Hoodoos

 June 20, 2025

Ruby Campground site 120

Bryce City, Utah

For 9 days, there has been a wildfire burning to the west of us.  

 'A wildfire, known as the France Canyon Fire, is burning west of Bryce Canyon National Park. It is located in Dixie National Forest. As of Thursday, the fire had grown to 7,650 acres and was 5% contained, according to St. George News. The fire is causing smoke to be an issue in Bryce Canyon City and surrounding areas. Red Flag warnings are in effect due to high winds and low humidity. Firefighters are working to contain the fire, including using backburns to stop its spread.'

The wind has shifted a bit tonight, but all the thousands of pictures Momma took when they stopped at all the lookout points in Bryce Canyon National Park earlier today only show a bit of haze off in the far distance.  Maybe it's a good thing tomorrow is travel day further north.

The shuttle into and thru the park

was a different experience from Dad and Momma's visit 16 years ago.  At that time, the bus driver was also the tour guide who accompanied the bus riders to the lookout points, providing interesting information and offering to take photos.  Currently, the shuttle bus drivers follow a continuous loop with stops letting riders off and picking up waiting visitors.  The buses begin the day running about 10 minutes behind each other and as buses are added later in the morning, they run about 7-8 minutes apart.  Now everyone just take selfies and look at the views.

That view is constantly changing with age as the fragile sandstone hoodoos are influenced by the changes in the weather. 

For the more athletic and adventuresome, there are trails down into the amphitheater.

 And of course you can always be assured there will be those risk-takers who don't believe in following rules of safety and hop over the fence for that 'perfect' photo

and luckily live to share that photo.

The area appears to be a tad more commercialize.  Ruby's Inn located next to the campground still houses a general store but the inventory has been greatly expanded.  There is even an ice cream shop with a variety of flavors including huckleberry....highly recommended by one of the many shuttle bus drivers when they asked about ice cream availability. 

Is that a feather in Dad's cap or just a bottle brush that he purchased?

Aunt Pam found a new friend

Tonight the two-legged took the smaller Ruby Inn & Campground shuttle to Ebenezer's for a dinner show.

 They were pleased to discover the meal was actually quite tasty but the pre-show tried to destroy their appetite.  It almost sounded like they asked for volunteers from the audience to sing.  

After dinner, the country show began.

And Paul, their shuttle driver, was waiting for them at the end of the entrance sidewalk to return them safely to me when the show ended.

I'm Chloe