Bryce Canyon National Park
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Mossy Cave Bryce Canyon National Park |
April 15, 2014
The air temperature is 38 degrees as I pull into the empty trailhead parking
lot for my initial walk of a scheduled 18-day hiking tour. The plan
is to visit mostly new trails, thereby reducing the length of my bucket list.
Having not scheduled a single day of relative inactivity, I hope that my body is
up to the challenge for the duration.
My odyssey starts here, in Water Canyon
This trail is unknown to most Bryce Canyon visitors, because it lies outside the normal tourist haunts. It features running water, which is rarely found elsewhere in the park.
Typical Bryce hoodoos
Yep — the creek is flowing
Almost immediately a marvelous set of windows appears on the right.
Although it would be easy enough to climb all the way up there, I clamber up
about half-way for a nice photo.
The Mossy Cave Windows — six of them ⇔
Trail improvements
The advertised waterfall is there — barely
The back side of the windows resembles a dog's head (see Addendum)
Within just ten minutes I reach the end of the trail.
Approaching Mossy Cave
This is not a cavern, but a grotto created by an underground spring. Later in the season, the ice will be replaced by a lot of moss on the overhang.
The icicle is six feet high
Another sign provides information about Bryce's Junior Ranger Program, one challenge of which is for hikers to 'bag' survey markers such as this one:
By the end of my walk, a dozen vehicles have arrived.
Heading back
§: This short trail features not only the most unique icicle I
have observed, but the cutest and most accessible little grouping of windows
I have seen. What a nice way to begin my tour!
| Scenery |  |
| Difficulty |  |
| Personality |  |
| Solitude |  |
ADDENDUM
As of April, 2018, the delicate right-hand portion of the wall of windows (the doggie's mouth) had collapsed; and that's a real shame.
