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Bryce Canyon National Park Sunset Point SunrisePoint The "Figure 8" trail The "Figure 8" trail The "Figure 8" trail The "Figure 8" trail The "Figure 8" trail The "Figure 8" trail The "Figure 8" trail The "Figure 8" trail The "Figure 8" trail Fairyland Trail Fairyland Trail Fairyland Trail Fairyland Trail Fairyland Trail The amphitheater at sunrise... A combination of Navajo, Peekaboo and Queens Garden Trails (6.4 miles roundtrip) A hoodoo is a rock pinacle left standing by the force of erosion. Bryce Canyon has thousands of hoodoos, in all shapes, sizes and colors. These columns of rocks are protected from erosion by a harder caprock. Harder layers of limestone have more calcium carbonate cementing the rock particles together, while softer layers have less calcium carbonate cement. The range of colors at Bryce Canyon seems almost endless . Limestone in its quite pure state is basically white. Small amounts of iron deposited with the limestone have oxidized to produce the yellows, oranges, reds and browns. Manganese oxides cause the blue and purple hues. Tower Bridge on the trail (8 miles roundtrip) Trees cligging to the rim show the extent of erosion. As rocks become exposed, scientists are able to calculate that the cliff is retreating at an average rate of 1 foot every 60 years. Alternating hard and soft layers erode at different rate (a process known as differencial erosion) which causes the varied hoodoo shapes. As the softer layers continue to erode, the hoodoos will eventually collapse
Sunset Point |
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