The drive from Zion to Bryce was a quick two hours (most drives were less than two and half hours) so we were able to head straight to the visitor center before checking into the RV Park for the two night stay.
Arriving at Bryce Canyon after the craziness of Zion was a breath of fresh alpine air. It felt so much bigger and less crowded. Surprisingly, the ranger who assisted us, didn’t feel the same way. During our short interaction he seemed less than impressed with everything: he warned of the large crowds and prepared us for limited to no parking, he didn’t think we could handle a hike more intense than a one mile loop (after cautioning us to take it easy at elevation) and he preemptively gave me the Junior Ranger Badges (typically given out after the book is completed) so we wouldn’t have to come back and need his help again.
The two hikes the ranger suggested were as easy as expected: Bristlecone Loop (a one mile loop at the end of the 18 mile scenic drive) and Mossy Cave (a one mile loop at the opposite end of the park). And to be fair, there were a decent number of people who struggled with the slight incline towards Mossy Cave. The kids, conversely, were able to show off their mountain goat skills at Mossy Cave by hiking through the creek instead of the trail on the way back to the van.
We checked into Ruby’s RV Inn and Campsite late in the afternoon and enjoyed our first warm shower since leaving Las Vegas. We also turned on the heater in the van for the first time in anticipation of a very cold night.
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