Bryce Canyon in Technicolor

We recently read a comment by a traveler to the west who after visiting the Grand Canyon, found Bryce Canyon to be much less exhilarating. We would beg to differ.

Seen only from the rim, Bryce is certainly spectacular enough with a sea of spires and hoodoos arrayed in a spectrum of colors. But even more impressive is to take one of the many trails down into the canyon and walk among these geologic wonders. This is the best way to experience Bryce Canyon.

Ebenezer Bryce, a Scottish/Mormon immigrant of the late 1800’s pioneered in this area and his name became the basis for naming the park. In 1923, it was established as a National Monument under President Harding, and then enlarged to become National Park in 1928. The park currently covers 35,835 acres with 2.4 million visitors annually.

Obtaining a good photograph in Bryce is all about the suns angle, knowing when & where it will set and identifying the best locations to take advantage of the light. Over the years, we have made several visits to Bryce, getting to know the canyon.  On this particular, early October of 2010 visit, we had spent the early morning hours photographing from Bryce Point. After the sunrise, we decided to venture into the canyon on one of the many trails. This HRD image was captured a few hundred feet below the rim on a perfect fall day that allowed the brilliant light of the sun to draw out all the possible colors in these rocky spires. The vibrant colors reminded us of those older movies that featured “Color by Technicolor.”