Things To Do Near Bryce Canyon National Park
Hiking poles:
Hey you guys! Thanks for joining me on another journey. We are here outside of Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah. We are exploring the things to do outside of the national park. We came to the ghost town of Widstoe and found the cemetery along with a few very cool old structures, including a church that served also served as a schoolhouse. It was incredible to walk in & around these pieces of history. Widstoe Ghost Town is located in John’s Valley, about 16 miles northeast of Bryce Canyon National Park near the East Fork of the Sevier River. The town was settled in the early 1900s by Jedediah Adair, and his success as a ‘dry’ farmer drew other settlers to the area over the next few years. Originally known as Adairville, the town was renamed several times in honor of prominent locals including LDS Church leaders John Houston and John R. Winder, and University of Utah president John A. Widtsoe. In 1912, the town (then known as Winder) began to thrive. The prospering community had a post office, sawmills, a confectionery plant, two hotels, four stores, and a church meetinghouse that also served as a school. Running water was piped into town from a local spring in 1915. By 1917, the town was renamed once again, this time in recognition of John A. Widtsoe’s agricultural expertise. Widtsoe continued to prosper with the relocation of the US Forest Service’s district office, and by 1919 the community had a population estimate of 1,100 residents. Utah has a diverse and rich history, most of which has been forgotten by most people. Some of these creepy abandoned towns are where you will want to start your next adventure.
We also went to Kodachrome State Park. Even though its magnificent scenery is similar to Bryce Canyon's, it is amazing to see the differences. Kodachrome Basin is a spectacle of massive sandstone chimneys, ever-changing from gray and white to shades of red with the day's mood. Numerous rocks and coves offer solitude, quiet and unique desert beauty. Kodachrome is nine miles south of State Route 12 near Cannonville. The park features a wide variety of colorful sandstone formations and epic views of Bryce Canyon and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. Kodachrome Basin State Park, with its red tinged rock formations and incredible blue skies, just begs to be photographed. The National Geographic Society came up with the name, and everyone agreed with it. Towering monolithic spires or chimneys jut up from the valley floor or protrude from the sandstone rocks that surround the campground and inspire an infinite array of subjects limited only by one’s imagination. In addition to hiking, horseback riding (guided horseback rides are available at the park with Red Canyon Trail Rides) and mountain biking in the park, visitors should plan to visit nearby Grosvenor Arch. This intricate double arch, located just 10 miles southeast of the park, is one of the most impressive in the state. We hiked to Shakespeare Arch, and even got to stand right below it, gazing up at its stunning beauty. It is definitely one of my most favorite arches!
We discovered another couple of ghost towns on the way back to Bryce Canyon. We aren't sure which ones they were exactly, but we believe one was Georgetown and another was Losee. It was so awesome to see old relics scattered about the property, which included a kind of corral used for what we guessed to be sheep-herding. It's crazy to think of how the inhabitants of these towns survived in such stark conditions. Perhaps the grandeur of the view kept them there for as long as they could sustain life there.
We ended the day at Casto Canyon. Again, the scenery was similar to Bryce Canyon National Park but it was wonderfully different as well. We ended up hiking along a dry riverbed, and along the way, we discovered a very unique type of crystal or geode. It felt like finding a treasure! Once we connected back up with the ATV trail, we realized how exhausted and sore we were, but we had thoroughly enjoyed an absolutely amazing day adventuring outside of Bryce Canyon.
What's In My Camera Bag:
Canon EOS M6:
Zhiyun Crane 2 Gimbal:
Rode Microphone:
GoPro Hero 3:
Tripod:
Joby GorillaPod:
GoPro Accessories:
Canon M6 Batteries & Charger:
GoPro Batteries & Charger:
64G SD Cards:
GoPro SD Cards:
Shock-Proof SD Card Case:
Ozark Hydration Bag: