Back Roads to Bryce

Today we decided to drive from Kanab through Johnson Canyon and head up to the very scenic route 12.  We eventually went down a road that parallels Bryce Canyon.  It was so beautiful.

It's very hard to see from the road but this is actual the set for Gunsmoke.  The guy who owns the property is letting the building go to waste.  It's too bad you can't wander around and see inside the buildings.

The scenery in the morning was nice.  We went down these red clay packed roads as we attempted to find a back way into Bryce Canyon National Park.

 We happened upon this very deep canyon.  The road was a bit narrow going over the canyon and, of course, Wade had to stop and take pictures.

 This was end of the first road we tried.  It ended in a "No Trespassing"sign and a fence.

You can barely see it but this road also ended in a barbed wire fence!  Twice denied.  We ended up back tracking and heading up to Route 12.  We found a great book that gave us a scenic route through the back way to Bryce.  It was a 56 mile/three hour loop where we saw some great pink cliffs and ended up in a place called Podunk!  

Initially the road was just a level fire road but when we turned off to the pink cliffs road, it got a bit narrow and rough.  We climbed 3000 feet in about 15 minutes and then dropped down into a pretty canyon.

After making a few wrong turns we ended up back on Route 12.  The best part of the trip up into this area is Red Canyon!  I took a few pictures but they just don't portray the true beauty of the area.

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 This view was such a nice treat after the "over the river and through the woods" trail.  We got to go where not many people have gone before...

Gordo was exhausted and slept the entire hour back to the RV!

Tomorrow we pack up and we leave on November 1st.  Onto our next adventure!