our planet coming. We’ve bastardized our basic needs, food/GMO, water/polluted, shelter/unaffordable, and clothing (which should be optional for weather protection) becoming the higher demand by some nebulous designers. What’s happening around us is not “normal”, nor should ever be accepted as such.

Fire is good for the land but not for us, paybacks a bitch for long time fire suppression.  And then add climate change.

Sorry

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Bryce Canyon National Park, hoodoos, Places I've been, United States, Utah , , 22 Comments

Exploring with the new camera Nikon D5600

Peak-a-boo trail hoodoos trees Bryce Point Bryce Canyon National Park UtahThe new camera, a D5600 refurbished by Nikon, arrived last Wednesday late in the afternoon so I planned to go out exploring the next day, first of two days off work.  So far, I am happy with it.

old D5100 & new D5600 Nikon camerasOld D5100 left and new D5600 right

First I had to charge the two batteries for the new camera.  Of course they are subtly different than the previous batteries even though the charger itself is the same.  The D5600 is slightly smaller and lighter, until I put the big 18-200mm lens on and then barely noticeable difference.  Took a little while and reading the manual to get the new camera settings where I want them.

Wilson Peak SR12 West UtahWilson Peak from SR12 west of Bryce

The new camera is still too big to use while driving so I shoot Auto with the small and slow Nikon P600 for that.

trees Pink Cliffs FR118 North Dixie National Forest UtahThursday, I drove just west of Red Canyon on the Dixie National Forest.  After a quick stop at their visitor center for maps and information I turned off SR12 north a few miles towards Losee and Casto Canyons, plus hoped to find nearby Agate Hill.

I was initially worried this would be a dust storm area as I saw many OHV near the turn off but thankfully didn’t see more after that.  Also discovered a few nice places to disperse camp not far from the trailheads.

trees Arch Trail Losee Canyon Dixie National Forest Utah

trees hoodoos clouds Arch Trail Losee Canyon Dixie National Forest UtahStopped at the Losee trailhead and walked part of the short Arches Trail.  I enjoyed the dead and twisted trees every bit as much as the redrock hoodoos.

trees hoodoos Arch Trail Losee Canyon Dixie National Forest Utah

red rock trees clouds Arch Trail Losee Canyon Dixie National Forest UtahAs it was a warm day I didn’t feel like a long hot hike so slowly sauntered a bit until the trail took a steep climb where I turned around.  Landscape always looks different when facing the opposite direction.

trees Pink Cliffs Casto Canyon FR118 North Dixie National Forest UtahContinued a short drive to the Casto Canyon trailhead and didn’t hike there at all.  Yet I will return to both these quiet canyons.

wash trees storm clouds Dixie National Forest UtahSomehow I missed Agate Hill which should have been at a junction to another road west that would take me to SR89 and ultimately to Panguitch.  Guess I’ll have to go back.

trees FR1700 West Dixie National Forest UtahI honestly wasn’t sure I was on the right road but was headed in the right direction.  Pretty drive descending through the Juniper and Pinyon Pines with more possible camping.

The Dream ranch gate & house UtahAs I approached the Sevier River valley the landscape changed to private agricultural ranches. (Sign reads “The Dream”)

menu cover & story Big Fish resturant Panguit UtahHad a good lunch with lousy service at Big Fish in Panguitch then bought a few groceries at Joe’s Market, which I am not impressed with.

2-track Table Cliffs storm clouds SR22 Utah

meadow Pink Cliffs storm clouds SR22 UtahBefore heading back into the park I drove a short ways on SR22 north towards Antimony because the stormy clouds above the Table Cliffs called my name.  It had threatened rain all day but none fell.

Sunrise Point storm clouds Bryce Canyon National Park UtahSunrise Point Bryce Canyon NP

highlighted hoodoos Bryce Canyon National Park UtahStorm clouds continued to hang out for days yet very little rain fell.  However, the wind brutally blew gritty dust enough to cancel the 4pm Rim Walk on Friday when I returned to work.  Also been cloudy enough to make viewing the comet difficult so I still haven’t even seen it.

hoodoos amphitheater Bryce Point storm clouds Sunset Point Bryce Canyon National Park Utah50 million year-old limestone lake deposits weathered and eroded beginning about 16-5 million years ago

The next day, a man showed up at my hoodoo geology talk and wanted to argue about the million year-old ages of rock in the Grand Staircase.  I said to him, “I respect your right to believe what you want, but I believe in the science.  These sedimentary rocks are dated by the fossils.  I am not a geologist.”  Rather diffused his need to argue and he went away but returned for another similar talk by another Ranger a few hours later.  Why would someone do that?

hoodoos valley plateau storm clouds Bryce Canyon National Park UtahBoat Mesa, valley, and Aquarius Plateau from Sunset Point

Monday was an early day opening then later a co-worker and I went to Rainbow Point to present Grand Staircase geology talks.  Sadly, after only one talk a huge storm blew in with lightning nearby, 10 miles down to four miles away.  So we packed up our props and spent the next hour telling people to get off the rim so they didn’t get struck by lightning.  One guy, who claimed to make a living on his cell phone photography, would not leave and got obnoxious.  Although I had my camera in the truck I did not pause to risk my life for the amazing sky.

