Bryce Canyon: A Place That Never Stops Surprising Me

Bryce Canyon has always held a special kind of magic for me - it’s the kind of place where you learn to expect the unexpected. Since my very first visit to Utah in 1986, every return trip over nearly 40 years has offered something new, something surprising. Each time I set foot in the park, I feel like I’m seeing it again for the first time.

Back in ’86, after several days exploring Colorado for the first time, I had no intention of continuing into Utah. I was thoroughly mesmerized by Colorado and felt no need to leave - but my college buddy Dave had other plans. He convinced me to push west, and reluctantly, I agreed. That decision changed everything.

What followed was an unforgettable drive across southern Utah, through the heart of Capitol Reef and what would eventually become Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. As we reached Bryce Canyon just in time for sunset, I stood at an overlook, stunned. After a full day of sensory overload, I realized something profound: my life had been turned upside down. It would take me six more years to fully sever my eastern roots - but in that moment, the seed was planted. I never looked back.

Fast forward to August 2004: this visit was no exception to Bryce’s ability to astonish. Rhonda and I camped in the park and spent several days exploring both the rim and the canyon floor. On our final morning, we decided to rise early and watch the sunrise - always the most breathtaking time to be at the overlooks.

If you’ve never seen it, sunrise at Bryce is nothing short of sublime. As the first light hits the east-facing cliffs, the canyon ignites with color - hues that shift and shimmer depending on the clouds and the clarity of the air. Unlike sunset, which casts the canyon into shadow, sunrise sets it aglow. On this particular morning, we struck gold. For several unforgettable minutes, the world was bathed in an ethereal pink and orange light - a glow so vivid it’s stayed with me for over 20 years.

It was, without a doubt, one of the most spectacular sunrises I’ve ever witnessed.

You’ll find a few photos of that morning at the end of this image set.