Sunrise at Bryce Canyon

Sunrise at Bryce Canyon

I have seen some powerful sunrises since I began this blog. The sunrise over the Grand Canyon had a mystical feel to it. The light extending and revealing the canyon an inch at a time. On the opposite spectrum the sunrise at Mesa Arch was confined to small section of wonderment. The morning light made the inside of arch glow as if it was forged each morning solely for this moment. The Sunrise at Bryce Canyon combined a bit of both of those feelings into one intense moment of awe.

Sunrise or Sunset?

One of the most valuable bits of information I got from a park ranger at Bryce was that both Sunset and Sunrise points face the same direction. That means that while everyone is rushing towards Sunrise point in the morning the view from either point or the Rim trail that connects them is very similar.

I used this info to have plenty of room in my spot. I was on the Rim Trail between both overlooks and it was great.

How is this Sunrise Different?

While most sunrises focus on the Sun, at Bryce the sun isn’t the most important part of the rise. What the Sun does to the surrounding rocks takes precedence. The sun climbs over a mountain and from the vantage points on the rim of the canyon that is relatively normal sunrise. But when you look down into the canyon is when you see the magic.

The orange rays from the early morning light catches the red and white sandstone of the hoodoo’s in the canyon below and they begin to glow. It is like holding a firefly in your cupped hands and seeing your fingers glow as they light.

These glowing rocks seem to come to life when the warm light envelopes them. The glow was also limited to just a small section of the rocks which made them stand out even more and made the moment that much more impressive!

Sunrise Feels

For me, each sunrise is special. There is something about the sun revealing the possibilities of a new day. I am a big fan every time I can see the sun rise from its slumber and clock in for a new day. At Bryce Canyon though the sunrise was like an Indiana Jones movie where the sun pointed me to the direction of my days adventure.

When I saw the sandstone hoodoo’s literally glowing in the morning light I immediately wanted to hike down to these amazing rock formations. I did and it was amazing. It was like my body was taken over and the light was guiding my path. By the time I made it down to the rocks they no longer glowed in my eyes. On the inside however it was like I was walking in a magical glowing city ready to be explored for the first time.

More from the Fatman

If you enjoyed this post, you may enjoy my Fatman’s Ramblings page. It is full of the wit and wonder (for better or worse) you have come to expect from the Fatman. If you have any questions or comments feel free to email me at fatmanlittletrails@gmail.com. You can also follow me on any of the below social media platforms. Happy Hiking!