The Colorado Plateau Revisited Pt. 3 – Chequerboard Mesa, Red Canyon & Bryce Canyon

Moving on from the fabulous Zion National Park we headed for Chequerboard Mesa, Red Canyon and finally Bryce Canyon where we stayed at Ruby’s Inn, a fabulous western style lodge.

These first couple of images are of Chequerboard Mesa, a remarkable white sandstone formation carved into square blocks by the elements and the effects of erosion.

Chequerboard Mesa

Chequerboard Mesa

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Chequerboard Mesa & Old Tree

Our next stop was Red Canyon aptly named with its rich red colouring and stark blue skies. Traversing the tracks amongst the formations was rather difficult with all the loose gravel and stone. One had to be careful to remain upright and avoid ending up with a dusty red seat on their pants.

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Ridge walkers at Red Canyon

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Red Canyon Formations

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Red Canyon – Balanced Formations

Our destination of Bryce Canyon allowed for a couple of days viewing the Hoodoos – the name given to the towering columns, and exploring the canyon floor. A photographers delight, the richly coloured canyons and structures cast magnificent reflected light that simply glows as if it was illuminated from within in some cases. The following images taken over a couple of days will give you some idea of this amazing place.

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A lone photographer taking it to the edge.

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Clinging on for life.

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Tree roots suspended by the effects of erosion.

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The Colorado Plateau Revisited Pt 2….. Zion National Park

Following on from Snow Canyon we made our way to the town of Springdale, Utah, just outside the Zion National Park, our base for a few days of exploration within the park.

Surrounded by brilliant orange mountains that turn a gorgeous shades at sunset, the reflections of The Watchman in the pond at the back of our lodgings made a spectacular sight at sunset.

The Watchman Reflection

The Watchman Reflection

The Virgin River meanders through the Zion Valley with towering mountains of various shades of colour dominating the surroundings.

Virgin River

Virgin River

Virgin River

Virgin River

Virgin River Rapids

Virgin River Rapids

Formed over millions of years the different coloured layers of sandstone depict the expanse of time with their stratified patterns.

Huge  Canyons & Marvellous Views

Huge Canyons & Marvellous Views

Never happy with running water, the local Beaver population are hard at work designing and constructing their next dam project. Felling trees and blocking the river flow allows for a happy lifestyle.

Beaver work in progress

Beaver work in progress

Towering mountains and tall trees make a perfect location to capture a few Sunstars.

Zion Valley Sunstar

Zion Valley Sunstar

Emerald Pools Walk Sunstar

Emerald Pools Walk Sunstar

Scouts Lookout Sunstar

Scouts Lookout Sunstar

The long winding trail to Scouts Lookout was well worth the effort for the fabulous views along the way. Rising to over 5,500 feet above sea level the zig zag track seemed to go on forever.

Scouts Lookout Trail

Scouts Lookout Trail

Red glowing sandstone cliffs and sparse vegetation

Red glowing sandstone cliffs and sparse vegetation

The green cacti makes a stark reminder of the harsh conditions.

The green cacti makes a stark reminder of the harsh conditions.

Another beautiful tree

Another beautiful tree

As you can see Zion N.P. is a captivating place to visit and one I would recommend that you spend a few days exploring.

Watch for Part 3 of our journey coming soon as next we visit Red Canyon, Chequerboard Mesa and Bryce Canyon.