Pink Cliffs trees valley smoke Fatrview Bryce Canyon National Park UtahOn the return drive to the office we stopped at Fairview Point as we’d heard on the radio about a lightning strike below the overlook where smoke could be seen.  Fire folks were going to check it out and I haven’t heard any more.

trees Boat Mesa Sinking Ship Table Cliffs pre-sunset clouds Bryce Canyon National Park UtahRangers get paid in sunsets (phone shot)

We are seeing an increase in visitation, and general stupidity.  With all the available information in this age why are people so ignorant.  All these new RVers who don’t have a clue. People visiting parks with no knowledge about the place or even why they are there.   I know this COVID19 year is difficult, but really folks.  Best thing is to stay home.  I so much want to travel myself, even a long weekend on the North Kaibab would be awesome.  But instead, I’ll stick closer to home.

videoblocks-black-bear-walks-away-with-snow-on-butt_spl6gsj31w_thumbnail-full01Yesterday, my Friday, was a late start and ended with my evening program on the wildlife at Bryce.  A visitor asked about how many bears in the park.  Only one documented, so we’re calling it Covid Bear because it’s in isolation and honors social distancing.  (Not my photo)

I’m back to enjoying carrying the new camera around and making photos.  Though I’m still using the small Nikon and phone sometimes.  The best camera to use, is the one you have with you.

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Bryce Canyon Hoodoo geology–the short version

Wall of Windows hoodoos Rim Trail Bryce Canyon National Park UtahAs a Park Ranger at Bryce Canyon National Park I prepared and present a 20-minute Hoodoo geology talk several times a week.  Those crazy looking hoodoos is why people visit Bryce.

seating Sunset Point Bryce Canyon National Park UtahPhone shot

The audience area is located about 40 feet from Sunset Point and the Navajo Loop trailhead.  Seating is three double rows of wooden benches.  Depending on the time of day many visitors either hang out there to sit in shade, not attend a Ranger program, or hover nearby along a fence under a shade tree.  It’s awkward.

Wall Street Sunset Point Bryce Canyon National Park UtahLook closely for people on the Wall Street trail (phone shot)

Ground squirrel on bench Sunset Point Bryce Canyon National Park UtahGolden Mantled Ground Squirrel attending program (phone shot)

Plus, the fenced area along the amphitheater’s rim looks down on the popular Wall Street side of the Navajo Loop trail.  In addition, the Sunset parking lot is where tour buses disgorge their hordes of mostly international visitors so the overlook fills quickly and frequently.  Have I mentioned that 65% of Bryce’s visitors are international.  Some people speak English better than others, some not at all.  Always interesting to explain things like not feeding, or putting your fingers near, wildlife like chipmunks and ground squirrels who having been fed are way too friendly with people.  Part of my job is to haze the critters away from people, basically stomp my feet and act intimidating.  Doesn’t work well or for long.  But I digress…

sign Sunset Point view South Bryce Canyon National Park UtahView above Wall Street (phone shot)

I get to my presentation area about 15 minutes before start time, right now advertised at 11am or 2pm.  Sometimes it’s difficult to tell if anybody is there for a Ranger program.  So I chat with folks asking where they are from, and take it from there.  Knowing where visitors live in regards to elevation usually tells me I need to make altitude sickness and dehydration my safety talk before getting down to hoodoo geology.

Depending on the season and weather I often add a reminder to stay away from the rim during a nearby lightning storm recommending a vehicle or building as the safest place to be.  When thunder roars, go indoors.  When you see the flash of a lightning bolt, you can start counting seconds, “One-Mississippi, two-Mississippi, three-Mississippi…”  Sound travels 1 mile in roughly 5 seconds and you should be at least 10 miles away from lightning.  Finally with small talk and safety message done, usually more people have joined because there’s a Ranger talking.

map Colorado Plateau Image shared with audience

geologic cross section of the Cedar Breaks Zion Grand Canyon region(borrowed from the internet, although I own the poster and use it in another geology talk)  

I’m going to talk about how these crazy looking rocks called hoodoos were both created and destroyed by water.  But first let’s put Bryce Canyon National Park in perspective on the Colorado Plateau.  Going back about 85-60 mya (million years ago) the continent was smaller, no California, and closer to the equator.  The floor of the Pacific Ocean, on a separate tectonic plate than the continent, bumped into the continent and subducted below the continental crust.  It’s hot down there so that rock melted, became buoyant, and lifted a land mass of 240,000 square miles that straddles some of Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, and Colorado at The Four Corners.  The slow uplift went from sea level up 7,000 to 10,000 feet with almost a mile of sedimentary rock deposits from oceans, lakes, dunes, estuaries and rivers.

ancient lakes on Colorado Plateau(NPS illustration)

About 60 mya in this location, a dip in the land allowed for a lake to fill.  When the tiny creatures living in the lake died their bones and shells fell to the lake bottom, built up, and were compressed into limestone.  Rivers and streams flowed into the lake sometimes bringing mud, or sand which was also lithified, or turned into rock, mudstone or shale, sandstone, and then more limestone.  Over millions of years the deposits built up to at least 2000 feet thick.

normal faults between Sevier and Paunsaugunt(borrowed from the internet, I use my fists to demonstrate normal faulting)

Then, about 16-6 mya, three blocks of land with faults between broke apart leaving the Aquarius Plateau in the east, a valley where the Paria River flows, the Paunsaungunt Plateau where Bryce is, the Sevier River Valley, and the Markagunt Plateau to the west.  The Paunsaungunt is about 1000 to 2000 feet lower than the other two plateaus.  Yet the lake deposits are the same so hoodoos can also be seen at Cedar Breaks National Monument, just in smaller concentration than Bryce.  Imagine all the shaking of the earth during this faulting.

trees hoodoos valley sunset storm clouds from Bryce Point Bryce Canyon National Park Utah

hand demo headward erosion I most often use my hands to demonstrate (lousy hand selfie)

OK, now on to the formation of hoodoos.  Bryce receives about 16 inches of precipitation a year.  Water flows off the plateau following the line of least resistance and finds cracks and fractures.  The water erodes the land backwards, called headward erosion, and leaves walls of rock.  The rate of erosion is about one foot every 50 years.  That’s fast.  In some areas of the park old rim trails are closed and new railings are parallel to the old because of that fast rate of erosion.  Think about it, 50 years compared to the 85 million years where I started this story.

trees hoodoos from rim trail near Inspiration Point Bryce Point Bryce Canyon National Park UtahNote the skinny hoodoos still have some gray dolomite cap rock

hoodoo formationI use my hands for this demonstration also (borrowed from internet)

Now, there are walls of fractured, soft, sedimentary rock – mostly limestone with intermittent layers of sandstone and mudstone – and they are capped by dolomite, a harder layer of limestone which protects the softer layers below, for a while anyway.  Sort of like me wearing a hat that keeps my glasses dry in the rain.  The narrowest area is the softest mudstone.  At 8000 feet in elevation, Bryce receives about 200 nights below freezing.  When the water in the vertical cracks in the walls freezes it expands forcing the rocks apart, called frost wedging.  Over time the wall can become a window.  Eventually the cap rock falls and leaves pillars of rock standing side by side.  Then erosion from wind, rain and snow softens the shapes into hoodoos.  But they don’t stand forever, slowly shrinking into a rounded pile of dirt.  The average life of a hoodoo is 2000 years.

Hoodoos Ponderosa Point Bryce Canyon National Park Utah

painting Grand Staircase Le Fevre overlook Kaibab National Forest ArizonaGrand Staircase painting at Le Fevre overlook Kaibab NF AZ

But what about the color?  In the early 1870s, geologist Clarence Dutton named these rocks at the top of the Grand Staircase the Pink Cliffs, also known as the Claron Formation.  I struggle with pink, seeing mostly shades of orange.  Maybe Clarence saw them in a different light, or maybe he was colorblind.  Iron is present in the sediments and oxidation makes for the colors.

hoodoos Silent City clouds Bryce Canyon National Park UtahWalls of hoodoos in the Silent City (phone shot)

The word Hoodoos is fun to say, go ahead ‘who-do’.  I have discovered different origins for hoodoo.  Coming from the southeastern US where 1800s African slaves practiced a folk magic called hoodoo.  One band of native Paiute tell a story of the rocks being bad people turned to stone by the trickster coyote.  Yet when recently talking to a group of Paiute youth with elders I was told the word is ‘oodoo’ – no “h” – and means neither bad nor good.

shrinking Sentinel hoodoo Bryce Canyon National Park UtahThe once famous Sentinel hoodoo over ten years time was struck by lightning

So, hoodoos come and hoodoos go, all created by and destroyed by water.  Headward erosion will continue to create walls until there is no plateau left.  Of course, not in our lifetimes.  Changing climate may also change the rate of frost wedging.  Will there be a Bryce Canyon National Park someday in the geologic future?

inside pocketThe above is one out 1100 photos of the inside of my back pocket from my phone the day I took many of the above photos and presented my talk about Hoodoo geology.  Oops.  Kind of a fun pattern though.

Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah , 29 Comments

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